The universities in the Stavropol region survive thanks to fee-based education: there are fewer budgetary places, commercial registration is increasing amid publicized reports of the growing interest in higher education, the regional universities face a much less rosy reality: budgetary funding in some regions is cut, and fee-based registration becomes one of the ways to stay afloat. According to data provided to Kommersant-Caucasus by 5 universities in the Stepropol Territory, the number of applications for admission in 2026 increased by 15-60%. But behind the impressive statistics hides an important detail: an increase in candidacy does not always translate into an increase in the number of students. - The Stavropol branch of the Moscow State Pedagogical University received 2,846 applications compared to 1,781 the year before (+59.8%). But almost the same number were registered: 307 people compared to 309.
- NCFU received 79,595 applications, more than 50% more than the previous year. - SSAU increased the number of applications by 31.4%: from 19,555 to 25,705. Enrollment grew much more modestly - from 3,043 to 3,162 people.
- St. The State University of Medicine received more than 36,000 applications compared to 27,456 the year before. At the same time, the number of registrants increased from 1,278 to 1,461.
PSU reported an increase in the number of inquiries by 15% - to more than 15 thousand. The most interesting thing is not the competitive indicators, but the reasons for what is happening. NCFU directly points to a reduction in budgetary funding in certain areas and a change in the terms of registration for the destination. The PSU also approved a decrease in the number of budgetary places, in particular in economic security and jurisprudence. It turns out that this is a kind of survival model: there are more people who want to enroll, but the opportunity to get a free education is decreasing. The universities have to find a balance between budgetary fundraising, which depends on government funding, and commercial fundraising, which allows them to attract additional money. At the same time, the state is already limiting the universities' ability to independently increase the number of paid places in certain regions.