St Petersburg State University is the largest scientific and educational center in Europe and the world. The university has a rich history. This is the only university in Russia that has celebrated its 290th anniversary — only St Petersburg State University can deservedly bear the name of the first university in Russia. For almost three centuries of the University history, many scientific studies and discoveries have been made, more than 15 large laboratories and 26 resource centers have been created, which are nowadays part of the country's leading Science Park. Today, more than 25 thousand students from dozens of countries worldwide study here, and there are Nobel and Fields Prize laureates.
For the third year in a row, St Petersburg State University ranks first among universities in the Russian Federation according to the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo). In 2020, 16,620 foreign citizens chose the University. If you want to become a part of the big history and join the scientific community of the oldest University in Russia, send an application form for training at the Preparatory Department.
Learning in a historic location
The best teachers of the University
Starter pack for students: products with the University logo
A voucher for a free testing in Russian as foreign Language
Assistance with visa processing and registration
The Preparatory Department has existed for 2 years now, and during this time more than 150 people from 40 countries have been trained at St Petersburg State University. Of these, 90% of students have successfully passed the TORFL at B1 level, which is one of the best indicators in Russia.
of candidates successfully passed TORFL
foreign countries
Full-time training in comfortable classes or remotely if it is convenient for you
Provision of modern textbooks from the St Petersburg State University Library
Accommodation in dormitories in the Petrodvorets Campus, together with Russian-speaking students
The opportunity to participate in all student events at St Petersburg State University: Olympiads, competitions, pretests, conversation clubs, etc.
Organization of free time leisure activities in St Petersburg: visiting museums, student clubs, leisure centers, etc.
The opportunity to join online courses at St Petersburg State University on the following sites: online.spbu.ru, openedu.ru, coursera.org
Scientific supervisor of the program (for foreign citizens), Candidate of Philological Sciences
Associate Professor of the Department of Russian Language for the Humanities and Natural Sciences of St Petersburg State University.
Senior Lecturer of the Department of Russian Language for the Humanities and Natural Sciences of St Petersburg State University.
Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor, Senior Instructor of the Department of Russian Language for the Humanities and Natural Sciences of St Petersburg State University.
Senior Lecturer of the Department of Russian Language for the Humanities and Natural Sciences of St Petersburg State University.
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences. She teaches the course of Russian language and the language of the specialty "Social Studies" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
Senior Lecturer of the Department of Russian Language and Methods of its Teaching, St Petersburg State University.
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences. She teaches the course of Russian language and the language of the specialty "Mathematics" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
Assistant of the Department of Russian Language for the Humanities and Natural Sciences of St Petersburg State University.
Doctor of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor. Expert of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Teaches the course "Biology" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of the Department of Logic at the Institute of Philosophy. Teaches courses in logic and argumentation, author of online courses. She also teaches the course "Social Studies" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor. Head of the Ethics Department of the Institute of Philosophy. He teaches the course "Social Studies" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
She teaches the Russian language and the language of the specialty "Physics" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
She teaches the course of Russian language and the language of the specialty "Social Studies" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
She teaches the course of Russian language and the language of the specialty "History" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
He teaches the Russian language and the language of the specialty "History" at the Preparatory Department of St Petersburg State University.
Admission to the Preparatory course (for foreign citizens) for the 2023/2024 academic year is officially completed.
Persio Gloria is a Preparatory Course student from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He arrived in Russia in early December 2021, and has been living in St Petersburg since then. Earlier in 2021, he had been approved in a selective process conducted by Rossotrudnichestvo and awarded a government scholarship to enter a PhD programme in Russia. After finishing the Preparatory Course, he is going to pursue a PhD in Political Science and Regional Studies at St Petersburg University.
The preparatory department of St Petersburg University invites all interested foreigners to take part in online meetings dedicated to admission to this additional program
For many years St Petersburg State University has been a reliable partner for thousands of Russian and foreign companies, commercial and government organizations, scientific and educational institutions. The University cooperates with many major universities in Russia and abroad in the field of testing of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL). Every year more than 20,000 people take the TORFL in the Language Testing Center of St Petersburg State University. Therefore, if you are interested in mutually beneficial cooperation, fill out the form (link to the form - go to the modal window). You can also contact us by email: test.language@spbu.ru
To become our student, you need to fill out the application form. Our specialists will process it and give you further instructions.
Write to the email address precourses@spbu.ru.
Our experts will help you solve the problem.
Yes, you can apply. At the Preparatory Department, our teachers will help you improve your knowledge of the Russian language and raise it to the B2 level.
If your level is B2 or higher, we will recommend you to enroll in Russian as a foreign language courses.
The training only differs in the place of its organization. If you have chosen a distance learning format, then you will be able to study at St Petersburg State University without leaving your country. Therefore you will not need to leave your family, friends or work.
The full-time format of training is good because you will have the opportunity to plunge into the environment of the Russian-speaking population, get acquainted with the culture of the country and visit a large number of attractions.
from December 16, 2020 to July 1, 2021 for candidates who want to study in buildings and premises of St Petersburg State University; the announcement of the results is no later than July 16, 2021
from December 16, 2020 to August 20, 2021 for candidates who want to study outside the buildings and premises of St Petersburg State University including the usage of distance learning technologies, e-learning; the announcement of the results is no later than August 27, 2021
Nigeria
My name is Queen Denis Akpakpan, and I am from Nigeria. I'm a student of the preparatory course in SPBU. I am not just studying the Russian language but I'm also studying physics, chemistry and biology.
This preparatory course is helping me a lot in achieving my dream of becoming a student of the medical faculty in this university.
I think that the preparatory course of the SPBU is programed in a very good way to help students all around the world learn Russian language the right way, to master the language orally and grammatically!
Turkey
Когда я только поступил на подготовительное отделение, я ничего не знал и просто начал изучать русский с самого начала. На занятиях мы изучали язык, русскую грамматику, лексику, культуру и многое другое. Конечно, мы сделали это не одни.
Благодаря моим учителям, которые всегда меня поддерживали, я узнал много нового. Я хочу поблагодарить всех своих профессоров на подготовительном отделении за знания, которые они в нас вложили.
Submit Request 
