Russia is the largest country in the world, home to some highly prestigious universities. From athletes like Anna Kournikova and Maria Sharapova, to composers like Tchaikovsky, or Shostakovich, and great authors like Tolstoi, Nabokov, or Dostoyevsky (…and all other “-evsky”s, and “-ov”s and “-ova”s), Russia gave us of the most influential people in history. Moscow and Saint Petersburg are Russia’s largest cities and two world-famous student hubs.
Russian universities have a great reputation, both locally and internationally. They are present in global university rankings and stand out from the rest when it comes to disciplines like Physics, Engineering, Medicine, and Social Sciences.
Compared to their Western counterparts, Russian universities are very affordable. Tuition fees range between 1,450 and 7,500 EUR per year, and only a few study programmes cost more than 10,000 EUR.
Living costs are also very low; most international students can handle all monthly expenses with a budget of 300–600 EUR.
During the past years, Russia invested a lot to attract international talents. So far, over 300,000 students choose to move to Russia and get an undergraduate or (post) graduate degree there.
Available scholarships and state-funded spots allow 15,000 students not to worry about tuition fees or living costs.
The investment part we've mentioned above isn't only limited to scholarships and grants. Russian dormitories and campuses are modern, with the same high level of comfort and utilities you'd expect from any other Western country.
Universities also pride themselves with cutting-edge technologies, laboratories, and research centres — facilities that are there to help students achieve their academic goals.
There are approximately 850 universities in Russia, and among the best ones are:
Most people who studied there praised the welcoming environment, and how teachers were easily approachable and willing to help. The selection process is very competitive, the environment dynamic, and the atmosphere multicultural.
Also, the universities encourage students to study on their own, giving them only guidelines and allowing them to go wild with the subjects. For this, they provide great facilities and amazing libraries.
Russia, being the behemoth country we know and love, is famous for covering all fields and offering Master’s degrees in all disciplines, ranging from Business Administration to Russian Studies (which sounds amazing, honestly).
Russia is famous for covering all fields and offering Master’s, Bachelors and PhD degrees in all disciplines.
Here are some of the most popular Bachelors in Russia:
If you're looking for Masters, there are plenty to choose from:
In Russia, the Ministry of Education and Science created a website that connects students with universities. You can find here contacts from the international department, descriptions for the programmes, and the curator’s phone number.
After you have settled on the university and programme, the documents you will need to present are:
You should note that all documents should be presented with an official copy, translated to Russian.
These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programmes.
Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice.
If you’re attending a degree programme in Russia, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.
In order to follow a Master’s degree in English in Russia, you will have to submit, besides an English certificate, your previous diploma and a cover letter.
The English certificates accepted by Russian universities and organisations are the basic ones, like:
Some universities also accept GRE and GMAT certificates. Please refer to their webpage.
Still, be aware that some programmes may require you to submit your CV, a portfolio, references from teachers, and an interview in English, via phone or Skype.
* In the current situation, there is a lot of uncertainty about the economic, safety situation and right to free speech in Russia. International students should inform themselves carefully and be in touch with their consular services for advice. Here’s a link to Studyportals’ statement on the war in Ukraine.
Let's take a closer look at tuition and living expenses in Russia:
Russian universities are very affordable, especially when compared to similar institutions from Western countries. International students usually pay:
1,475–7,600 EUR/year for Specialist's degrees (degrees awarded after at least 5 years of study, e.g. Medical degrees)
Students can also apply for scholarships to support their education in Russia.
As we've established before, Russia is really affordable. Monthly living costs amount to 300–600 EUR.
Here's a breakdown of the average expenses:
The Russian Federation is situated in the eastern part of the Europe and the northern part of Asia. The capital city of the Russian Federation is Moscow. The population of the Russian Federation is 144 million with a density of 8.7 people per 1 sq. km.
Quick! When you think of Russia, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? If you said “vodka”, shame on you for being so culturally insensitive! Still, we can’t judge, because, on our research, we uncovered that:
Also, besides being huge fans of “water that burns”, you should know that Russians also possess some quirks that can only make you smile and shrug, saying to yourself “that’s Russia for you”. For instance:
Numerous education initiatives in the world were formed to promote international cooperation and academic exchange between universities as well as attract students and staff worldwide. This focus on international student education provides high quality programmes in various fields of study and prepares students for future careers anywhere in the world.
Studying, for instance, in Australia, Asia, Europe or America represents a wide range of opportunities to see the world and interact with other students from different countries. Different study options allow students to hold a job during their study years in order to pay for their education, if they wish to do so. Online programmes help you get an international education without having to leave home.
The number of English-taught short courses in Asia, Australia, Europe and The United States are continuously rising in popularity in the last few years. Many countries offer English-taught study programmes, including: Australia, China, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States and more. Other English short courses may be found in the rest of the European countries as well.
Short courses offer a great variety of subjects for a short and fixed period. This period can vary between a week to six weeks, depending on country, institution and course. This is an excellent opportunity to gain academic, cultural and social experience if you are not able to access long-term study opportunities. A wide variety of countries and institutions offer summer and short courses in all kinds of subject areas. It is a great opportunity to get some background information for your own research, to learn a language or to gain knowledge on a related topic.
Sometimes summer and short courses provide students with short-term housing. Therefore, it is useful to find out if housing is included in the fee of the summer or short course you wish to apply for.
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