The Crimean War lasted from 1853 to 1856. In Tsarist-era Russia, nursing had little formal organization, and typical nineteenth-century nurses were known as “Sisters of Mercy.”
Nursing education in Russia is offered in different formats and at different levels, depending on the institution. The examples below include bachelor’s programs, nursing-management master’s programs, and secondary vocational study. Applicants should check each university’s current admissions page for the teaching language, eligibility requirements, and fees.
Students considering Russia can also review our guide to the cost of studying and living. The universities below offer nursing-related programs.
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in Russia
1. First Moscow State Medical University
First Moscow State Medical University, also known as Sechenov University, traces its history to the medical faculty founded in 1758. It is described by the university as Russia’s first and oldest medical school. The institution received university status in 2010, and its Faculty of Higher Nursing Training was established in 1991.
The university’s official admissions pages list 34.03.01 Nursing as a four-year, full-time bachelor’s program and 34.04.01 Nursing Management as a two-year, six-month part-time master’s program. Applicants should check the live program pages for the current tuition information that applies to their applicant category.
2. RUDN University
RUDN University was founded in 1960. The Russian government renamed it the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia in 1992, and the university officially returned the name of Patrice Lumumba in 2023.
The university was admitted to the International Association of Universities in 1964. In 2012, it was granted the right to independently develop and implement its own higher education programs. Its official history page also records a maximum five-star QS Stars rating in 2020.
RUDN University’s Institute of Medicine offers a bachelor’s program in Nursing. The official program page lists medical, organizational and managerial, and research competencies, along with foreign-language study and clinical training in Moscow. The full-time Russian-language program lasts four years and is listed at US$5,450 per year. A five-year, part-time Russian-language option is listed at ₽150,000 per year.
3. Perm State Medical University
Higher medical education in Perm dates to 1916, when the medical department was part of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at Perm State University. It became an independent medical faculty in 1917 and the Perm Medical Institute in 1931. The institution was renamed the Perm State Medical Academy in 1994.
Perm State Medical University offers the 34.03.01 Nursing bachelor’s program through its Faculty of Clinical Psychology and Higher Nursing Education. The official page lists an evening format with a duration of four years and six months.
4. Novosibirsk State Medical University
Novosibirsk State Medical University traces its history to the Novosibirsk Medical Institute, established in 1935.
The university’s official education pages list Nursing at two levels: the 34.03.01 bachelor’s program and the 34.02.01 secondary vocational program. Applicants should review the university’s current education page for the available study formats and fee information.
5. First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University was founded in 1897 as the Medical Institute for Women. According to the university’s history page, it was the first institution in Russia and Europe to provide women with an opportunity to obtain higher medical education. Male students were admitted beginning in 1916.
The university states that it is the city’s only higher medical school with an outpatient department attached to the university.
The university’s higher nursing education division offers the 34.03.01 Nursing bachelor’s program in a four-year, full-time format and the 34.04.01 Nursing Management master’s program in a two-year, six-month part-time format.
The universities above offer different nursing-related study routes. Compare the program level, format, teaching language, and current admissions information before applying.
We hope this article on nursing schools in Russia was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in Russia guide and Available Programs in Europe for International Students page for more articles on studying abroad.