Russia is the most talked about influential superpower in the world today. More than 50% of people of the country can get higher education. Besides, every year more than 2 lakh students from other countries go to study in the country. The presence of world-renowned universities and renowned academies creates a unique assessment of higher education in Russia. Degrees earned from the country’s universities are also globally recognized.
Interns and graduates from Russian universities are highly valued by multinational companies. Let’s know about study and student visa application process, cost, scholarships for higher education in Russia.
Why Go to Russia
Russia has historically been known for excellence in the arts such as ballet, classical music, painting and literature. The country’s universities offer higher education in more than 650 subjects. With more emphasis on quality, Rashan graduates have a strong position in the job market due to the opportunity to learn from the world’s best scholars.
Therefore, Russia is a good destination for those who want to build a career in creative subjects and foreign degrees.
Some of the best universities in Russia
1. Moscow State University
2. Altai State University
3. Kazan University
4. Dubna University
5. Chelyabinsk State University
6. Irkutsk State University
7. Bauman Moscow State Technical University
8. The Russian State Humanities University
9. St. Petersburg University
10. People’s Friendship University of Russia
11. Higher School of Economics
12. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
13. Tomsk State University
14. Novosibirsk State University
15. National Research Nuclear University MEPHL (Moscow Institute of Engineering Physics).
Popular subjects in Russian universities are
art, literature, dance, music and painting, science and technology, business studies, medical science, humanities and social sciences and history.
Note that although most courses in Russia are in Russian, you will also find courses in English. But for that, you must get conformation from the university authorities, so that you don’t have to come to this country and be in danger.
Tuition fees, Scholarships
in Russia provide practical-oriented quality education at relatively low cost. According to Keystone, the potential cost of a bachelor’s degree in Russia is 220,000 to 240,000 rubles per year. It is equivalent to 2 lakh 70 thousand 873 to 2 lakh 95 thousand 497 rupees. The annual budget for Master’s program ranges from 2 lakh 40 thousand to a maximum of 4 lakh 50 thousand rubles. The annual cost is 72 thousand to 2 lakh 50 thousand rubles for postgraduate courses. 1 ruble equals 1 taka 24 paise (as on 20 October).
Russia has been offering a large number of scholarships to foreign students since the last decade. Scholarship opportunities are more if the academic results are good.
Low Cost of Living
Living a luxurious life in Russia is relatively cheap. The cost of living varies from city to city in Russia. According to Lipscholar, the monthly cost of living (excluding rent) in major cities is as follows — 56,500 rubles in Moscow, 43,400 rubles in Kazan, 50,148 rubles in St. Petersburg, 44,322 rubles in Novosibirsk, 43,257 rubles in Kaliningrad. However, in terms of housing, rents are much cheaper in smaller cities like Kazan or Yekaterinburg than in Moscow. Also, flats or apartments are more expensive at universities than on campus. The rent of the dormitories can range from a minimum of 500 to a maximum of 5 thousand rubles per month. According to the Nambio database, a 1-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city can cost between 22 and 94 thousand 39 rubles a month. There, the same apartment a little away from the city rents from 15 to 54 thousand 830 rubles.
Job opportunities
After completing the degree, you will be given the opportunity to find work. If you can come to an agreement with the employer within the specified time, you will get a work visa. After three years with a working visa you can finally apply for Russian citizenship. However, the job must be directly related to the degree-subject you studied in Russia.
In addition, according to the permit, international students are allowed to work 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week outside of studies. Various administrative offices provide various job opportunities for students within the university premises. Hourly wages vary from city to city, as does the cost of living. Here are the average hourly rates for some of the most popular part-time jobs in Russia, according to Lipscholar:
*English language teacher: 857 to 4,432 rubles
*Hospitality staff: 500 to 1,000 rubles
*Retail sales assistant: 443 to 1,000 rubles
Documents required for application
Passport (at least 20 months validity)
Recent photograph. (Size 3.5×4.5 cm)
Educational qualification certificate and mark sheet;
Graduation Certificate and Grade sheet for Masters
Medical Documents
Language Proficiency Test Score: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 92 (depending on the program)
Statement of Purpose
CV and Motivational Letter
Research Proposal for PhD
Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
Note that documents whose language is not English must be translated into English and notarized by a nationally recognized institution.
How to apply
Fall semester is the main season for admission applications to Russian universities. In this case, the application period is from December to July of the previous year. Classes start in September after all the admission process. Some universities start classes in February or March and spring semester as well. The application period for Spring is from October to January.
Outside of these two seasons there is also rolling intake in Russia, where course registration is open throughout the year. This intake is very beneficial for international students whose visa processing takes a long time.
Universities take admission applications through their own online portals. For this applicants need to create an account on the website of their chosen university. Application can be submitted along with uploading necessary documents in this account.
After clearing the first stage of document verification, the student is called for an online test or interview. After successful completion of this last step, the university asks the student to pay the first semester fee along with the admission instructions. The student is nominated for invitation or offer letter only after payment of fee. This letter is issued on behalf of the university by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation.
