Licensing and Accreditation

Russian universities are licensed or accredited by a branch of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

A license gives an institution permission to offer educational services and means that the institution has the appropriate space and well trained faculty for the number of enrolled students. Every branch of an institution of higher education needs to get state licenses separately from the head institution. A newly opened non-state institution must apply for a license first, and after three years of successful operation, it may be accredited.

The procedure to obtain accreditation includes a self-evaluation and peer review. Accreditation last up to 5 years and gives institutions the right to issue official government diplomas. All branches of a particular institution must be accredited at the same time as the main branch. The word "state" (государственный) in the name of an institution of higher education guarantees that this institution issues state standard diplomas.

All university level institutions have to pass licensing and accreditation procedures carried out by the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science.

A list of higher education institutions accredited by the Ministry is available at the site of the National Information Center on Academic Recognition and Mobility.