How to become a seafarer in Russia after school

Official rules for school students and school leavers. Check every requirement with the maritime authority before you apply or pay.

Officer: maritime academy or college

A deck officer (officer in charge of a navigational watch) needs higher or secondary vocational education in navigation from a maritime education institution, under a programme meeting STCW section A-II/1.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 37
An engineer officer (officer in charge of an engineering watch) needs higher or secondary vocational education in the operation of the ship's main propulsion plant, under a programme meeting STCW section A-III/1.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 46
An electro-technical officer needs higher or secondary vocational education in ship electrical equipment and automation, under a programme meeting STCW section A-III/6.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 51

Rating: rating course

A deck watch rating (STCW II/4) needs vocational training under the watch rating programme at a maritime education institution, plus documented seagoing service with bridge watchkeeping as part of the programme.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 56
An engine watch rating (STCW III/4) needs vocational training under the engine watch rating programme at a maritime education institution, plus documented seagoing service with engine-room watchkeeping as part of the programme.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 58

Exams and certification

For the Navigation specialist programme at Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping, school leavers are admitted on Unified State Exam (EGE) results in Russian, profile mathematics, and computer science or physics.
Source: Admiral Makarov SUMIS — list of entrance tests (EGE subjects), annex 3 to the admission rules for 2026/2027
Graduates of Russian maritime education institutions do not take the qualification tests for their first certificate if they apply within a year of graduating.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 14

Documents in order

Applicants to seagoing specialities at Makarov University must submit the results of a seafarers' medical board, not older than 1 year.
Source: Admiral Makarov SUMIS admissions — medical board
Makarov University set the fee for the seafarers' medical board for applicants at 8 200 roubles.
Source: Admiral Makarov SUMIS admissions — medical board
To get a certificate, you or your representative submit documents to the harbour master of a seaport that has a qualification commission, starting with an application naming the specific certificate.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 36

Cadet training at sea

Deck officer candidates must document seagoing service completed as part of the training programme, including watchkeeping under the direct supervision of a master, a certificated officer or a qualified training supervisor.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 37
For graduates of engineering and electro-technical programmes, workshop or shipyard repair practice is counted in addition to seagoing service.
Source: Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 378 of 08.11.2021 — Regulation on certification of crew members of seagoing ships, para. 32

Approved training institutions

Only institutions from the official list of the maritime authority. The list changes: check that the institution is still approved before you pay.

Institutions with initial maritime education programmes from the Ministry of Transport list of recognised educational institutions (June 2026 edition), only those whose agreement with the Ministry for these programmes is in force on the check date. The list gives each agreement's period and is updated by the Ministry — check the current edition before you apply.

Primorsky Krai

Admiral G.I. Nevelskoy Maritime State University, Vladivostok
Courses: Higher education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering, radio communications; Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's electrician
Far Eastern Institute of Communications, Vladivostok
Courses: Higher education: navigation, marine engineering
Vladivostok Maritime College, Vladivostok
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings

Krasnodar Krai

Admiral F.F. Ushakov State Maritime University, Novorossiysk
Courses: Higher education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering, radio communications; Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's electrician, ship's cook
Yeysk Marine Fishery Technical School (branch of Astrakhan State Technical University), Yeysk
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, radio communications; Rating training: deck watch rating

Rostov Oblast

G.Ya. Sedov Institute of Water Transport (branch of Admiral Ushakov State Maritime University), Rostov-on-Don
Courses: Higher education: navigation, marine engineering; Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's cook
Rostov-on-Don College of Water Transport, Rostov-on-Don
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings

Kamchatka Krai

Kamchatka State Technical University, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Courses: Higher education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering, radio communications; Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's electrician, ship's cook

Arkhangelsk Oblast

V.I. Voronin Arctic Maritime Institute (branch of Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping), Arkhangelsk
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings
Higher School of Fisheries and Marine Technologies, Northern (Arctic) Federal University, Arkhangelsk
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering

Saint Petersburg

Admiral D.N. Senyavin Marine Technical College, Saint Petersburg
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's electrician, ship's cook
Saint Petersburg Marine Fishery College (branch of Kaliningrad State Technical University), Saint Petersburg
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings

Astrakhan Oblast

Astrakhan State Technical University, Astrakhan
Courses: Higher education: marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's electrician, ship's cook

Sakhalin Oblast

Sakhalin Maritime College (branch of Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University), Nevelsk
Courses: Secondary vocational education: navigation, marine engineering, ship electrical engineering; Rating training: deck and engine watch ratings, ship's electrician

Official list