To Applicants of the Bachelor’s Program
Bachelor’s Degree (Full-Time Education)
The Bachelor’s program (until 2012 known as the seminary) accepts those ready to dedicate themselves primarily to serving the Church and becoming clergy. Additionally, the Bachelor’s degree provides theological knowledge and practical experience in theology and the spiritual life of the Academy. Many Bachelor’s graduates continue their studies at top universities in Russia and Europe. However, the primary goal is for undergraduate students to learn to become priests—spiritual mentors for parishioners of the Orthodox Church.
Number of places in the 48.03.01 Theology program funded by state quotas for the 2025/2026 academic year: 50 places.
Number of places in the 48.03.01 Theology program under paid service contracts (funded by the Russian Orthodox Church) for the 2025/2026 academic year: 20 places.
Number of places in the main educational program under the direction “Training Program for Ministers and Religious Personnel of Religious Organizations” under paid service contracts (funded by the Russian Orthodox Church) for the 2025/2026 academic year: 80 places.
Requirements:
- Male;
- Orthodox;
- Secondary general education (minimum);
- Age up to 35 years old;
- Single or in first marriage.
Bachelor’s students master two educational programs:
1) “Training Program for Ministers and Religious Personnel of Religious Organizations” (5-year duration);
2) 48.03.01 Theology (4-year duration).
Education is free.
Free dormitory accommodation, free meals, and uniform clothing (jacket + trousers / cassock) are provided.
To enroll, applicants have to submit all required documents and pass their entrance exams.
1. Documents
Recommendation. Talk to your confessor. Ask him to write you a description of you: who you are, what kind of obediences you had in the parish, why you want to do things, and whom he sees you after graduation. Print it on the parish letterhead. Sign it in the confessor's presence and mark it with the parish stamp. Then ask the diocesan bishop to certify the recommendation. Or, you can ask the diocesan bishop write his own recommendation.
- Document verifying identity and citizenship. Foreign nationals: if the document does not contain information in Russian, provide a notarized translation.
- Foreign nationals: foreign passport.
- A document that certifies the level of education of an established format. Foreign nationals: if the document does not contain information in Russian, provide a notarized translation.
- Mandatory pension insurance certificate (SNILS) – if available. (СНИЛС) — при наличии.
- Autobiography strictly in printed form.
- Completed applicant questionnaire.
- Baptismal Certificate, copy.
- Marriage certificate, copy. For married applicants.
- Church Marriage Certificate, copy. For married applicants.
- Certificate of a Reader's tonsure (for readers), tonsure certificate (for monks), certificate of ordination to the rank of priest (deacon) and a copy of the last decree of the ruling bishop of appointment to a parish (for clergy).
- 2 color photographs, 6×8 cm format.. If you belong to the clergy, take a picture of yourself in garb that corresponds to your rank.
- A medical report (Form 086/u) with fluorography results and vaccination records.
- An insurance policy of mandatory health insurance, issued at the place of permanent residence.For Russian nationals.
- A Military ID or a certificate with a military registration mark. For Russian nationals.
- Copies of documents that confirm the individual achievements of the applicant. The results of these achievements are taken into account when applying, if they comply with the Rules of Admission.
To submit documents, register on the portal home.mpda.ru via the website, and upload all required scanned documents in JPG format.
In case of any technical problems, please contact our technical support: home@mpda.ru. After registration, you will be able to enter your Personal Account and inform about your problem.
Start date for accepting applications and required documents: June 20, 2025;
Deadline for document submission: July 4, 2025;
Entrance examinations: July 7–11, 2025;
Issuance of enrollment orders: August 6–7, 2025.
Applicants may earn points for the following individual achievements:
- Possession of educational certificates from Russian institutions with distinction (certificate of secondary general education with distinction, certificate of complete secondary education with distinction, certificate of complete secondary education for recipients of a gold or silver medal, diploma of secondary vocational education with distinction, diploma of primary vocational education for recipients of a gold or silver medal):
+5 points..
Entrance examinations will be held in person.
Full admission rules can be found here .
For all inquiries, contact:
WhatsApp, Telegram: +7 (963) 770-63-44;
E-mail: ab.mda@ya.ru;
A group for applicants in VKontakte: https://vk.com/abitmda.
2. Entrance exams
Admission to the Academy is not granted without entrance exams. The entrance exams are as follows:
Applicants with secondary education:
- The Comprehensive Examination, consisting of three parts:
01) Biblical History
02) The principles of faith (Catechesis)
03) Orthodox Divine Service (Liturgics)
- Interviews. To pass them, you must:
Know by heart the following prayers:
a. Beginning prayers: "Glory to Thee, Our God, Glory to Thee", "O Heavenly King...", "Holy God...", "Holy Trinity...", "Our Father...", "Come, let us worship...";
b. Morning prayers: "Having risen from sleep...", "O God, cleanse me a sinner...", "O Holy Angel...";
c. Evening prayers: "O Eternal God," "O Ruler of all, Word of the Father..." "O good Mother of the Good King...", "O Angel of Christ...";
d. To the Theotokos:"O Virgin Mary, rejoice...", "It is truly meet...", "To Thee the Champion Leader...", "The door of compassion...", "We have not other help...";
e. Also: The Creed, the prayer of St. Ephraim, the prayer before the Holy Communion "I believe, O Lord, and I confess...", the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the troparia of the Twelve Great Feasts, the troparion of your saint, the 50th and 90th Psalms.
Must be able to read in Church Slavonic, know Church Slavonic letters, superscripts and abbreviations;
You must know Slavonic numerals.
- Certain categories of applicants with secondary general education applying for Bachelor’s programs may take general education entrance exams conducted independently by the Academy (see Section 2.5 of the Admission Rules).
Russian language essay programme
In any case, based on Unified State Exam (EGE) results, minimum scores required:
01) History – 37 points
02) Russian Language – 40 points
For additional entrance exams conducted independently by the Academy, the following minimum scores are set:
01) Professional entrance exam “Comprehensive Exam on the Basics of Faith” – 51 points;
02) “Interview on the Basics of Church Life” – 51 points.
Priority of Entrance Examinations:
- Comprehensive Exam on the Basics of Faith;
- Interview on the Basics of Church Life;
- History;
- Russian Language.
- Medical checkup (mandatory for all)
- Church signing audition. It would be helpful for you to prepare an audition piece. The audition does not affect the result of your entrance exam, but it does determine whether you will be in the choir or not.
Applicants with Vocational Education:
- May use Unified State Exam (EGE) results and/or results of entrance exams conducted independently by the Academy;
- May take entrance exams conducted independently by the Academy, regardless of whether they participated in the Unified State Exam.
For all inquiries, contact by phone:
+7 (963) 770-63-44 (WhatsApp, Telegram);
E-mail: ab.mda@ya.ru;
A group for applicants in VKontakte: https://vk.com/abitmda.
The Moscow Theological Academy operates an Applicant School – Sunday preparatory courses for 10th–11th-grade students and anyone wishing to apply for the MThA Bachelor’s program, residing in Sergiev Posad and nearby settlements in the Moscow Region.