There are many more pre-professional IT classes in Russia
Russia is rapidly expanding its network of pre‑professional IT classes, with the Moscow region alone increasing their number by nearly 60 percent and attracting thousands of students amid soaring demand for digital‑industry skills
A Surge in Early IT Education
The Moscow region has seen a significant expansion of its pre‑professional IT classes: since the start of the 2025 academic year, their number has grown by almost 60 percent. Today, more than 200 such classes operate across the region, enrolling over 7,000 students, according to the regional Ministry of Education.
The growth is driven by the strong interest among high school students in digital‑economy careers. These specialized classes offer more than advanced instruction in mathematics and computer science. Students gain practical experience in programming, algorithm design, and the fundamentals of artificial intelligence — all aligned with future admission to technical universities and colleges.
Performance Gains and University Admissions
The results are already visible. In 2025, students from the region’s IT classes scored, on average, nine points higher on Russia’s Unified State Exam in mathematics and computer science compared to the national average. Additionally, 94 percent of 11th‑grade graduates earned tuition‑free spots at universities, marking the highest admission rate among all specialized training tracks in the region.
Digital‑Era Career Guidance
In parallel, the region continues to strengthen its system of digital‑technology career orientation. Over the past year, more than 680 activities — including excursions, workshops, and meetings with IT‑company representatives — were organized for students in grades 6 through 11. More than 20,000 students took part.
Additionally, over 400 hands‑on professional practicums were held at colleges and universities, giving more than 6,000 students the chance to work on real‑world IT tasks.
According to the Ministry of Education, the expansion of IT classes helps build a continuous talent‑development pipeline from school to university, directly supporting the growing needs of the digital economy.
Earlier reports noted that in Moscow, more than 10,000 students chose IT‑specialized tracks — a figure expected to reach hundreds of thousands by 2030.
