The article considers the essence and historical way of elitist education of the Russian Federation's peoples by the example of Russian and Tatar educational institutions. The article clarifies the concept of an "elite educational institution" and exposes the role of the state and sponsors in ensuring the activities of educational institutions. The work is based on the method of analysis of theoretical literature, periodization, and the comparative historical method. "Statement of the problem" is determined by the fact that there are many unresolved questions about this type of education: the concept of "elitist education" needs clarification; there is a necessity to identify and create pedagogical conditions for the development of modern elite schools, which can be implemented only with the support of the historical past.