The key facts

  • College admissions grew from 900,000 to 1.4 million people, with competition rising from one to three applications per place
  • In 2026, 63% of ninth-graders and 12% of eleventh-graders entered colleges
  • Starting next academic year, the course 'Artificial Intelligence and Information Security' will become mandatory for grades 5–11

Growth in college admissions and competition

The number of applications submitted to colleges in Russia has grown from 900,000 to 1.4 million, while competition has risen from one application per place five years ago to three applications per place. These figures were cited by Russian Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov, as reported by Gazeta.Ru citing RIA Novosti. According to him, in 2026, 63% of ninth-graders and 12% of eleventh-graders entered colleges.

Context: new requirements for programs

The announcement of growing admissions came against the backdrop of other initiatives in secondary vocational and school education. State Duma deputy Dmitry Shatunov proposed teaching schoolchildren and students the basics of artificial intelligence, noting that in the secondary vocational education system it would be advisable to combine general AI training with 'practice-oriented modules that take into account the specifics of the profession or specialty being studied.' Kravtsov, in turn, stated, that starting from the next academic year, the course 'Artificial Intelligence and Information Security' will become mandatory for all Russian students in grades 5–11. Earlier, the minister also spoke about funding for training children to handle online risks .