Travel and accommodation
Students enjoy a broad range of transport benefits. Suburban train tickets are discounted by 50%. The discount runs from 1 September to 15 June. To qualify, students must show a student card, a full-time education card, or another document requested by regional authorities. Discounted fares can be purchased within the Moscow Railway using a Muscovite social card or the Moscow Region resident card. Additionally, long-distance trains offer a 25% reduction under the Russian Railways Bonus program.
The government also subsidizes air tickets for citizens under 23 each year.
Perhaps the most significant benefit is student housing. Dormitories form a cornerstone of Russia’s mass higher education model, ensuring access for full-time students. Part-time students may use free dormitory quotas during the certificate period.
Priority is given to students who receive social scholarships. These students also pay no monthly rent in the dormitory; only incidental expenses are required. Institutions may offer discounts on hostel stays and related services to other students when possible.
Tax deduction and deferment from the military
Working students can claim tax deductions, reclaiming part of their personal income tax. Any eligible education costs count, whether for a university, college, driving school, programming course, or language study, as long as the institution holds a license for educational activity. Deductions may also apply for children in full-time education, siblings under 24, and parents paying their children’s higher education expenses.
There is also a well-known benefit for students: the right to postpone military service. Eligibility begins after admission and lasts through the period of study. It is important to register promptly after finishing school, ideally before 1 October, to avoid risking draft.
After graduation, students may continue their studies. Undergraduates can move into master’s programs and then to doctoral training. A common path is direct admission to graduate school, after which a one-year window is allowed to prepare a thesis for defense.
Note that postponement does not apply to certain groups: first- or second-higher education holders, those in remote or evening study modes, and programs lacking state accreditation. To receive deferment, a certificate from the student’s institution must be filed with the military registration and enlistment office, and the deferment lasts if study duration does not extend beyond one additional year. The postponement also applies if the student is on leave or transfers to an accredited program at the same level.
Attention should be given to mobilization delays. They apply to first-time students and to those in full-time and part-time study. Eligible settings include universities and colleges with state-accredited programs, graduate studies in scientific institutions, and religious educational institutions.
Benefits for students’ parents
New parents among students gain two types of support: holidays and benefits. Since 2023, a single payment has been made to pregnant students registering before the 12th week, equal to 50% of the regional subsistence level. During maternity leave, students retain social benefits. Pregnant students receive maternity benefits in addition to their holiday rights. Benefits apply whether the student is funded by a budget or a fee-based program. Maternity payments align with the academic leave period, and scholarship increases do not change the benefit amount.
After birth, the student or the child’s father can receive lump-sum payments. From 2023 to 2024, a payment of 22,909 rubles was available. Childcare benefits for children up to eighteen months can be claimed by either parent; if one parent works, the benefit is paid by the employer. The amount equals 40% of the average earnings of the previous two years. Social security support is available if both parents study or if one studies while the other is not employed. The 2023 minimum monthly childcare allowance was 8,630 rubles.
Scholarships and social aid
Financial security for socially disadvantaged students is important. A state social scholarship exists for such students. Payments start at 2,739 rubles for universities and 996 rubles for colleges. While modest, the social scholarship can be supplemented to near the regional subsistence level in the student’s area of study. To qualify, students must study without extensive notes or revisions and must receive a social scholarship in their first two years. Excellent and good students under 20 with a single parent (a disabled person from the first group) may also qualify for enhanced social scholarships.
A survivor’s pension is available for students who have lost a parent, paid to disabled family members of the deceased. Non-working students can receive this pension until age 23. The pension is available to Russian citizens who are full-time students, and amounts reflect the living costs in the beneficiary’s region.
Tickets to museums and theaters
Students can visit museums, theaters, and educational events at free or reduced rates. Some venues offer free admission on certain days; the Hermitage, for instance, provides free entry to students, while the Tretyakov Gallery offers free days on the first and second Sunday of each month. The Moscow Kremlin allows free entry, though access to cathedral museums and temporary exhibitions may be restricted.
The theater scene follows a similar pattern. Et Cetera theater offers a 50% student discount on select weekdays, and if seats remain, performances at Pyotr Fomenko Workshop may be free. Praktika sometimes allows free attendance with advance notice by email on performance days. Discounted tickets to the Bolshoi Theater can be obtained with a Pushkin Card.