The bill, approved by 113 senators, with 12 votes against and seven abstentions, will see higher education change from a five-year to a "four plus two" system - four years for a bachelor degree and two for a masters, although specialist degrees will continue to involve five-years of study.
This step will, it is believed, give a powerful boost to Russian higher educational institutes by modernizing and adapting their study programs to the Western system recognized in over 50 countries.
Russia joined the Bologna process in 2003 in an attempt to make education systems more compatible throughout Europe, while maintaining standards and quality assurance.
In July, the Russian Federation Council approved a law extending compulsory general education from nine to eleven years.
Recently, Russia adopted a unified state exam for high school graduates, authorizing a major shift from both the Soviet-era final school and university entrance exams.