General Information

Voronezh State University has long had a reputation for teaching Russian as a foreign language.

We started admitting international students in 1961. Since then, about 15,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and interns have completed various courses at VSU.

The university’s 18 faculties offer bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes, as well as PhD programmes, and an opportunity to defend a PhD thesis. Those who just want to improve their Russian can enrol on one of VSU's further education programmes.

The International Education Institute of VSU started teaching Russian as a foreign language in 2001. The institute focuses on the following activities.

Pre-university education programmes for international students who do not speak Russian and want to enrol at VSU or any other university in Russia. As well as learning Russian, students also acquire basic knowledge in their specific field of interest. The experienced teachers of the institute also help students learn more about Russia and Russian people, and to get used to the country.
Advanced education programmes for international students studying at VSU. Upon being admitted to one of the university’s faculties, international students attend classes together with their Russian peers. Therefore, they need assistance in improving their Russian and completing the curriculum. The teachers of the International Education Institute of VSU make sure that international students can understand lectures, do their homework, and communicate with teachers and classmates.
Further education programmes in Russian as a foreign language for international students who stay in Russia for 1 or 2 terms or attend summer courses. Quite often they are participants of exchange programmes run within partnership agreements between universities (among VSU’s partners there are over 120 universities from all over the world, including Sophia University (Tokyo)). However, academic mobility is not limited to exchange programmes. All the education programmes are also available on a fee-paying basis. (International students can also be admitted as part of the quota system, but in this case they cannot choose the university, since the allocation is performed by Rossotrudnichestvo.)

All the programmes implemented by the International Education Institute of VSU include both in-class learning and a large number of extra-curricular activities and social events. The institute organises guided tours of Voronezh, the Voronezh Region, as well as other Russian cities and regions (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Karelia, the Golden Ring of Russia, etc.). Students also visit museums, theatres, and concerts, and take part in the university’s festivals, sports competitions, and scientific conferences. The institute organises meetings with local people in schools, libraries, etc. The university also has its Buddy Club that helps Russian and international students get to know each other.