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Ural Federal University (UrFU)

Russia

Address: 19 Mira Street, Yekaterinburg, 620002, Russia

Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology

Formed in 2010 by merging Ural State University and Ural State Technical University, UrFU is one of the largest higher educational institutions in Russia, located in the industrial heart of the country. It offers a wide range of programs in engineering, natural sciences, and humanities.

Ural Federal University, UrFU, in Yekaterinburg, is named after Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, who graduated from its predecessor, the Ural Polytechnic Institute, in 1955. The university was formed in 2010 by merging Ural State University, founded in 1920, and Ural State Technical University. It has about 36,000 students and 7,000 staff, and around one student in ten comes from abroad. The main building is on Mira Street, in the south of the city, on a campus with student residences and sport facilities.

Yekaterinburg lies on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, on the traditional border between Europe and Asia, and it is the industrial and cultural centre of the region. The university’s profile reflects this heritage. Its strongest fields are metallurgy, materials science, power engineering, radio electronics, construction, chemical technology and mathematics. It is also known for the Ural school of mathematical control theory, based on the work of Nikolay Krasovskii at the nearby Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics.

The university offers programmes in natural sciences, engineering, information technology, economics, management, humanities, social sciences, arts and architecture. It works with industrial companies in the Urals, including those in metallurgy, mining and nuclear technology, and with institutes of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Yeltsin Presidential Center, near the campus, is a museum and library dedicated to the 1990s.

Russian applicants enter by the Unified State Exam, with state-funded places and paid places. Foreign students can come through the government quota scholarship system or pay tuition, and many begin with a preparatory year in Russian. Fees vary by programme, so check the current tariff. Teaching is in Russian, with a number of programmes in English. Since 2022, academic exchanges with institutions abroad have changed, so check the current status of agreements.

Yekaterinburg is a large city, with a metro line and lower costs than Moscow. Winters are cold, and the surrounding mountains offer hiking and skiing.

Domains taught:

Chemistry, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Software Engineering

Diplomas*:

Bachelor, Doctor, Master

Status:

Public

Partnerships:

Extensive network of international partners, member of BRICS Network University and SCO University, collaborations with global industrial giants.

Research:

Research in areas like new materials, energy, IT, brain studies, astrophysics, climate change and environmental studies.

Famous Alumnis:

Boris Yeltsin (from USTU predecessor), Nikolay Krasovsky

International recognition**:

Number of staff***:

7000

Current students***:

36000

Foreign students***:

10%

Cumulative former students***:

380000

Pros

Large comprehensive university, strong focus on engineering and natural sciences, significant research output, active international cooperation.

Cons

Large size can be impersonal, some older facilities inherited from merged institutions.

Best For

Engineering, materials science and information technology

Most Similar Schools Locally

The comparison with South Ural State University is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials, and it is slightly smaller, at about 27,000 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is the closest domestic counterpart for physics, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Siberian Federal University sits close to this institution on physics, electrical and electronics and materials; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Both schools build their programmes around physics, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics, and Chuvash State University is the one to compare first within the country, since it is smaller, enrolling about 18,000 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Oryol State University takes a similar route through physics, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics, and it is smaller, enrolling about 18,000 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.

Most Similar Schools Abroad

On content, Lviv Polytechnic National University in Ukraine and this institution are close, as both teach chemistry, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Seen from abroad, Dresden University of Technology (Germany) is a close relative on subject matter, since chemistry, physics and electrical and electronics are central to both, and it is slightly smaller, at about 29,000 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.
TU Wien offers an international parallel to this university, with chemistry, physics and mechanical engineering as common ground; it is slightly smaller, at about 26,654 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.
National Technical University Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute (Ukraine) works on the same fields as this institution, chiefly mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials; it is smaller, enrolling about 20,000 students against roughly 36,000 here, and is also a public institution.
For a study option in China with a comparable spread of chemistry, physics and mechanical engineering, Nanchang University is the reference point: it is also a public institution and also offers mba programmes.

*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.

FAQ

Where is UrFU?

At 19 Mira Street in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

When was it formed?

In 2010, by merging Ural State University and Ural State Technical University.

Who is it named after?

Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, who graduated from its predecessor, the Ural Polytechnic Institute, in 1955.

How large is it?

About 36,000 students and 7,000 staff.

What is it best known for?

Metallurgy, materials science, power engineering, radio electronics, construction and mathematics.

What is the Ural school of control theory?

A mathematical school based on the work of Nikolay Krasovskii at the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics.

Which companies does it work with?

Industrial companies in the Urals, including those in metallurgy, mining and nuclear technology.

How do foreign students enter?

Through the government quota scholarship system or by paying tuition. Check the current tariff.

In which language are courses taught?

Mainly in Russian, with a number of programmes in English.

Is Yekaterinburg cheap?

It has lower costs than Moscow.

Astrophysics, Climate Change, Environmental Engineering, Information Technology (IT), Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, Research and Development, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Practices

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*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.

**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:

known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications

***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.

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