Engineering in Russia for Indian Students

‘Engineering in Russia’ has created a milestone in the field of engineering from the very beginning.

Study of design, optimization, maintenance and creation of different systems and machines is known as Engineering. In Engineering, students can learn a large and wide variety of topics such as design, advanced problem solving and mathematics.

Russia is a country in northern Eurasia and it is officially known as ‘Russian Federation’. Education in Russia is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science and it is mainly provided by the state.

Foreign applicants can enroll for any one of the 4 year bachelor’s programmes in Engineering at Russia. The second stage of the study programme can be a degree programme in Master of Engineering. This education can be continued for next 3 to 4 years for deep scientific research.

Thus, Russia has full scope for engineering education and it offers best engineering programs. Rather Engineering in Russia has 5 years specialists programmes also which are offered by some Russian universities. This Engineering education in Russia can be offered in English or Russian language.

Engineering Course: Quick Highlights

Merits of Studying Engineering in Russia (Indian Students)

• The medium of education for Engineering in Russia is either English or Russian. Those who can not afford engineering in Russia in English medium can opt for Russian medium of education. However, to master the Russian language, candidates must take an intensive 10 months coaching.
• Russian universities have started welcoming aspiring engineers by offering newly launched programmes such as biomedical engineering, nuclear power engineering and computer science engineering etc.
• Engineering colleges in Russia follow best Engineering syllabus. Thus, an engineering degree taken through Russia has high value across the world.
• In addition to biomedical engineering, nuclear power engineering and computer science engineering etc., there are more courses at the different top engineering colleges in Russia like Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Information and Applied Engineering, Applied physics and Engineering, Construction, Entrepreneurship and Finance, Radio Engineering, Automation Engineering, Sanitary Engineering and Military Power Engineering for students to choose from.
• Compared to other countries in Europe, studying Engineering in Russia is very cheap. Cost of living is also affordable. Thus, engineering in Russia, is best option for indian students among all different study abroad programs.
• Russia has increased the number of scholarships for engineering, medical and all such major courses, as more and more students are heading towards Russia for education.
• There are no visa restrictions. A multiple entry visa is given to the students which should be renewed by the students at the end of each year.
• If area is considered, Russia is a very large country. Thus, it has over 940 universities which are stretched over 80 regions of Russia, from Vladivostok through St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad.
• Engineering colleges in Russia do not need any English language proficiency test as a compulsory eligibility criteria, like IELTS or TOEFL. But students need to take a mandatory one year’s Russian language education. Learning Russian would be advantageous for students as Russian is a language which is spoken by 240 million people worldwide.
• Students can experience cultural diversity while studying Engineering in Russia as students from different Asian and European countries come to Russia for studies.

Eligibility Criteria To Take Admission

• Students must have passed a 10+2 or equivalent exam with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry with minimum 40%.
• For foreign students, clearance from embassy is a must.
• Foreign students also need to appear for a qualifying test. But for every college or university, it is not compulsory.
• Foreign students would also need to clear a medical test.

Scope of Engineering in Russia

In Russia, there are many multinational companies. Thus, there is a large scope and requirement of engineers in Russia. Best Engineering syllabus is followed at the engineering colleges in Russia.

The jobs at the management or senior management level require highly skilled professionals. Thus, the category of jobs which require extremely highly skilled professionals and engineers are often offered to foreigners.

Scholarships Programmes

Russia offers 3 types of scholarships for international students, those are:

1. Government Funded Russian Scholarships -To study in Russia, a set number of state scholarships are available for international students. It includes free tuition for the entire duration of the chosen programme, maintenance allowance, and dormitory accommodation. The scholarship amount is 1,500 rubles per month (or Rs.1,665/month). In 2018, 15,000 such spots for scholarships have been granted.
2. 2.Non-government Russian Scholarships for international students-
   i)Open Doors: Russian Scholarship Project
   ii) Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships<
   iii) The school of Russian and Asian scholarships (SRAS)
   iv) American Councils Scholarships
   v) BP in Russia Research Scholarships
3. 3.University-Specific Russian Scholarships for international students - These are the scholarships which are awarded by individual universities for excellent academic performances of the students. Some scholarships can provide students all the three, that is, stipend, free tuition and free accommodation, some scholarships may provide stipend to students, while some may provide free tuition or accommodation to students.

Some of such top engineering universities which provide engineering scholarships are:

• Moscow institute of Physics and Technology(MIPT),
• National Research University,
• National University of Science and Technology,
• Tomsk State University,
• Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University,
• Russian International Olympic University.

Accommodation Facilities For Students in Russia

Students can find the best option for accommodation as per their budget in Russia.While studying Engineering in Russia, students can get 3 types of accommodation options which are a university’s hostel, a host family or a rental apartment. Most importantly, academic success of a student depends upon the choice of a place of a student where he/she would stay.

• University Hostel (Dormitory)
  It is the most affordable option from a student’s point of view. At most of the top business schools in Russia, these dormitories are located on the campus or not far from the university. A room is shared by 2 to 4 number of students.
  The accommodation fee can vary in between 500 to 5,000 roubles per month depending on the selected university and the city where the university is located in. But it is much cheaper option compared to a rental apartment.
  A dormitory room typically consists of chairs, closets, beds and nightstands, bookshelves, writing desks etc.
  Students can make the payment on a monthly basis or termwise or they can make full payment in advance for the whole academic year.
• Rental Apartment
  The most expensive apartments in Russia are at Moscow and St. Petersburg. The rent of an apartment in a city depends upon the size of the city and its distance from the other major cities.
  If the university which is selected by a student does not have dormitory facility then he/she can look for a rental apartment or a room.
• Host Families
  Universities also help students in finding lodging options which includes finding host families.

Cost of Living in Russia

• Students would need to spend 500 to 35,000 roubles per month (Rs.1,000-35,000/month) on lodging, depending upon the region, location and type of lodging (such as dormitory, rented room or apartment or host family).
• Depending on the region, university and discipline, cost of studying engineering in Russia can vary from $1,900 - $11,000 (Rs.1.48 Lakhs/Year-Rs.2.20 Lakhs/Year).
• The cost of a minimum shopping basket in Russia which contains bread, fish, pasta, meat, milk, sugar, fruit, vegetables etc. is 4209 roubles (Rs.4,672) for a month.
• Students can go for a medical insurance policy which is optional and which costs $60-$180 per year (that is, Rs.3,600-Rs.10,800/Year).
• The cost for Moscow subway’s single journey is around 55 roubles (Rs.61.05), while 747 roubles (Rs.829.17) is the cost of a 20-journey travel card. Thus, for Indian students, Engineering in Russia would cost an additional amount of Rs.3.25 Lakhs-Rs.3.50 Lakhs/Year as a cost of living in Russia.

Safety in Russia

• It is safe for students to live in Russia while studying engineering. It is not as dangerous as any other developed country. But everyone including students should not forget to take basic safety measures when away from home.
• Everyone should stay alert at public places, in the crowd and in public transport.
• One should not carry large amounts of cash when travelling.
• One should be alert about the possibility of theft, mugging or pickpocketing.

Russian Student Visa

Through the Russian embassy or Russian Consulate in the country of residence of a student, student visas can be obtained.A student visa which is valid for 3 months will be issued first. Students should apply for visa extension after this period of 3 months. At the time of extending a student visa, students will get a 1 year extension. This extension will be every time when students extend their visa. This process should be carried out for the duration of their academic programme.International applicants who want to study Engineering in Russia or those who want to study any other courses, must get a passport and a visa.Documents Required for Students Visa to Russia

• Visa application form.
• A latest passport size photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm).
• A copy of original official invitation letter from the concerned college or university for entry to Russia.
• A copy of the front page of the international passport.
• Parental consent to travel certified by a notary is required for applicants who are under 18 years of age.
• Certificate of HIV with HIV negative status.
• A receipt or something as a proof of the payment of tuition fees.

About Russia

• It is the largest country in the world with an area of 17098.242 thousand square kilometres. Russia is located across eastern Europe and Northern Asia.
• ‘Moscow’ is the capital of Russia.
• Population of Russia is about 143.800 million people and it ranks seventh in terms of population.
• Russian is the official language of Russia.
• In Russia, mostly there are believers of Christianity. Old Believers and the Molokans are included in it. The second most common religion in Russia is Islam. Buddhism, Judaism and Protestantism are the other common religions on the territory of Russia.
• The two most important cultural and financial centers in Russia are Moscow and St. Petersburg.
• ‘Ruble’ is the currency of Russia.

Climate in Russia

• Climate in Russia changes according to region. It is a quite comfortable place to live in as most of Russia lies in moderate climate zone.
• In Russia, Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn are the four seasons of the year. Summer months in Russia are June, July and August. Sunshine mostly remains for nine hours in a day as summers are dry and sunny.
• The Spring months are March, April and May. The weather is nice and warm. Thus, it is a nice season of the year. Streets, parks and yards can be full of green trees.
• Summers in Russia are warm to hot and in some areas winters get very cold. In early October, the first snow generally falls. In winters, temperatures can fall up to -30 degree celsius with heavy snowfalls. December, January and February are the winter months. Winters can be very cold almost everywhere in Russia.