WHY STUDY IN RUSSIA?

Education in Russia is provided predominantly by the state and is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science. Universities offer attractive undergraduate and postgraduate study options in one of the world’s growing economic nations. Russia promises you an extremely satisfied study abroad experience during your stay. The country provides some of the most globally accepted degrees in the fields of engineering, medicine, economics, management and humanities.

Russia is rapidly emerging as a destination for foreign students. Read on to discover the attractions of choosing to study in Russia, and for advice on Russia’s best universities and student cities. To apply for student visa for Russia, visit: russia.visahq.in/

More than 210 000 international students from about 200 countries of the world are currently studying at Russian state universities. What makes Russia such a popular study abroad destination?

Why do students come to get higher education in Russia?

1. To live in a unique country

• Russia is the biggest country in the world in terms of territory.
• Russia is a hospitable and a tolerant country; it is home to 160 different ethnic groups who live together in peace, and followers of all the biggest world religions.
• Russia possesses a unique cultural and historical heritage.
• Russia has no equal when it comes to the beauty of its natural landscapes and diversity of its architectural styles.
• Russia offers great opportunities for participating in sport at the most modern sports grounds and for attending sports events of international status; Russia will host the 2014 Winter Olympics (in Sochi) and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
• In Russia anyone can find a use for their talents and the opportunity to develop their creative abilities; students can get special rates on tickets at museums, theaters, cinemas, galleries, cafes, parks and many other places where they can spend free time with their friends.

2. To get prestigious higher education recognized all over the world

• The Russian higher education system is comprised of more than 650 state universities where about 9 million people st udy; more than 210 000 of these come from about 200 different countries.
• Russian higher educ ation offers a wealth of choice from more than 300 medical, engineering, economic and humanities specialties.
• Russian higher education is based on the world-renowned school of fundamental and applied science, at the base of which lie the great discoveries of Russian scientists, which determined the course of developments in world science for many centuries ahead.
• Russian higher education gives the possibility of access to the most modern laboratories and scientific-technical centers.
• Russian higher education guarantees quality and highly competent teaching personnel (on average 80% of professors hold PhD degrees).
• Russian higher education consists of prestigious universities with more than 100 years of history and globally-respected degrees which are recognized all over the world.
• The study of foreign citizens at Russian state universities is up to 80% subsidized by the Government of Russia, making it affordable (the average cost of an academic year, including accommodation in a student hostel, is 2500-4000 USD).
• International students entering a Russian state university through RACUS get all necessary professional support and guidance throughout the whole period of study (up to 7 years).

3. To learn Russian language

• The Russian language is one of the key languages of international communication. It is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken among the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe. More than 350 million people can speak Russian.
• Russian is one of six official languages of the United Nations. Russian is the official “language of space”. All astronauts learn Russian. Russian tourists travel to all corners of the globe; knowledge of Russian often helps those in the hospitality business to move up the career ladder.
• Russian language is beautiful and unique. Learning Russian will give you the opportunity to read the classic novels of prominent Russian writers in the original – Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov and many others. It will also help you better understand the Russian culture and the mysterious Russian soul.

 VARIED UNIVERSITIES & COURSES

There are more than 600 state universities and a considerable number of private universities of variable quality. Russian universities are widely known for prestige, affordability and recognition. Students can choose from a wide variety of degree programmes, from law, arts and languages to computing, mathematics and sciences.

Universities in Russia

There are more than 880 universities in Russia, and the government is investing heavily in making improvements to the system – Prime Minister Valdimir Putin has spoken about an ‘educational revolution’. Between 2011 and 2015, 390 billion roubles (US$13.5 billion) has been allocated for upgrading facilities and technical equipment at Russian universities, and improving training for teaching staff.

Further, the country is currently in the process of making its system more compatible with other European countries, having signed up to the Bologna Process. This means many universities in Russia now offer a choice between a four-year bachelor’s degree or a five-year ‘specialist’ degree. In the QS World University Rankings 2013/14, 18 Russian universities are ranked within the world’s top 800. The leader is Lomonosov Moscow State University (120th), followed by Saint Petersburg State University (240=) and Bauman Moscow State Technical University (334=).

Russian university requirements

The majority of university courses are taught in Russian, so good knowledge of the language is a definite plus! However, some Russian universities offer one-year preparatory courses for international students, which allow you to get up to the required standard very quickly.

Depending on the university and your existing grades, Russian university requirements may also mean taking an entrance exam and/or attend an interview. International applicants may also be required to demonstrate proficiency in Russian or English, depending on which language the course is taught in

Facts about Russia

·         The world’s largest country, with an area of 17 million sq km (for comparison, the USA is 9.8 million sq km)

·         Capital city: Moscow (also the largest city)

·         Currency: the rouble (one rouble = 100 kopecks)

·         Government is led by President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

·         President’s official residence is the Kremlin in Moscow, a fortified complex which includes four palaces, four cathedrals and numerous other historic buildings

·         The world’s largest railway, the Trans-Siberian, traverses the entire country – from Moscow in the west to Vladivostock in the east, or a shorter option, the Trans-Mongolian to Beijing, China

·         Moscow’s planned Crystal Island, often referred to as a ‘city within a city’, will be the world’s largest building, and one of the most energy-efficient

·         The world’s biggest oil producer, since overtaking Saudi Arabia in 2009

·         International dialing code is +7 and the internet domain is .ru

Study in Russia : procedure to get a student visa

Study in Russia and learn from a world class education system.The standard of Higher Education in Russia is considered to be most advanced and sophisticated in the world as every educational institution is well equipped and their teaching methods are well regulated streamlined and carves a path for an extensive development of student in their specialties. The students teacher ratio is approximately 7:1.

Process to obtain Russian Student Visa for international students

Russia requires visas for nearly all visitors. Anyone seriously considering a long stay in Russia should read the Russian visa information so as to understand the different types of visas, who is eligible for them, and what restrictions may exist. Student visa is issued only for students, who come to Russia for study programs or enrolling on a course to a Russian university/school. This is the best kind of visa in terms of flexibility, but you can only get it if you applied to a Russian university, school or an institution and will study there.

Studying in a university

If you are thinking about doing an exchange with one of the Russian universities (also known as “visiting scholars” or “stazhirovka” in Russian), you will need to submit your data to the university and the “foreign department” of the university will take care of all the formalities. They will submit all your data to the immigration officials and have your student invitation ready in about 2 to 6 weeks (may take longer at MGU – Moscow State University). After that, the “foreign department” of the university where you will be studying will either send you the invitation by post, by fax, or send the invitation by telex directly to the consulate where you will apply for your visa and you’ll just need to know the telex number when you apply. Usually, the student visa doesn’t have a limited validity, it is extended all the time, depending on how long you study.

Studying in a language school

If your language school is attached to some Russian educational body you will get a student visa and the process will be about the same as the one described for universities above. However, if it is a private school, they will most likely make a normal tourist (up to 1 month), or so-called “business” (which is a name for a long-term visas) invitation, which you will need to submit to a Russian consulate to get a Russian visa. When you apply to the consulate for a student visa, you’ll need to pay a normal fee, which will be about the same as for a tourist visa ($50-$150, depending on processing time).

Russian Visa Registration

Once you arrive to Russia, you will need to register your visa within the first 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) after your arrival. It is very important to get the registration done right. It is always the obligation of your inviting party (university, language school, business organization) to arrange your visa registration, because if they don’t do it, you will have to pay fines and may be deported from Russia, and they may lose their education license. So, check beforehand that the place where you’re going to study can provide your visa registration without a problem. It is very easy for universities to get your visa registered: you will just need to bring them your passport with Russian visa and migration cards (that you get at the border) and the university’s “foreign department” will submit your documents to OVIR (immigration officials) to register your visa. It will take about 1 week and you will have a registration stamp on your visa. Normally, the registration can be done for the period of your visa, however, if it is not, it will be relatively easy to prolong it if you’re still studying in the university. Just don’t forget to submit your documents again when the time comes.

Scholarships and Financial aid available for International Students in Russia

Most forms of federal, state and private financial aid or loans may be applied to study in Russia.If you plan to use your financial aid award to pay University fees, you should apply early to meet aid application deadlines. Rule of eligibility are determined by federal, state and local authorities. It is the student’s responsibility to pay any difference between aid received and the total cost of the program.

Sources of financial aid are:

• Federal awards such as NESP, Gilman; Pell (federal) grants; SEOG (federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants)
• Federal loans such as PLUS; Federal Perkins loans; Federal subsidized Stafford loans; Federal unsubsidized Stafford loans.
• State aid (varies from state to state)
• Merit awards/scholarships from your institution
• Merit awards/scholarships from community-based organizations
• GI educational benefits
• ROTC scholarships
• Rehabilitation educational assistance

Living Cost for International Students in Russia

Housing

Students live in the residence hall the first three days after arrival to get accustomed to the program, then they have two housing options:
Residence hall
Housed in the comfortable residence hall for foreign students at most of the Universities, students live in 2-room suites (two students per room, four students per suite) with kitchenette (stove and refrigerator), toilet and bathtub/shower in each suite. The residence hall has LAN connections in all rooms so students are advised to bring a laptop computer with them. The initial set-up fee is $10, with a $5 per month user fee and 4cts per gigabyte of traffic ($7-$10 per month depending on the numbers of hours of use). Students will also be able to use their laptops for writing papers and entertainment (Music, DVD and digital photography). Students must keep their laptops locked up when not in use.

Home stay

Students who choose to live in a Russian home receive breakfast with the host. Living with a Russian family gives students a tremendous opportunity to improve their Russian language skills and to experience a significant amount of Russian culture and cuisine. Students must request to live in a homestay at the time of application. Most homestays are mostly located 20-25 minutes by public transportation or 30 minutes walk from the Universities.

Meal allowance

Students receive a monetary allowance to purchase meals in cafés or the University cafeteria, or they can cook their own meals in their dorm kitchenette. Homestay students can use the funds to pay the family directly for lunch or dinner. This arrangement is easier for students, as they do not have to budget cash for meals each week.

Consider Russia for studying MBBS

Russia, with the highest literacy rate in the world (99.6%), has become increasingly popular as a destination of higher studies amongst international students due to its global standards of education (with European equivalence) and affordable costs.

The last 15-20 years have seen a surge in the number of international students coming to the Russian Federation. Thousands of Indian students graduate from the more popular Russian universities every year.

Studying MBBS in RUSSIA

Missed that medical seat just because you were a couple of percentage points short from the cut off mark? Don’t despair. Another opportunity awaits you in Russia.

Many good colleges have come in Russia, especially in the field of Medicine, Engineering, Literature and the Arts.

The last 15-20 years have seen a surge in the number of international students coming to the Russian Federation. Thousands of Indian students graduate from the more popular Russian universities every year.

Eligibility

The eligibility for admission for the medical course as per the rules of the Medical Council of India is 50 per cent aggregate in Physics, Chemistry, Biology at the Class XII higher secondary (10+2) level for the general category.

The requirement for reserved category students is 40 per cent.

Expenses

The fees for the MBBS course in the Russian Federation would cost you approximately the same as what it would here in India. However, the important difference is – There is no system of capitations fees / donations in Russia.

Due to this, the total cost for the MBBS course (known internationally as M.D. Physician) in Russia come to approximately Rs 12-15 lakh inclusive of course fees, accommodation, travel and medical insurance.

Degree recognition

As per the rules of the Medical Council of India, an Indian student wishing to pursue MBBS abroad has to collect an ‘Eligibility Certificate’ from the Medical Council of India and must complete his MBBS course only from a university that is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UNESCO.

If the student wishes to return and practice in India, they are required to pass a qualifying test known as a screening test. This rule is universally applicable to all students, regardless of the country from where the student completes his or her medical course.

An additional bonus for students completing their MBBS from Russia is that if they wish to settle and practice in any European country, they are eligible to do so without giving any entrance exam / screening test.

The Russian Federation is a signatory of the ‘Bologna Convention’ for Equivalence of Education. This means that your degree received in Russia has unquestionable recognition in all European nations and is equal in value to a degree received in any other nation of the European Union.

Your degree is also eligible for USMLE registration in the USA, PLAB registration in the UK and registration with the Australian Medical Council (AMC) in Australia.

Contact Student Visa Expert for more details. We  are one of best education consultant in India when it comes to promoting medical education abroad. We will guide you step by step to choose a university and course  in Russia thus  to to begin with your medical studies.