How to save on university fees and avoid being assigned to a job?

The issue of forcing university graduates on state-funded programs to work for three years has been on the minds of legislators. Last week, at a meeting of the State Duma's Healthcare Committee, deputies supported the idea of ​​assigning medical workers to work assignments.

Engineers and scientists are expected to follow suit—they, too, are being given work assignments. Enrolling in a for-profit program is an option, but the authorities are already preparing to forcibly limit the number of fee-paying places at universities. This artificial shortage will drive up the already high tuition costs. Furthermore, this year, the list of specialties eligible for preferential student loans was reduced .

The solution is to study abroad. Before the SVO, studying abroad primarily meant enrolling in universities and colleges in the UK, France, the US, and other Western countries. Prestigious and expensive.

The university landscape has changed, and studying abroad has become a much more down-to-earth alternative to a domestic education. NI investigated where Russian applicants can apply in 2026 and how much such tuition costs.

SberStrakhovanie surveys showed that 21% of Russians want to send their children to study abroad. Among international destinations, China is the most popular. Only 20% of respondents willing to change are willing to study in China.

Firstly, receiving an education at Chinese universities opens the door to employment worldwide. China has diploma recognition agreements with 55 countries. Of course, enrolling in an unknown private university and then applying for a job in leading countries won't work. You'll have to look individually to see which universities are highly regarded in which countries.

For example, degrees from Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai JTU, and other universities are readily accepted in Europe, including Austria and Germany. Graduating from a Chinese university will be an advantage when applying for jobs in Singapore, Malaysia, and the UAE.

The Russian Federation is no exception. The Ministry of Education and Science has compiled a list of 384 foreign educational institutions whose diplomas are automatically recognized in Russia. And China ranks among the leaders in terms of the number of universities recognized.

At less prestigious universities (approximately 500 institutions accept international students), a year of study costs around 200,000 rubles. This is comparable to training at regional universities and institutes across the Russian Federation. Naturally, this figure also includes the cost of accommodation. A place on campus costs around 10,000–20,000 rubles per month. Again, this is comparable to the cost of renting an apartment if you're studying in one of Russia's regions.

And to enroll in Chinese universities, you don't need to know Chinese at all: many educational programs are available in English. You'll also brush up on your linguistic skills. Studying in English is a common practice worldwide, but it's still somewhat uncommon in Russia.

But what if you have absolutely no inclination to learn languages ​​and are afraid to move to a distant, unfamiliar country? Then there's the option of getting an education in Belarus or Kazakhstan, where instruction is in Russian. But be prepared for the fact that the cost will be no less than in China.

If tuition is not unlimited, then the choice will fall on one of two national universities. A year of tuition at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University costs 3,400–3,700 US dollars (285,000–310,000 rubles), while KazNU costs 1.6 million tenge (240,000 rubles). Moreover, KazNU ranks well in international rankings. According to the QS classification, for example, it is ranked 163rd in the world.

Nazarbayev University, however, stands apart. An academic year there costs $15,000, or 1.25 million rubles. According to NU, the difference lies in their approaches to education. During the Soviet era, the functions of education and research were divided between universities and research institutes, respectively. In most leading countries, however, education and research are inextricably linked. This is the internationally accepted model that NU applies.

Future engineers will appreciate the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU). For Russians, tuition typically ranges from $3,600 to $3,900, or 300,000 to 327,000 rubles. Among its advantages is the university's location in Minsk, easily accessible by car, train, or plane. Home will always be close.

Future doctors can study at either the Belarusian State Medical University (from 418,000 rubles per year) or at the Vitebsk State Medical University, which is cheaper (from 320,000 rubles per year).

After the start of the Second World War and Russia's increasing isolation, it seemed that young people would no longer need foreign languages. But the opposite has happened. Knowledge of English opens the door to a globally recognized diploma in China, without the three-year commitment of working, at the cost of studying in Ryazan. If language skills don't work out, but you don't want to work as part of a placement, you'll have to pay extra for education in Kazakhstan or Belarus.