St.Petersburg universities offer several types of education. Firstly, there is full-time attendance, when you need to be present at the university classes during the day. Secondly, there is the evening option, when you attend classes in weekday evenings and weekend days. Thirdly, you may choose part-time enrolment, where students listen to introductory lectures and subsequently study at home in accordance with a specially developed curriculum, and then come to the university to pass tests and exams. There are several levels of higher education: You can study in programme that award a Bachelor's, Specialist, Master's, or Postgraduate Degree as well as professional training programme or career advancement programme, or you can simply come to study Russian language.
In St.Petersburg, prospective students have a huge range of options:
At St.Petersburg universities, you can study to join almost any profession currently in demand on the global market. Applicants only need to select the programme that is best for them. Decide on your criteria (subject, form of study, and instruction language) and start your search.
Both foreigners and Russian citizens can study at St.Petersburg universities at the expense of the Russian government or on a private basis.
There are three options for enrolment in state-funded places. Candidates can:
If they have their own funds for study, applicants can select an educational institution and communicate with its representatives. Universities generally ask to send an initial application by email, and to support it with the proper documents.
! | All documents must be translated into Russian and duly certified (notarised or certified at a consular department of an embassy) You can obtain the complete list of documents and the procedure for certification in universities. |
! | You can obtain a medical certificate in your home country. The most important thing is that it must be valid in Russia (translated and certified) and meet the requirements of your university. In a number of cases, certificates provided during application for a student visa are suitable. The certificate may be also obtained upon arrival in the Russian Federation (Form 086). Check the details from international offices of universities. |
Get more information about the documents required at each stage by contacting:
In most cases, documents require certification in the applicant's home country. Applicants from some countries will also have to go through a procedure of recognition of their diplomas or certificates in Russia.
When enrolling at a St.Petersburg university on the usual terms, the applicants submit the results of the Unified State Examination (EGE) or pass admission tests. The EGE is the exam taken by all high school graduates in Russia. Its results are accepted for enrolment at Russian universities. International applicants can also take the EGE for enrolment to a university. All necessary information can be found on the exam's official website. In addition, universities conduct admissions tests in the form of a written or oral examination on the discipline corresponding to the chosen subject. Enrolment decisions are made based on their results. Some universities conduct separate admissions exams for international students.
Every year dozens of academic competitions at various levels are held in Russia and abroad. Winners and other participants who place highly in some of these competitions can expect enrolment in Russian universities without examinations or under preferential conditions. Foreigners can participate in international and Russian competitions as well as in those specially held for them by various groups of universities. How to take part in Academic Competitions.
Many Russian universities conduct tests individually or jointly and select talented international applicants based on the results. Representatives of universities visit various countries or send tests assignments to their colleagues abroad. The applicants with the best test results can expect preferential terms when enrolling at Russian universities.
Applicants from countries with a visa free system with Russia can enter its territory by presenting their passport (the list of countries which have a visa free system with Russia is available on the Russian Foreign Ministry website). In all other cases, applicants must present a student visa in addition to a document proving their identity.
An invitation is required to apply for a student visa: