Higher School of Economics (HSE) - faculties, admission, tuition fees and scholarships in one of the best universities of Moscow. We will help to enroll in HSE
National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) is one of the participants in the 5-100 project. The goal is to bring Russian universities to the 100 best educational institutions in the world[1]. Despite the name, the university trains specialists not only in the economic fields. HSE students study in 11 areas, including social, legal, science, computer and other fields of science.
Location
Moscow, Russia
Establishment year
1992
Students
22,006
The history of the HSE
Higher School of Economics was founded in the fall of 1992. A few months later, the first master's degree program in economics was opened in the Russian Federation on the basis of the university. To prepare teachers, the university leadership organized regular internships for employees in foreign universities. The invited foreign professors, who taught part of the lectures for students, helped to adopt international experience in economic theory. In 1994, postgraduate studies opened on the basis of the Higher School, the university began training legal and social specialists. 1997 was marked by signing of an agreement with the London School of Economics and opening of the International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF). From that moment, one of the first double degree programs in the Russian Federation appeared at the HSE. At the very end of the 90s, the university switched to a modular training system: 4 modules per year, 5-6 disciplines in each. As a result, students were able to increase the number of hours for self-study (up to 60%). In the early 2000s, the HSE expanded significantly. Over the course of several years, 8 new faculties were opened, and the HSE Academic Fund was founded[2]. In 2009, the Higher School of Economics was awarded the prestigious status of a National Research University[3]. From that moment the development of their own standards of educational programs began.
The structure of the HSE
Higher School of Economics has 4 campuses located in Moscow and branches of the university in St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm. Undergraduate and graduate students are trained at 16 faculties of the university. On the basis of the HSE, there is a lyceum for students in grades 9-11, in which university teachers train students in 10 areas.
The complete list of programs with tuition fees is published on the official HSE website: bachelor’s and master’s. Here is the overview of undergraduate programs by direction, minimal cost and seats available.
Bachelor’s program
Duration of study
Min. cost per year (Moscow / branches)
Seats, state-funded
Seats, fee-paying
Seats, fee-paying international students
Urban Planning
5 years
5,252 USD / -
35
20
10
Cell and Molecular Biotechnology
4 years
4,716 USD / -
28
10
10
Asian and African Studies
5 years
4,287 USD / 4,502 USD
67 / 22
105 / 90
18 / 10
Arts and Crafts
4 years
6,431 USD / 4,287 USD
37 / 15
300 / 80
30 / 13
Information Science and Computing Technology
4 years
4,180 USD / 1,822 USD
236 / 80
110 / 70
45 / 8
Information Security
4 years 5.5 years
4,716 USD / -
85
65
15
History of Art
4 years
4,502 USD / -
30
55
6
History and Archeology
5 years
4,180 USD / 1,608 USD
79 / 57
30 / 40
4 / 5
Cultural Studies
4 years
4,180 USD / -
35
20
3
Mathematics and Mechanics
4 years
4,180 USD / 1,822 USD
289 / 100
215 / 85
54 / 26
Geography of Global Transformation and Geoinformation Technology
4 years
4,180 USD / -
20
2
Political Science and Area studies
4 years
4,823 USD / 4,180 USD
100 / 40
360 / 70
75 / 17
Psychology
4 years
4,609 USD / -
63
50
15
Sociology and Social Work
4 years
4,180 USD / 3,430 USD
95 / 50
70 / 30
5 / 2
Media, Information and Library Services
4 years
5,252 USD / -
115
425
60
Physics
4 years
4,716 USD / 3,108 USD
50 /
10 / 5
10 / 2
Philosophy
4 years
4,180 USD / -
45
20
3
Chemistry
4 years
4,716 USD / -
21
5
5
Economics and Management
4 years
5,145 USD / 1,822 USD
785 / 519
1230 / 541
224 / 144
Information and Communication Technologies and Systems
4 years
4,180 USD / -
60
10
3
Jurisprudence
5 years
4,609 USD / 1,608 USD
173 / 167
120 / 90
35 / 16
Linguistics and Literature studies
4 years
4,180 USD / 1,822 USD
137 / 66
315 / 150
40 / 15
English-taught undergraduate programs
Program
Campus
Duration of study
Tuition per year
Seats, fee-paying / for international students
Double Degree Programme in Economics (with the University of London)
Moscow
4 years
9,432 USD
220 / 35
Parallel Degree Programme in International Relations (with the University of London)
Moscow
4 years
7,717 USD
170 / 10
Double Degree Programme in Data Science and Business Analytics (with the University of London)
Moscow
4 years
7,288 USD
80 / 12
Parallel Degree Programme in Management and Digital Innovation (with the University of London)
Moscow
4 years
7,395 USD
80 / 12
Double Degree Programme in Economics and Politics in Asia (with the Kyung Hee University)
Moscow
4 years
5,895 USD
80 / 15
International Business and Management Studies
St. Petersburg
4 years
4,823 USD
120 / 35
Political Science and World Politics
St. Petersburg
4 years
4,180 USD
70 / 17
Sociology and Social Informatics
St. Petersburg
4 years
3,430 USD
30 / 2
Study discounts for international students
Higher School of Economics offers discounts on tuition to international undergraduate applicants in the following categories:
The Competition’s subject should correspond to the chosen field of study
70%
No discounts are availbale for students applying to the programs with no state-funded places, including double-degree programs with the University of London and Kyung Hee University.
To maintain the discount for the whole period of studies a student should have no reprimands and regularly demonstrate high academic performance[4].
Scholarships for undergraduates at the Higher School of Economics
HSE quota international students have the opportunity to receive the same scholarship as state-funded students. The standard state academic scholarship is about 17 USD per month. The decision to provide an increased state academic scholarship is made on the basis of the student’s achievement and the number of applicants (only 10% of the recipients of the standard scholarship are eligible). The monthly amount paid to the students is between 54 USD and 214 USD.
In addition, the university provides an opportunity to participate in independent scholarship programs funded by partners.
Prestigious diploma. HSE ranks 1st in the annual international subject rating among Russian universities[5]. The Higher School of Economics is consistently included in the top 5 Russian universities for the employment of graduates[6].
Applied education. Since 2014, undergraduate programs provide for compulsory project activities, which account for 20% of the workload. Students learn to apply their knowledge on real projects: they develop marketing plans for companies, website designs, accounting of financial records, etc. The site has a corresponding section where you can select projects to participate in.
The ability to influence the content of the curriculum. Starting from the 2nd year, HSE students can take elective disciplines of their choice in an individual curriculum.
International cooperation. Short-term and long-term exchange programs, international conferences, lectures from leading teachers of Europe, the USA, and China enable students to integrate into the international environment.
Free education and discounts on tuition. The relatively high cost of training programs (an average of 4,287 USD per year) can be partially offset by a discount system. The university has a program to support talented students, which provides for a discount of up to 70% of the total cost of training. Almost every program has seats that allow you to study for free.
For applicants from other countries, the Higher School of Economics has a preparatory department for teaching the Russian language and general thematic disciplines. International students can choose between three programs available at the HSE.
For admission to the HSE, foreign applicants must undergo remote or face-to-face testing in 2 subjects according to the schedule. It is necessary to register for the tests through the personal account no later than 1 week before the test. The exam programs and samples, as well as minimum required scores, can be accessed on the website.
Translated and notarized copy of the passport or other ID;
A translated and officially legalized copy of the certificate of prior education with transcript, or just a transcript if the documents are submitted before graduating;
Original Scholarship Application completed in English with a picture in the upper right corner signed by the applicant (if applicable);
Standard general medical certificate copy;
Medical certificate copy indicating HIV test results.
International cooperation
One of the development priorities of the HSE since its inception has been an active exchange of experience with foreign educational institutions. As of 2019, HSE University had 421 cooperation agreements with organizations from 69 countries[7]. The Scientific Research University is a member of 4 university-wide and 10 subject-specific international associations[8]. As a part of the interaction, joint research, conferences are held, double degree and student mobility programs are implemented.
Dual degree programs
Dual degree programs of the Higher School of Economics and foreign universities are mainly designed for master’s students. An exception refers to several 4-year Bachelor’s programs in economics and politics, implemented jointly with the London School of Economicsor Kyung Hee University.
For graduate students at the Higher School of Economics, there are about 60 double-degree programs. Curricula are developed in conjunction with partner universities from the United States, Europe, China and Asia. As a rule, one year of study takes place at the HSE, another – in the territory of the foreign educational institution that participates in the joint program. Graduates receive a master's degree in HSE and a foreign diploma from a partner university. To participate in the program, several conditions must be met:
High GPA for academic performance;
Language of study proficiency (must provide the results of such tests as IELTS,TOEFL, TOEIC etc.);
Presence of recommendations from the program manager;
Competitive portfolio (for some areas).
A catalogue of current DD programs and minimum entry requirements are published on the HSE website.
Academic mobility programs. Stages of selection
HSE students actively participate in international exchange programs with partner universities. Each year, the commission considers more than 1000 applications for 370 competitive quota positions. Tuition is paid by partner universities, students cover all other expenses (visa, travel to and from the host country, accommodation, meals, insurance, etc.). Reception of applications opens 2 times a year: for autumn programs it starts in February, for spring in August.
Students can submit an application both on a free and on a paid basis of full-time education. Students without academic debts who have successfully completed 2 years of bachelor’s / specialist training () or 1 year of master's / doctoral studies are allowed to participate in the competition. The Commission gives preference to those who participate in such programs for the first time. The main stages of selection are:
Choosing a student mobility program. A catalog of relevant programs is published on the HSE website. To participate in the competition, you can choose the program of no more than 3 partner universities, placing them in order of priority.
Determining the budget for participation. It is necessary to make an estimate of the upcoming costs of the program (payment of certificates, visa, flight, rental housing, etc.). You can calculate the approximate cost of living in the selected country here.
Filing an application. You can fill out the digital form after the start of the competition is announced. Required documents and certificates must be attached to the application in PDF format.
Information on the results of the competition. The decision of the selection committee based on the selection results is announced 30 days after the deadline for applications. Information is reported at the email specified during the registration and is not subject to appeal.
Preparing for departure. Before leaving for training, it is necessary to take part in indicative meetings for those nominated for international exchange programs. During the meeting students discuss possible issues of stay and study in the selected country. Students on Moscow campuses must attend in person. Webinars are organized for students at HSE branches.
HSE offers 58 full-time, part-time, and remote professional retraining programs lasting from 8 to 24 months. Training is conducted in 11 areas:
Business Informatics;
Finance and credit;
Economics and property management;
Foreign language;
Marketing;
Management;
Corporate governance;
Logistics and supply chain management;
HR Management;
Sports management;
Law.
Especially popular is the unique program for Russia MBA in Business Analytics, which has been accredited by the National Expert Council for Business and Management Education, NASDOBR[9]. The number of people who want to enroll in training annually exceeds the number of places on the course, which leads to the early closure of registration. The program provides the most relevant knowledge and skills in the field of general and IT management, develops a systematic approach to management. The cost of a 20-month course is 6,860 USD.
HSE+. The project of the Higher School of Economics for úndergraduate and graduate students, designed to develop additional competencies of students:
Language (English, French, German, Chinese, Spanish, Italian);
Professional (marketing, finance, law, linguistics, etc.);
Soft skills (time management, business communication, conflict management).
Winter schools. Traditional activities during the winter holidays for students who wish to continue their studies at master’s level. Classes are taught in 13 areas, including the School of Law, Social Sciences, and the School of Business Informatics. The format of winter schools is lectures on the subject, presentations of industry leading companies representatives, project activities. HSE provides students with free attendance accommodations and meals. A student needs to pass a selection process to attend.
In addition to studying, students can join a variety of club organizations: sports, music, cinema, travel, charity. The HSE Theater conducts classes in acting and stage speech, regularly puts on plays, and participates in city festivals. There are about 40 HSE championship teams in the university’s football (soccer) league. The project "Muzvyshka" unites student music bands of Moscow. In 2018, it won the European Eventiada IPRA Golden World Awards 2018 in the category "PR project of the year"[10]. Learn about all organizations.
The HSE pays attention to the future career of graduates. The Career Development Center consults on resume writing and successful interviewing. The site publishes vacancies and internships from potential employers. To ensure that graduates feel confident even at the very beginning of their careers, classes on solving business cases are regularly held at the HSE. More than 5000 students learn the trends of modern business, develop team cooperation, decision-making and leadership skills.
The main building of the Higher School of Economics is located in the center of Moscow on the busy Myasnitskaya Street near the metro stations Lubyanka and Chistye Prudy. Here you can fight the main part of the faculties. Several buildings of the university are located separately, in different areas of the city. All university buildings have Wi-Fi access. Some buildings are adapted for people with disabilities. There are ramps at the entrance, toilet rooms on the 1st floors, equipped with handrails and special cabins. Most buildings have their own libraries and canteens.
At the disposal of the Higher School of Economics are 10 dormitories located within Moscow and the Moscow region. Some have gyms, laundromats, and student canteens. The cost of living is set in the range of 800–18 USD per month, depending on the hostel.
"Campus Dubki" is located in the Moscow region, Odintsovo. 3 multistoried buildings can house over 5,000 nonresident and foreign students. Accommodation is provided in 1, 2, 3 and 4-room apartments with balconies and equipped kitchens. The town has a medical center, ATMs, gyms and separate rooms for self-training. The cost of living is 59 USD per month.
Campus Type
Urban
Library
Yes
Interesting facts about the Higher School of Economics
HSE has its own currency – HSEсoin. Each year, students are awarded with HSEcoins (1 unit – 2 USD), with which they can provide financial support to existing student projects: buy products or services, donate for development, etc. To get financing, project creators train in advertising and PR campaigns.
HSE also has the project “Hotline Button” – a feedback form with which stude nts can share their opinions or express opinions on university life or education. The internet outages, a professor being late, poor-quality food – such problems are often solved using the service.
Since 2001, the HSE has been hosting the annual Golden HSE award based on professional achievements. The competition jury determines the winners in 8 categories. Nominees for the award can be teachers, students and graduates of the university.
Famous alumni
Maxim Oreshkin – Economic Adviser to President of Russia (since 2020), Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation (2016–2020), Chairman of the Council of the Center for Strategic Research (since 2018 – present);
German Klimenko – owner of the Internet company LiveInternet, founder of the news aggregator MediaMetrics, adviser to the President of the Russian Federation (2016–2018);
Dmitry Pegov – Deputy General Director of Russian Railways, overseeing the passenger services;
Konstantin Noskov – Minister of Digital Development, Telecommunications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation (2018–2020), Head of the Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation;
Ilya Azar is a journalist, special correspondent for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper. In 2014, winner of the Journalist of the Year Award according to GQ magazine.
Pros. In the educational process, students note a small number of general subjects, sufficient time for self-study and the value of a diploma, which allows you to easily find work after graduation. One of the important advantages, according to students, is the availability of lecture notes prepared by previous students and free attendance at theoretical classes. Many people like the opportunity to participate in creative events, gain additional skills in project work.
Cons. A lot of deadlines that are impossible to postpone, the remote location of the buildings and poor technical equipment of the classrooms are the main complaints in the reviews of most students. A complex training program and problems with the schedule are noted by students of some faculties, for example, law, foreign languages.
