Russia, one of the world’s largest countries, provides students with an abundance of history and culture. Spanning both Europe and Asia, Russia has long welcomed international students as students from both continents have studied there; its university system boasts one of the most extensive university systems worldwide.
Russia actively encourages universities to offer scholarships for international students studying at its universities, both covering tuition fees and providing a living stipend to help cover living costs. In addition, many foreign foundations and institutes also provide an array of scholarship opportunities to those wishing to study in Russia.
As part of your research when selecting an institution for study, university rankings such as those offered by QS can be useful in making decisions about where best to study. These rankings compare universities according to criteria such as research quality and student life – as recently witnessed with Russia’s top universities entering these global rankings for the first time ever!
Russian higher education institutions generally fall into three basic categories: universities, academies and institutes. Universities provide comprehensive academic programs at all levels; while academies specialize in one particular branch such as art or science with extensive research capabilities. Institutes operate as separate entities within either universities or academies while offering professional education programs.
Most Russian universities accept applications from international students in English and offer an array of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs – from bachelor’s to master’s – requiring either TOEFL or IELTS scores as minimum qualifications for admission, while other courses may accommodate those with lower scores.
Tuition fees in Russia are more affordable than at Western universities, with most courses costing under 10,000 euros and monthly living expenses being covered with budget of between 300-600 euros per month.
Bachelor degrees typically take four to five years in Russia to complete and can then be followed up by master’s studies if desired. Master’s programs usually last two years and involve at least one year of research and dissertation preparation.
Students graduating with master’s degrees may either enter the workforce immediately or pursue doctorates either domestically or abroad. A PhD typically takes three to five years and involves extensive research conducted both at universities as well as various specialized research centers.
Students residing in Russia who wish to supplement their incomes through part-time work can do so under the permission of their school or university, with full-time students receiving additional benefits such as discounted transportation tariffs, reduced admission to museums and heritage sites as well as discounts on apartment rental fees – benefits which will help make students feel at home in their new environment.