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中文 Question: I would like to know more information on admission and scholarship but almost no English links are available on this site.
One thing I want to know first is language. I learned that to be admitted one must pass examinations on russian. But is it possible that one can be admitted first and then the school assign accepted individuals to study russian for a semester or a year . Finally the individual takes russian test for school to decide if he/she is eligible to study. Upon mentioning learning russian, will scholarship cover the tuition fee of russian acquisition?
The answer of Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs Marina U. Lavrikova: In accordance with the clause 10.2.1 of the Rules of Admission to Saint-Petersburg University Main Educational Programmes of Higher Professional Education (Bachelor’s, Specialist’s and Master’s) in 2013 (hereinafter –Rules of Admission to SPbU) admission of foreign citizens for education at the expense of the Russian Federation Federal budget is carried out within the quota established by the Russian Federation Government in the Decree dated 25.08.2008 № 638 “On cooperation with foreign countries in the sphere of education” for specialities of the Russian Federation Ministry for Education and Science.
The procedure of application to the competition for the governmental scholarship is established by the Rules of Admission to SPbU, published on SPbU official website in the “Admission to SPbU” section, “Admission of Foreign Citizens” subsection in Russian and in English.
Rules of Admission to SPbU state that to take part in the competition for the governmental scholarship the applicants need to submit, apart from the documents listed in the clause 11.3 of the Rules of Admission to SPbU, the following documents:
- Motivation letter in Russian (or in the educational programme language of instruction) including reasoned confirmation of capability to study in the chosen educational programme, information on the professional background and experience of the applicant and reasons for interest in the educational programme;
- essay (for those applying for Bachelor’s and Specialist’s programme – individual library-research work) on the topic, approved by SPbU Admission Committee for certain field of studies in Russian (or in the educational programme language of instruction).
Thus, Russian language proficiency is necessary for admission to the programmes instructed in Russian which are all Bachelor’s programmes and most of the Master’s programmes. List of Educational programmes to which SPbU admits students in 2013 can be found on the SPbU official website in the “Admission to SPbU” section, in “Bachelor’s, Specialist’s Programmes” and “Master’s programmes” subsections.
Foreign applicants who want to be admitted to SPbU but don’t know Russian can attend preparation course before being admitted to SPbU for up to 1-year. In SPbU Russian language courses are taught in the Institute of the Russian Language and Culture. Information on education in the Institute of the Russian Language and Culture can be found here.