Study

How to apply

Tuition-free studies

Foreign citizens can apply for state-funded places at Russian universities within the quota, under the international education agreements, or as compatriots. Please contact Russian Houses or Russian embassies in your country.

If you don’t speak Russian

Fill in the application form and sent it to orio@guap.ru.

If you speak Russian

Step 1

Choose the program.

Step 2

Check the application deadlines (around 20th of June – 5th of August).

Step 3

Prepare the documents:

  1. Copy of national passport and its notarized translation
  2. Previous educational background certificates and transcripts and their notarized translation

    * All documents must go through an expert assessment and recognition of a foreign educational document at the Expert Center for the Evaluation of Educational Documents.
    ** Some foreign documents require passing the procedures of examination, legalization and recognition

  3. Three photos 3×4
  4. Filled application form
  5. Consent to the processing of personal data
  6. Consent to enrollment

Step 4

Register in SUAI application system (available starting from June) or contact orio@guap.ru.

Step 5

Take an entrance exam (available online).

Step 6

Sign your study agreement and make the payment for the first study semester.

Step 7

Get your Letter of Acceptance in your profile.

Step 8

Apply for a visa .

Step 9

Prepare for arrival.

Step 10

Get a migration registration .

Enjoy your studies at SUAI!

Visa issues and migration policy

During the academic year, while in St. Petersburg, each student must have the following documents on hand:

  • the national passport (with a valid visa if applicable);
  • the migration card with a border crossing mark;
  • the tear-off part of the notification form about the arrival of a foreign citizen/stateless person in the Russian Federation with a mark of the local FMS body attesting to registration at the place of temporary residence.

If you need a Russian Visa

Receiving an invitation and a study visa

A foreign citizen who is going to enroll in SUAI must receive an official “Invitation to enter the Russian Federation”.

To receive it send to dmdpvo@hf-guap.ru a scanned copy of the passport page spread with a photo and an invitation form that requests the following information:

  • Surname, first names (in full) in Russian
  • Passport No. and passport validity period
  • Date of birth
  • The period for which the visa is requested
  • Workplace address, telephone and fax (if available)
  • The country and address of the consulate where the visa will be requested
  • Purpose of the trip
  • Email address, phone number

Based on the information from this form, the SUAI Passport and Visa Office prepares an invitation on the letterhead of the organization and a petition to the Migration Department.

When received the invitation is sent to a foreign citizen by e-mail for presentation at the embassy or consulate of the Russian Federation, where the applicant obtains a “study visa” for up to 3 months with the possibility of subsequent issuance of a multiple-entry visa in the Passport and Visa Office of the university. If necessary, the original invitation is sent by mail.

After receiving a visa you must send its scanned copy and your ticket to the e-mail address of the Passport and Visa Office dmdpvo@guap.ru.

Arrival in Saint Petersburg

A foreign citizen receives and fills out a migration card when crossing the border in accordance with passport data, and fills in the “purpose of entry” part as “study”. Exit parts of migration cards (coupons “B”) with entry marks are kept by foreign citizens during the entire period of their stay on the territory of the Russian Federation.

A foreign student must come to the Passport and Visa Office of the University within 3 days after arrival to provide copies of documents, in order to extend the period of stay and to make the registration.

The Passport and Visa Office can issue registrations for foreign citizens only if they live in the SUAI dormitories. If a foreign citizen lives at a rented apartment, the registration is made by the owner of the apartment at the territorial department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Seven working days are given for the migration registration of citizens. The primary migration registration of foreign citizens is done for a stay of up to 90 days.

At the request of the future student, the University can organize transport support when moving from the airport or train station to the place of study.

Extension of stay period and obtaining a multiple-entry visa

The visa processing period is 30 days.

To extend the period of stay and obtain a multiple-entry visa the following documents must be provided to the Passport and Visa Office upon arrival:

  • Valid passport used to enter Russia/ temporary residence permit, residence permit;
  • Migration card and its copy;
  • The tear-off part of the notification of the migration registration;
  • Copy of a study agreement (for tuition-free students: an extract from the enrollment order will be attached Passport and Visa office);
  • One 3×4 cm photo;
  • Payment receipt for the state fee for issuing a multiple-entry visa (1600 rubles) made only in Sberbank.

If you don’t need a Russian Visa

Migration registration

A foreign citizen receives and fills out a migration card when crossing the border in accordance with passport data, and fills in the “purpose of entry” part as “study”. Exit parts of migration cards (coupons “B”) with entry marks are kept by foreign citizens during the entire period of their stay on the territory of the Russian Federation.

A foreign student must come to the Passport and Visa Office of the University within 3 days after arrival to provide copies of documents, in order to extend the period of stay and to make the registration.

The Passport and Visa Office can issue registrations for foreign citizens only if they live in the SUAI dormitories. If a foreign citizen lives at a rented apartment, the registration is made by the owner of the apartment at the territorial department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Seven working days are given for the migration registration of citizens. The primary migration registration of foreign citizens is done for a stay of up to 90 days.

At the request of the future student, the University can organize transport support when moving from the airport or train station to the place of study.

Extension of stay period

To extend the period of stay the following documents must be provided to the Passport and Visa Office upon arrival:

  • Valid passport used to enter Russia;
  • Migration card and its copy;
  • The tear-off part of the notification of the migration registration;
  • Copy of a study agreement (for tuition-free students: an extract from the enrollment order will be attached by Passport and Visa office).

In case you get expelled

If a student gets expelled, it is necessary to urgently apply for a transit visa, only 10 days from the date of the enrollment termination order are given to leave the country. The passport and visa office must receive a copy of the ticket for departure.

In case you left the place of your registration for a while

A new migration card and a new registration are needed!

Upon arrival in the territory of the Russian Federation one must report to the passport and visa office of the University to provide documents in order to extend the period of stay.

Before leaving the territory of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to inform the passport and visa office via phone or e-mail about the dates of stay outside the Russian Federation.

For temporary accommodation in a hotel

Special attention for foreign citizens is paid when staying in hotels in Russia or being treated in hospitals of medical institutions: automatic removal from the previous place of registration by these institutions obliges the students to come to the passport and visa office for re-registration in a dormitory after the end of the stay in these institutions.