Colleges and universities are achieving record-breaking Olympic accomplishments
In 2025, Russian schools have witnessed a significant surge in Olympiad participation, with students reaping the benefits in university admissions. This trend has introduced an additional merit-based component to the application process, offering high-achieving students opportunities to bolster their applications through Olympiad results, scholarships, and internships.
Leading universities across the country, such as the Ural Federal University, St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, MFTI, ITMO, and MGIMO, have reported an increase in the number of Olympiad winners among their applicants.
Ilya Obabkov, the acting rector of Ural Federal University, announced that their institution has set a record for accepting children of participants in the Special Military Operation (SVO), with 364 students being admitted under this quota. Most of these students chose engineering programs, including mechanical engineering and energy.
Andrey Rudskoy, the rector of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, noted a 2.6% increase in the number of applicants in 2025 compared to 2024. The university has also seen an increase in the number of schoolchildren from families of SVO participants, with 252 students applying.
Bauman Moscow State Technical University (MGTU) admitted 520 Olympiad winners, an increase of 60% compared to the previous year. MGIMO, on the other hand, admitted 35% of first-year students who are winners and prize-winners of the All-Russian Olympiad in profile disciplines.
The rectors of the represented universities agree that these results indicate the preservation of the quality of school education, with students becoming more goal-oriented and conscious. They also believe that the Unified State Exam (USE) should not be abolished yet.
The Sirius Educational Center and the NTI Club Movement organize large-scale Olympiad events like “Big Challenges,” involving 430+ high school students working on advanced interdisciplinary problems. Successful participants can earn extra university entrance points, presidential scholarships, and internships at partner companies, providing both admission advantages and career opportunities.
Russian schoolchildren have demonstrated international excellence at competitions such as the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) 2025 and AI Olympiads, winning multiple medals against hundreds of global competitors. This success enhances the prestige of Olympiad laureates in university admissions, signaling exceptional preparedness and skills in IT and AI.
The involvement of prominent figures like Putin congratulating Olympiad winners reflects the government's high appreciation of this pathway as part of Russia’s educational priorities and talent cultivation strategies, likely influencing university admission policies to favor top Olympiad achievers.
ITMO admitted 728 Olympiad winners, mainly in general disciplines such as mathematics and informatics. MFTI admitted 227 winners and prize-winners of the All-Russian School Olympiad, with 16 being members of the Russian national teams in various school subjects.
The pro-rector of RUDN University named after G.V. Plekhanov, Nikulin, reported that the number of foreign students among those admitted to their university is about 10-11% of the total.
In summary, the surge in Olympiad participation has strengthened a merit-based admissions component, allowing high-achieving students to bolster their university applications via Olympiad results, scholarships, and internships in 2025. This system also aligns with broader efforts to integrate education with high-tech industry needs.
Pursuing personal growth and learning is essential for high-achieving students in Russia, as participation in Olympiad competitions has become a significant aspect of education-and-self-development. Success in these competitions provides opportunities for scholarship, internships, and admission advantages in prestigious universities like Ural Federal University, St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, MFTI, ITMO, and MGIMO. These Olympiad events not only boost students' prospects for university admission but also offer career opportunities through internships at partner companies.
