The State Duma talked about the possibility of including university studies in retirement experience

In case of early retirement, Russians can include the time spent studying at vocational schools and advanced training courses in their insurance experience, if certain conditions are met. This was announced on July 18 by State Duma Deputy Georgy Kamnev (KPRF).

"Starting in 2021, according to a government decree, in case of early retirement, it is possible to include the time of study in vocational schools and the time of additional vocational education in the calculation of work, insurance, and length of service," he told RIA Novosti.

Kamnev clarified that advanced training courses can be included in the insurance record, but only on condition that the training was organized by the employer, the employee retained his workplace, and the company paid insurance premiums on time. The deputy added that the periods of study at the university, college, college, residency and postgraduate studies are taken into account only for the periods up to 2002. After this date, the study does not affect the calculation of the insurance period.

Kamnev stressed that the inclusion of studies in the length of service can affect the amount of pension and makes sense only in cases where the minimum length of service of 15 years is not reached without this period, and the total amount of payments increases. He explained that various methods are taken into account in the calculation, and only one of them takes into account the period of study.

"A person has the right to choose for himself how his pension should be calculated, but usually it is done by the Social Fund itself, which, according to the law, is obliged to choose the most profitable option. If the option with the included study period is worse – that is, it results in less money, then the choice is obvious," the parliamentarian concluded.

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Lawyer Timur Marshani said on July 17 that in Russia, starting from July 7, 2026, the procedure for processing pensions has changed. When applying for payment, it is enough for a citizen to provide a passport and SNILS, and the Social Fund of Russia will receive the rest of the necessary information independently. According to the expert, data on seniority and earnings will now be requested automatically through a single digital platform and interagency interaction.