The famous institute of diplomats, political scientists and translators and other international affairs specialists, even in Soviet times, was considered a hard-to-reach and “major” university. They selected the best of the best and the best of their kind, and it was desirable to have special connections and money. Nowadays it has become even more difficult to enter MGIMO on a budget, but it can still be done. In each direction, from 5 to 77 budget places are allocated. In this article we will tell you what you need to do to take one of them. According to Yuri Vyazemsky, a professor at MGIMO and a famous TV presenter, getting into a university is possible thanks to deep knowledge.
How many points will you need?
The competition at MGIMO is high, more than 50 people per place. The lowest passing score in 2016 was in the direction of “State and Municipal Administration” - 263, 15 people were accepted for the budget. The highest passing score was recorded in the “Journalism” direction - 374 points, 25 students study for free.
1. It's all up to you
Without influential acquaintances and big money, you can only go to MGIMO on a budget if you are very serious. Preparations for admission usually begin in the 9th grade. The volume of material is fantastic, so even 2-3 years may not be enough. You need to study for several hours every day, so get rid of the “time wasters” - social networks, TV, computer games.
2. Foreign language
This is one of the required subjects for admission, so try to earn as many points as possible on the Unified State Exam. If you get less than 84 points, you can forget about how to enter MGIMO on a budget. Courses, tutors, online training, language camps to help you.
3. Olympiads and intellectual competitions
The status of winner, prize-winner of the last stage of the All-Russian Olympiads for schoolchildren, as well as a member of the team at international Olympiads for schoolchildren, allows you to enter without entrance exams.
How to get there? Show the best results at the school and city Olympiads, and then at the final stages. In fact, you will have to learn only one subject, but you will need to know it thoroughly.
4. “Smart guys and smart girls”
Thanks to the television humanitarian Olympiad “Clever Men and Clever Girls,” 10-15 people are admitted to MGIMO on preferential terms every year; in one year, even 27 guys were accepted, according to Yuri Vyazemsky. Every eleventh grader can attend the program. Muscovites can be selected directly by the school - the editors of the program visit educational institutions and invite talented children. For those who do not live in Moscow, the presenter announces a question at the end of the program. If your answer is the best among those sent, you will definitely be invited to the shooting. Topics become known a month in advance, so everything depends only on your diligence and memory.
5. MGIMO Olympiads for schoolchildren
Participation in Olympiads for schoolchildren, which are conducted by MGIMO, significantly increases the chances of successful admission.
- Olympiad in the field of “Humanities and Social Sciences” (history and social studies) together with “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”. The selection of participants is carried out remotely. Students in grades 7-11 can participate.
- Olympiad for schoolchildren in geography "Lomonosov" jointly with Moscow State University and the Russian Geographical Society. Students in grades 5-11 can take part. Tests are being carried out at regional sites.
6. Pre-university preparation
There is a pre-university training department at MGIMO. In classes, children study in depth the history of Russia, literature, the Russian language, foreign languages, including oriental and rare languages. The average mark on the Unified State Exam for graduates of preparatory courses is 90-93 points. The duration of the courses is 1-2 years.
The one who walks will master the road. Go for it, and after a while you will be telling everyone how to get into MGIMO on a budget.
Based on my experience of admission and work in the admissions committee of MGIMO, I decided to formulate some advice for those who dream of entering the best university in Russia (students from other Russian universities will argue with me here, but during my entire study at MGIMO I have never been able to do this I doubted it, so I can’t be convinced). Let me make a reservation right away that I will not write about alternative methods, such as participating in the “Smart Men and Women” program (from which, by the way, I know many people who really turned out to be not only smart people, but also not such “nerds” at all), what they look like on Professor Vyazemsky’s show). “Bypass” routes to admission also include All-Russian Olympiads, the winners of which are admitted without exams, the “Three Steps to a Dream” competition, which allows you to enter the Faculty of International Journalism without competition, preferential admission conditions for winners of other Olympiads (read about all this annually on mgimo. ru or abiturient.mgimo.ru). I will also not dwell on the admission rules, which can be read in detail on the indicated sites.
This year MGIMO is recruiting only future bachelors with the opportunity to continue their studies in a master's program. Admission is based on the results of the Unified State Exam + an additional exam in a foreign language and a creative competition for future journalists. No benefits are provided to medalists. You can submit documents for both budget and contract forms of study. I studied on a budget, and I think that enrolling on a budget is a little more difficult than paying for a fee, but studying for money at MGIMO is not cheap.
1. MGIMO building on Vernadsky Avenue, 76. 2. MGIMO Library. 3. On the campus of the university.
Of course, competition has increased greatly with the widespread introduction of the Unified State Exam. However, here are the statistics from last year:
“The competition for budget places amounted to an average of 30 people per place at the University. Most applicants applied and participated in the competition for several faculties at once. Among the applicants, 230 people presented 100 Unified State Examination points in one of the subjects, 105 of them were enrolled in the 1st year.
The average Unified State Exam score for those admitted to the budget was 83.75 points in one subject (foreign language - 90, Russian - 82, mathematics - 84, history - 81, social studies - 78, literature - 89). The average total passing score was 335 points.”
As you can see, the numbers are not astronomical. Scoring 335 points in four exams is not at all difficult. Therefore, the first advice:
1. Don't be afraid to dream
If you did well in school, if you like to study, if you have ambitions and plans for the future, don’t be afraid to dream! You are no worse than thousands of other applicants, and passing scores show that it is not at all necessary to get hundreds on the Unified State Examination results. Admission to MGIMO is not a miracle, it is the result of long work on yourself, efforts that can ultimately change your life. What kind of people become presidents, CEOs of corporations, astronauts or famous athletes? These are people who are not ashamed of their dreams, do not listen to skeptics, but simply know where they want to go and methodically move in this direction.
Say your wildest dream out loud. Tell your loved ones about it. Don't let them dissuade you - on the contrary! Convince them. They will support you.
2. Don't listen to gossip
Smart people go to MGIMO. They do it themselves, without the need to involve dads and additional financial expenses. Bribes are generally a separate issue, because legends about the astronomical sums required to get you “admitted” are spread by almost everyone who did not find themselves on the coveted list - who were less fortunate than others. The first thing that can repel and scare away from MGIMO are such rumors. During my studies, I got tired of arguing on forums with people who throw mud at MGIMO and its teachers: I never Not only have I not been faced with the need to give someone something for passing a test or exam, but I have never heard even one teacher hint that there is such an option at all. MGIMO is a cultural university where cultural people (with rare exceptions) study, receive well-deserved grades, go to classes, respect teachers, and teachers respect them.
I worked on the admissions committee, and saw with my own eyes all the applicants, and people who quoted Pushkin in their entrance essay: “I loved you so sincerely, so much” (I’m not kidding), completely deservedly failed the exam. But excellent works that deserved the highest points received these highest points.
If your argument is “everything there is for money,” then you are greatly mistaken, and it is very sad that because of such a misconception you can voluntarily remain “overboard” from the university of your dreams.
3. Learn from the experiences of others
Study the requirements for applicants on the website abiturient.mgimo.ru. Look at examples of entrance exams. Read stories from others about how they managed to get in (look for them on blogs, applicant forums, etc.) Talk to those who didn’t succeed, but don’t let them confuse you: you need to learn from their mistakes. Very often we do not understand what we did wrong, why we failed in this or that endeavor, but we can see the mistakes of others clearly and distinctly. Collect a collection of such errors, write for yourself your personal list of “How to Not enter MGIMO,” and don’t let yourself step on someone else’s rake.
4. Put in the effort
Let's be honest: desire alone is not enough. You also need to have a good knowledge base. In my opinion, the introduction of the Unified State Exam has greatly simplified the preparation process, because now there are relatively fewer surprises: you take one exam, and not ten at different universities. And all you need to do is focus and do well. Or rather, brilliantly.
The sooner you decide on the faculty and the set of subjects you will need, the better. Of course, an emergency version of preparation is also possible, when a huge amount of information is absorbed in a few days (everyone becomes familiar with this in the first session). But this option is extremely unreliable; it is more like advice from the series “how to reduce your chances of admission.” Therefore, decide in advance, ideally at least two to three years in advance. What you know for sure is that you will need a foreign language at an excellent level. Therefore, if at your school (like mine) they teach English for show, study yourself; the best option is with a good tutor. Key word - with good, I speak based on my own bitter experience. In two years with my first English tutor, I learned less than in two months with my second.
In core subjects, you will have to get used to doing more than others. If you are studying in a gymnasium or lyceum with advanced studies anything, this does not at all guarantee the quality of your knowledge.
5. Focus only on yourself
Test yourself, read more, solve additional problems, participate in competitions, prepare reports, and most importantly - do not focus on others! Don't just try to be better than your classmates; this advantage may be illusory, especially if the school's average level is not very outstanding. If on average your classmates get 70 points on the Unified State Exam in mathematics, you will not be satisfied with 75-80. You need to want 100. To do this you need not just to be head and shoulders above, you will have to build for yourself a new coordinate system in which you must improve continuously no matter how far you are already from your peers.
Try to be better than yourself every day.
6. Do not give up
You may not succeed. There is no need to prepare for defeat, but it cannot be ruled out. In such a situation there are several ways. The first is to study where you entered: if you are not satisfied with MGIMO, you can always stop at what you have already achieved. There is nothing wrong with this; many of those who did not enter MGIMO the first time take this path. However, when you really want something, there is not a single reason (“losing a year”, “it’s not a fact that I will enroll next time”, “there is no money to study at preparatory courses”) that is solid enough to give up on a dream. There are many options for spending the year usefully and trying again next summer: these are the preparatory faculty of MGIMO (about 70% of the sub-faculty students enroll annually), and rare language courses, and evening preparatory courses.
My personal opinion is that with the introduction of the Unified State Exam, it is quite possible to do without preparatory courses. You can even study at another university for a year (this option is especially suitable for young people of military age), while not forgetting to prepare for a new Unified State Examination and a new attempt. A year of careful work on mistakes is more than enough to achieve success next time.
I wrote this text because applicants and their parents very often ask me: “How to enter MGIMO?” It's like there's some kind of original recipe. There is none: everything depends only on you and on your ambitions, on your perseverance and determination. After studying at MGIMO for five years, I realized one very important thing: don’t be afraid to dream. Don't be afraid to try. Don't underestimate yourself. The only thing that is impossible in life is what you never decide to do.
MGIMO in numbers:
- 70 years of experience
- 40 thousand graduates
- 5.5 thousand graduates from 60 countries
- 16 areas of training
- Nine faculties
- Three Institutes
- School of Business and International Competence
How does everything actually work at the country's leading university? Arina Zaichikova, a graduate of the International Law Faculty of MGIMO, tells the story. If you are thinking about choosing a university, this article will definitely be useful. Arina dispels myths, describes the internal life of the university and gives advice to future students.
The author is Arina Zaichikova, a graduate of the MGIMO master's program 2017 and the Summer School Changellenge >> 2016.
For 6 years, answering the question about where I study, I have encountered two types of reactions, which can be summarized as follows:
- "Wow, cool".
- "All clear..."
Question 1. Is it really possible to do this without connections (clan/money/threats of violence, etc.)?
Myth: no.
Reality: yes.
I entered MGIMO by accident. Just in case, I went to the introductory language course, as often happens, for company.
The entire 11th grade was preparing for admission to Moscow State University, I immediately took the original documents there and entered. And then they called me from MGIMO: “Congratulations, you were admitted to the budget, bring your documents.” And this call turned my life upside down. None of my family/family friends are involved in diplomacy. Nobody studied at MGIMO. No one spent a penny on my admission, except for tutors to prepare for the Unified State Exam.
And it’s not me who is so wonderful. I guarantee that among my classmates, the majority entered through banal routes: through Olympiads and the Unified State Exam. Yes, like this: we studied, passed, and entered.
Where did this myth come from then? Historically, MGIMO was a closed university. This is a well-known fact. It is difficult to get rid of stereotypes. But we have to. Those times are over. Talented, smart, purposeful students from all over the country study at MGIMO. Although, of course, if it didn’t work out, this myth is very convenient to use: it’s not me who failed, it’s all the thieves at MGIMO. Convenient and not so offensive. Well, sorry if I offended you.
Developing the topic of admission, about complexity. It depends on what the goals are. It’s not easy for a budget, but for a paid one, in my opinion, it’s easy. Here you just need to open the website and find information about admission: there are passing scores.
Important! When I entered, MGIMO had an additional entrance test (additional entrance test - approx. Changellenge >>) in language. I don't know how it is now. It was really complex, primarily due to its specificity. Even knowing the language well, passing it is not easy. Let me give you my example: for the Unified State Exam in German I had 97 points, for the DVI - 79. In this regard, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the approximate options (they even sell manuals somewhere) and stupidly decide (as with the Unified State Exam).
Question 2. What is it like for an ordinary person to study at MGIMO, where everyone has security / drivers / gold watches / diamonds (a long list of signs of luxury, who cares)?
Myth: golden youth rules the roost.
Reality: There are a lot of children from rich/famous/influential families, this is true. But theirs - attention! - minority.
More than half of my former classmates are guys from ordinary families, most of whom came from the provinces. Nothing, everyone lives wonderfully, the mini-society is divided exactly the same way as it happens in life: according to interests, goals and, of course, income level, without this you can’t go anywhere. When I was choosing between universities, one of my big fears was precisely that I wouldn’t be able to communicate with anyone other than the owners of a Birkin and a Rolex of different colors for every day of the week. From the very first day the fear was dispelled.
Question 3. Is it hard to study?
Myth: opinions differ (some people think that they don’t study here, others think that studying is very difficult).
Reality: difficult, but possible.
Guys, I want to warn you right away: if you are not good at foreign languages, don’t even think about MGIMO. Just take it right away and cross it off the list. There is a lot of language, it is difficult and necessary. Moreover, at least two are required. Life will become unbearable for those who are not friends with them. Why do you need this? Don't waste your health and nerves. The rest is all real. An interesting feature: it is obvious that after graduation from school, graduates are divided by level. It sounds bad, but it's true. There are top universities (everyone knows which ones), there are good ones, there are... I won’t continue. There are different ones. As a result of this division, upon arriving at the university, the former stars of the school - excellent students, medalists and simply the pride of the class - are faced with the fact that they are... no longer the best. Because as a result of natural selection, they end up in a society where almost everyone has an “unreal” 90+ points for the Unified State Exam (I note that MGIMO has the highest passing score in Russia for many years). I encountered this myself. It’s psychologically difficult, it takes a bit of a toll on self-esteem, but it’s very stimulating. Now it’s not enough to have your last name, no one knows how smart you are, and there are a lot of smarter ones around. What remains? It remains to plow. An excellent school of life.
This is about excellent students and co. But, of course, not everyone at MGIMO is like that. The rest of us also live normally: we have to study, but no one is particularly killed; those who are completely lazy (and incapable of languages, I emphasize again) are expelled.
Question 4. Are there many temptations?
Myth: drug dealers walk around the university, and syringes are regularly found in the toilets (a favorite myth of parents of applicants). Provincial girls turn into Moscow groom hunters. Good non-Moscow guys are doomed to failure.
Reality: If your child wants to find drugs, he will find them. Never in my life have I encountered something like this within the walls of a university, although this was almost the most common horror story about MGIMO. Perhaps this was a PR stunt for a certain target audience, who were probably very disappointed.
They are looking for grooms (and brides), yes. Someone does this for this purpose. Someone reaches it. But it’s wonderful when dreams come true. Who seeks will always find. No negative effects were noticed on normal people.
Question 5. What about extracurricular activities?
Myth: Every weekend there are university sailing regattas and golf games.
Reality: there are a lot of possibilities, but within reason.
A huge number of events take place within the walls of the university every day, from meetings with diplomats of various ranks and stars of show and other business to sports matches. We have a volunteer center (hello, unfortunately I missed the 2014 Olympics), a super-active SS (what do you think it is? a student union), various festivals and competitions (International Cuisine Day is everyone’s favorite, Miss MGIMO, MGIMO Music Awards, etc.), conferences (Model UN) and much more. I’m just too lazy to list them, let it be a pleasant surprise.
I would also like to say something about the MGIMO internship programs (because this is one of the brightest memories during my studies). Students with good academic performance can go for a semester (and not only, it depends) to study abroad at one of the partner universities (the list is on the website). This is an amazing experience, I recommend it to everyone. I studied in Germany for six months. Honestly, I will never forget.
Question 6. How about employment?
Myth: there are two ways out of here - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the special services.
Reality: objectively, it’s not easy during a crisis. The diploma helps at the screening stage, but not further.
Yes, the school is strong. Yes, languages are at the highest level in the country. But the stories that employers arrange fights for you even in your third year and dream of offering a salary of 200-300 thousand are fairy tales. No such thing, sorry. They go where. Yes, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs more than 90%, I think, are ours (MoD). I don't think this is surprising. So hope for a crust, but don’t make a mistake yourself.
Question 7. Did you regret going?
The answer here is simple: no. I acquired People, School and what they like to call Alma mater. Everything could have been different if I hadn’t acted on the impulse six years ago. Worse or better - I will never know. But what I do know is that you shouldn’t be afraid. MGIMO is real, possible and wonderful. Go for it!
P.S. I would really like the post to come out alive, so I’m not putting an end to it. Dear #mgimofamily, I would like to involve top officials for greater objectivity. Maybe remember your favorite questions/add thoughts or comments. What if this really helps someone?
P.P.S. We have very tasty food in the dining room. Perhaps this is a good place to start.
They say that a university is made by its graduates. Sergei Lavrov, Ksenia Sobchak and many others studied at MGIMO at different times. More than two thirds of all employees of the Russian diplomatic service graduated from MGIMO! And, of course, watching the success of graduates of the “dream university”, which is annually included in the ranking of the best higher educational institutions, many school graduates begin to storm search engines asking if they can enroll in MGIMO. That is why we decided to write this article and help future applicants by answering this and other questions.
How to enter MGIMO on a budget?
Entering MGIMO today is not an easy task, because due to the “brand” of a higher educational institution, the competition only increases over the years. When faced with questions about whether it is possible to enter MGIMO on a budget and what is needed to enter MGIMO, we advise you in advance not to listen to myths, but to focus on preparation, because “difficult” does not mean “impossible”.
Tuition fees for the 2017/18 academic year vary from 193 thousand to 360 thousand rubles, depending on the chosen department
The price may scare you, but it's well worth it. Firstly, you will be able to improve your level of preparation for the Unified State Exam, which will be useful even if you decide at the last moment to go to another university. And secondly, the courses allow you to improve the knowledge necessary for MGIMO internal entrance tests.
Unified State Exam and additional entrance exams
To enter MGIMO, you need to have fairly high grades. In 2017, the average Unified State Exam score for the budget was 95 points, and for the contractual form of education– 79 points.
In addition to the Unified State Exam, each applicant will receive additional entrance exams. For most destinations this is a foreign language. But for applicants« International journalism» selection takes place in two stages. First– this is an essay on a socio-political topic, the second– oral presentation of your portfolio. By the way, the larger the portfolio, the better.
(With) http://uristos24.ru/obrazec-dokumentov/zhurnal/
Foreign language
In the modern world, knowledge of a foreign language will no longer surprise anyone, so it is one of the required subjects when entering the forge of diplomats and international relations specialists. In addition, if your result is less than 84 points, you will no longer be able to qualify for admission to the budget. Yes, even if the total points are enough.
Therefore, pay a lot of attention to a foreign language, because now there are many opportunities for this: face-to-face courses, online learning, classes with a tutor, language camps abroad.
Smart girls and smart guys
Most likely, each of you has at least once seen the television program “Clever and Clever,” which is broadcast among gifted and talented high school students. The Olympics starts in September and ends in April. Based on the results of the multi-stage intellectual television competition, the jury and the organizing committee of the Olympiad determine the winners and prize-winners.
Of course, there are also rules. To qualify for the budget, “smart students” must get at least 75 points in history and social studies. When applying for the “Journalism” major, the results of the Unified State Exam are not taken into account, since the profile of the Olympiad corresponds to the entrance test of a creative/professional orientation - a creative competition.
Schoolchildren's Olympics
The All-Russian Olympiad for Schoolchildren is not only one of the largest events in the educational field, but also an excellent opportunity to receive preferences for admission. Of course, becoming a winner is quite difficult, since it is not enough to just be a diligent and talented student, but victory is worth it. Winners and prize-winners of the final stage of the All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren are accepted into MGIMO without entrance examinations.
o disabled people due to military injury or illness received during military service;
o orphans;
o children left without parental care;
o combat veterans.
It is also worth noting that the rule for admission to study under a special quota is set within no less than 10% of the number of budget places in each direction and/or undergraduate training program, for which the corresponding admission targets have been established.
Alena Vnukova
How to enter MGIMO on a budget and is it realistic? There are at least 3 ways to do this: pass the Unified State Exam with 90 points and the DVI with 70, win the Olympiads or the Smarties and Smarties competition. You can also enroll in rare language courses.
The most famous forge of international relations specialists in Russia has acquired an aura of mystery during its existence. Its graduates are considered the elite of modern society, for whom doors to TOP-level government institutions and large supranational corporations are open.
Therefore, an ordinary applicant, even if he has extraordinary abilities in the field of learning foreign languages, has many questions: “ Is it possible to enter MGIMO on a budget? How much does it cost? What is needed for this?».
Let us immediately give brief answers to them:
- Realistic, but very difficult.
- It will be worth your efforts, time and diligence, as well as the work of a good tutor.
- To be admitted, you only need to get high scores in exams.
- There are other options, but first things first.
Exams and passing scores for admission
You don't even need to read reviews to understand what the competition is in MGIMO, especially for the most prestigious faculties, is very high. In recent years, for budget places it has been more than 30 people per place, for contract places - 12-13 people.
So passing exams with high scores is a prerequisite for admission. Let's see what items must be passed and how many points do you need to get into MGIMO? on budget and contract:
How to achieve perfect knowledge of languages and a core subject in order to successfully pass all tests?
It is almost impossible to do this on your own or with the help of school teachers, since you need to have an idea of the specifics of the Unified State Exam and the Secondary VI.
Only a tutor who specializes in preparing applicants can really help. At the same time, if you practice for several months to six months, you are unlikely to achieve a noticeable effect. Minimum training lasts from 1 year, optimal – two years, and ideal – from two or more years.
Rare language courses
If your choice fell on the faculties of International Economic Relations or International Relations, the task revenues to MGIMO on the budget can be simplified with the help of courses in rare and oriental languages, which are taught by university teachers.
Enrollment for courses is carried out after the ninth grade based on the results of tests in Russian language and literature, a foreign language and a written exam in a core subject (mathematics or history).
KRY students spend two years preparing for the state exam, and also additionally study the chosen language. Classes take place three times a week for four hours.
At the end of the CRL, graduates take the exam in the Eastern Foreign Languages Institute in a studied oriental or rare language, which significantly increases their chances of being admitted to a university on a budgetary basis. In addition, students receive priority admission.
Victory in the Olympics 
One of the most respected universities in the country highly values the winners of All-Russian Olympiads. Each faculty independently chooses which subjects to count in the Olympiad. But usually the direction of the competition that counts coincides with the core discipline of the Unified State Exam. For example, for the specialty “Jurisprudence” this subject will be social studies.
A win-win option is to win the Olympiad in a foreign language. Almost all faculties welcome the winners of such competitions with open arms.
On a preferential basis enter MGIMO you can also winners internal university olympiad. This competition helps to reveal the abilities of talented children, who subsequently become desirable applicants for vacant positions. The Olympiad is held in the following profiles:
- economic-geographical;
- sociological;
- historical;
- social science;
- legal.
Smart girls and smart guys
The television project “Clever Men and Smart Men” is carried out by MGIMO jointly with Channel One. The competition is dedicated to social and human sciences. Holders of the “Clever and Smart Men” award winner diploma receive preferential treatment the right to enter MGIMO on a budget.
In particular, such applicants do not take entrance examinations if their results obtained as part of the Unified State Examination in social studies or history exceed the 75-point threshold (the highest score is automatically assigned when submitting documents). Also, the winners of the Olympiad receive the right to automatically receive 100 points in a creative competition, which is taken for the specialty “Journalism”. The validity period of prize winner diplomas is limited to four years.
So to really get into MGIMO, you need to decide on the faculty and your preferred specialty, choose the optimal strategy among those proposed and follow it to the bitter end. If you are truly talented and approach this task with maximum diligence, then as a result of hard work you will get a good chance of becoming a student at one of the most prestigious universities in the Russian Federation.
