FAQ

Yes, you will need to pay 3000 rubles of organizational non-refundable fee when you are going to pay for the training.

Applications are accepted on the deadline dates until 17:00 IRKUTSK (GMT+8).

You can apply to up to two undergraduate or graduate programs in the same application.

However, please keep in mind that if you wish to be admitted to both undergraduate and graduate programs at the same time, you must have the relevant educational documents that give you access to the different levels of education.

The foundation program is aimed at helping foreign prospective students to master Russian language (up to B2 level) to study at a Russian university.

From 15 to 20 academic hours per week, on the average, are devoted to teaching Russian.

You will also study the subjects related to your future degree program which are also taught in Russian.

Spring intake:

• Foundation course (15 months) starts on March 17, open enrollment is until February 03.
• Foundation course (15 months) starts on April 21, open enrollment is until March 20.

Autumn intake:

• Foundation course (2 years) starts on October 06, open enrollment is until September 01.
• Foundation course (2 years) starts on November 05, open enrollment is until October 01.

Russian language courses are launched when there are more than 15 people in a group.

You can pay in instalments. It is a standard procedure when students pay the tuition fee either for 1 semester or for 1 academic year. Please note that the payment should be done before the official start of classes. It is also possible to pay the tuition fee for the whole period of study.

Unfortunately our university does not provide any full scholarships. The information about Russian Government scholarship can be found here.

It is necessary for students to take the entrance exams in any case in order to be admitted to the bachelor's or master's program. The type of exam depends on the program you want to enroll in.

The foundation program develops your knowledge of the Russian language necessary for everyday communication and in case of enrollment in Russian-taught academic program (bachelor’s and master’s degree, PhD).

The program also covers general disciplines (Economics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology & Social Sciences) depending on your intended future major. At INRTU we guarantee you a quality and affordable foundation program.

There are 19 dormitories on campus. The cost of living in a standard type of a dormitory is 800-6500 RUB per month for shared spaces accommodating 2-3 students and 9500 RUB for single or double sectional placement options.

The cost of health insurance is 5000 RUB per year.

Multiple visa - 2 000 RUB

Medical examination – 5 000 RUB

Health insurance – 5 000 RUB per year

Fingerprinting – 2 600 RUB

You can typically expect a response within 5-10 working days.

However, please keep in mind that during the admission period for the major educational programs, the processing time of your application may be extended due to the high number of applications. 

It depends on the type of the program:

• Russian-taught programs – September 1
• English-taught programs – October 1
• Foundation course (2 years) – October 01, November 01
• Foundation course (15-month) – February 01, March 01

There are 2 periods of student vacations in Russia: winter after the 1st semester and summer after the 2nd semester, but the dates and duration of the vacations depend on the level of the educational program (bachelor's, master's, phD, preparatory course of Russian language) and on the curriculum. Once you are enrolled in a program, you can check with your dean's office about the date of the vacation. 

Yes! You can find all the information regarding transfer admission here: Transfer from another university

You may check the status of your documents by messaging us at admission@istu.edu or contact your admission manager who will let you know the status of your application.

We do recognition procedure ourselves. The process lasts from 3 to 10 business days.

No. Accommodation is assigned to you automatically. You cannot choose or change it before coming to Russia.

Legalization makes documents suitable for use in another country. Documents that can be legalized include civil status documents, court orders and diplomas. Legalization shows that:

• • the document was issued by a competent and expert authority;
• • the signature, seal and/or stamp on the document are genuine;
• • the document’s format is correct.

More information can be found here.

The necessity and the type of legalization (Сonsular legalization or Apostille) is decided after a verification of your documents at the university level by the expert.

If required, you may legalize and submit your completed documents to the university in advance, as this may hasten your application review and enrollment process.

More information can be found here.

There are the following procedures for legalizing documents:

• Consular legalization.
• Apostille
• Legalization with the Chamber of Commerce.

NB: Where a state is not a signatory to The Hague Convention, consular legalization is required. This is a more complicated procedure.

More information can be found here.

Nostrification is a standard procedure for recognizing and confirming the validity of a document on the formation of a foreign state in Russia.

Nostrification is carried out at our University for free.

Notarized translation of documents into Russian can be done in Irkutsk upon arrival or in Russian Embassy / Consulate located in your home country.

An Apostille is simply the name for a specialized certificate, issued by the Secretary of State. The Apostille is attached to your original document to verify it is legitimate and authentic so it will be accepted in one of the other countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

Foreign documents certified with an Apostille are recognized in all member countries of the Hague Convention and don’t require any other form of certification.

More information can be found here.

Consular legalization applies to countries that have not signed the 1961 Hague Convention.

This procedure is done in the country in which the document was issued.

Consular legalization is a more complex and long-term procedure compared to Apostille, as it includes document certification with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then at the consulate of the country of destination.

More information can be found here.

The Apostille Stamp is applied in the country of issue of the document.

This is the responsibility of the authority, which is determined by the countries that are parties to the Hague Convention of 1961.

You can determine the responsible authority for each country on the website of the Hague Convention of 1961.

Yes. The translation is required for the apostilled document, or for the Apostille itself, if it is issued separately. The translation must be notarized.

Consular legalization is required if documents will be used in the territory of a nation, which is not a member of the Hague Convention.

More information can be found here.

First of all, you need to apply to the Embassy/Consulate of the Russian Federation in your country to obtain a student visa. Then you need to purchase tickets to Irkutsk and send them to your admission manager so that the university representative can meet you at the airport or railway station on the day of your arrival in Irkutsk.

You can also read more about the further steps in our pre-departure guide

According to the law of the Russian Federation from August 5, 2020 foreign students are allowed to work without a permit if they meets three criteria:

- he/she is a full-time degree student (bachelor's degree, master's degree, postgraduate);

- the higher education program is accredited by the government;

- work is carried out in student’s free time.

Students of preparatory Russian language courses are not allowed to work in Russia.