Legal Aspects of Educational Migration within the Framework of Challenges of the Pandemic

The purpose of the study is a brief analysis of the legal aspects of educational migration in the context of the challenges of the pandemic. The article uses a comparative legal method that includes an analysis of Russian and foreign legislation in support of educational mobility and increasing the migration attractiveness for young scientists. The study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic almost halted migration processes in 2020, signifi cantly affecting educational migration. In general, there is a decrease in the number of foreign students who have decided to study abroad, while some countries have maintained the indicators of attracting students from abroad. What factors have determined this phenomenon in the format of closed borders, what new tools and legal solutions are offered by foreign partners in conditions of restrictions? Findings: the authors of the publication answer these questions by demonstrating both foreign experience and the results of the work of Russian universities in attracting foreign students in the context of the pandemic. The authors also formed proposals for improving the legislation to preserve and develop the achieved indicators of educational migration. Internationalization encourages the quality of education, the diversity of education, and the free exchange of educational resources. In the context of a pandemic, educational migration can stimulate both creative educational technologies and modern legal solutions.