Dmitry Chernyshenko: More than 3.2 million applications have already been submitted to colleges and technical schools - about 500,000 more than in the same period last year.

      Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Chernyshenko and Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Sergey Kravtsov spoke about the progress of the admission campaign in colleges and technical schools. In 2026, more than 3.2 million applications were submitted by applicants to institutions of secondary vocational education (SVE). For the 2026/27 academic year, about 880,000 budget places have been established in colleges and technical schools – 30,000 more than the previous year. More than 56% of these are for technical professions and specialties, which fully corresponds to the forecast of labor demand in the economy. "Today, we have the goal of training specialists and qualified workers, as outlined by President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. To achieve this, the number of budget places in colleges and technical schools is increasing, and the federal project 'Professionalitet' is being implemented as part of the national project 'Youth and Children'. This resonates with applicants and leads to noticeable results: since the beginning of the admission campaign, they have already submitted more than 3.2 million applications to SVE organizations – about 500,000 more than during the same period last year," said Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko. The Vice Prime Minister added that this number includes 1.1 million applications to 'Professionalitet' colleges and technical schools – exceeding the number of applications to SVE institutions participating in the federal project for the entire admission campaign of 2025. As emphasized by the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Sergey Kravtsov, this year about 1.4 million students are expected to be admitted to colleges, while more than 3.2 million applications have already been submitted. "We see that each year more and more schoolchildren consciously choose secondary vocational education as a starting point for a successful career, which means that the prestige of working specialties is gaining momentum. Colleges are actively updating their material and technical base and opening new in-demand areas. This year, the competition for one place averages two applicants. However, for certain professions and specialties, the competition is higher: geology – 15 applicants per place, cartography – 14, radio engineering complexes – 13. Currently, the most popular professions and specialties among applicants are those related to programming, mechanical engineering, construction, medicine, teaching in elementary grades, and tourism. Just three years ago, these were lawyers and accountants," noted Sergey Kravtsov. Leading positions in the number of applications are held by training areas such as "Nursing" (173.5 thousand applications), "Software Development and Management" (152 thousand), "Medical Affairs" (108.5 thousand), "Tourism and Hospitality" (94.9 thousand), and "Maintenance and Repair of Motor Vehicles" (74.7 thousand). In 2026, admissions are being conducted for four new specialties developed in response to employer requests: "Congress and Exhibition Activities," "Restoration of Immovable Cultural Heritage Monuments," "Integration of Solutions Using Artificial Intelligence Technologies," and "Industrial Design."

      It should be noted that an application for a targeted contract serves as the basis for priority enrollment, and volunteer activities are taken into account as individual achievements. Experience in voluntary activities is included in the list of individual achievements considered during admission. Recall that the admission plan for budget places under the federal project "Professionalitet," which is being implemented as part of the national project "Youth and Children," is set at 283,000 places in 2026. The admission campaign in SVE institutions continues. The main admission for full-time education ends on August 15. Educational institutions that have remaining places will continue to accept documents for full-time education until November 25, 2026, and for part-time and distance education until December 1, 2026.

      According to the press service of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.