The new reality presents a number of issues for international students. What changes will there be in the university’s education system? What will happen if a student is unable to come to Russia by September 1? What is the university doing to help international students adapt? Vice Rector Ivan Prostakov to answer these questions and more.
Will anything change for international students due to Russia’s exit from the Bologna Process?
Many Russian universities already had a two-level bachelor’s and master’s education system long before Russia joined the Bologna Process in 2003. By that point, there were already around 200 universities that ran four-year bachelor’s programmes and two-year master’s programmes alongside five-year specialist’s programmes. The established system of higher education in Russia is not going to change overnight, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education has announced that Russia’s exit from the Bologna Process will have no impact on the current admissions campaign. Students enrolled in bachelor’s, master’s, and specialist’s programmes at HSE University in 2022 will be able to complete their programmes without any changes and continue their studies both in Russia and abroad.
Will international students who have problems getting to Russia by the start of the academic year be able to study remotely?
The new academic year at the university will begin in the traditional in-person format. At the same time, we understand that it will be difficult for some international students to travel in August and arrive in time for the start of classes. First-year students can contact the heads of their programmes to ask about the possibility of studying remotely in the first module. If their request is approved, the student will follow an individual curriculum based on the classes that are available in an online format.
© Daniil Prokofyev / HSE University
How can new international first-year students permanently living abroad and without a Russian bank account pay for tuition at University?
There are several options at the moment. Firstly, they can pay using Russia’s Mir payment system, which is accepted in Turkey, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Students should contact their bank and explain that they need to make a transfer using the Mir system. Secondly, they can send a payment by wire transfer to HSE University’s rouble or foreign currency account (in US dollars). Finally, friends or relatives living in Russia can pay on behalf of the student via the university’s Payments system, in HSE it's pay.hse.ru. When forming their education contract, the future student receives a set of documents, including a bill and/or invoice for payment. The payment document will specify the required sum in roubles or dollars accordingly.
Will HSE University help students obtain Russian visas and book tickets? And if so, how? Can students get help organising the necessities for living in Russia (bank cards, etc)?
HSE University and many other universities provides full-cycle visa and migration support, from invitations to visa extensions. Full information about these services is available in Russian and English. The process is outlined clearly, but I want to stress the importance of familiarising yourself with the rules and requirements of migration law ahead of time. Despite all the support offered by the university, international students are held personally responsible for any violations of Russian migration law.
In the near future, we will be launching a mobile app that will allow students to keep track of their calendar, as well as see which documents need to be submitted and when in order to extend their visa or registration in time. Students can always contact the Visa and Registration Support Centre with their questions via Telegram or email. The Student Service Centre handles the issuing and acceptance of paper documents.
Source: HSE News Service.
