The Russian government has allocated 500 state-funded places at Russian universities for citizens of Turkmenistan for the 2026/2027 academic year. This was announced by Russia’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Ivan Volynkin, in an interview with the press service of the “Russian Glagol” international literary competition.

According to the diplomat, interest among young Turkmen in studying in Russia is very high. He stressed that knowing Russian from school gives applicants a clear advantage in admissions. A first-year student who already understands lectures, academic articles and exams in the language can focus on the new subject, without having to learn it and overcome a language barrier at the same time.

The ambassador added that Russian also matters in everyday life: it helps students make friends faster, become part of the student community and adapt more easily. A Russian university diploma opens opportunities in medicine, engineering, information technology, economics, international relations and the humanities, and students can take part in research projects and internships. Many, Volynkin said, return home to put their knowledge to use for their country’s development.

He also described the work of the “Russian House” in Ashgabat, which holds round tables, online consultations and other events on university admissions throughout the year. In October, representatives of several leading Moscow universities met with senior pupils of the A.S. Pushkin Joint Turkmen-Russian Secondary School.