International Cooperation

St Petersburg University offers an exceptional educational experience, global research opportunities and career prospects, as well as the chance to gain fluency in Russian and to study at a beautiful campus in the heart of St Petersburg. 

St Petersburg University is a truly global institution, with one in every six students on our campus hailing from abroad. The number of foreign students applying to the University continues to grow, increasing by 1.6 times since 2019 to a total of 4,687 applicants in 2023. SPbU is consistently named the most popular university in Russia among foreign applicants, according to the federal agency Rossotrudnichestvo.

5 800+ 

degree and non-degree international students from 130 countries

A record number of foreign citizens applied to St Petersburg University in 2023, with the number of international applicants for state scholarships increasing by 20%. As a result, a total of 1,900 applicants from 74 countries became students of St Petersburg University in 2023.

 
 

SPbU degree programmes 

In recent years, SPbU has significantly expanded its range of educational programmes. In 2019, we offered 429 programmes, and by 2024 this number has increased to 530. We offer 170 bachelor’s programmes, 13 specialist (five-year) programmes, 227 master’s programmes, 52 aspirantura/PhD programmes and 28 clinical residency programmes. Of these, we offer seven double degree programmes in cooperation with foreign partner universities. 

In 2023, the total number of foreign students in Bachelor’s, Specialist and Master’s programmes was 3,992, of which 2,461 students were enrolled on a tuition-free government scholarship, and in 2024 this number reached 4974 students. Of these students, 2,230 (1,230 tuition-free) are first-year students from 106 countries. In 2024, the tuition-free quota volume was increased by 23% compared to last year’s volume. In addition, 778 (411 tuition-free) students successfully completed their studies in 2023, with 117 students graduating with honours. 

The number of graduates in the aspirantura/PhD and clinical residency programmes has increased by 40% in the last four years. In 2023, 186 students completed their studies, with 251 students admitted that same year. A total of 619 students are currently enrolled in these programmes, with over a third studying on a government-funded basis. 

SPbU non-degree programmes 

SPbU offers a wide range of certified additional educational programmes, including 12 courses co-authored with our foreign partners and courses designed specifically with foreign students in mind. Recent courses include Contemporary Russian Literature and Russian language for English-speaking students. In 2023, 1030 foreigners successfully completed various additional programmes. 

Studying Russian language in SPbU 

For those who wish to focus on the study of Russian, a total of thirty non-degree and degree programmes are offered, with over 1300 people successfully completing such programmes in 2023 — a 70% increase compared to 2019. Apart from educational programmes, in 2023, 25,600 people successfully passed exams in Russian as a foreign language organised by the SPbU. Of these, 11,424 took the exam at SPbU test centres abroad. 

Online courses 

In 2023, the SPbU had published 206 new online courses on various open educational platforms. The total number of courses is more than 500, with a total audience of more than three million students. The majority of our courses are available on Open Education and XuetangX platforms. Successful completion of the course and fulfilment of the course requirements grants an official SPbU course completion certificate with transferable credits (for example, the certificate was granted to 3,742 foreign citizens in 2021). 

International mobility 

In 2023 SPbU hosted 1189 exchange students from 77 countries. Conversely, 8% of all SPbU students who participate in university exchanges abroad are international students (see details of the application process here). 

Getting involved 

There is a number of integration programmes offered by the University to help international students feel safe and fully included into the social and cultural life. Introduction week, International Students Club, language tandems, creative and sports associations, ESN events, buddy-programme are just a few of the opportunities to get engaged. 

Partner universities 

SPbU has established partnerships with hundreds of universities from around the globe, including those in China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Brazil. The university hosts numerous international events, conferences, and summer and winter schools on an annual basis. 

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SPbU Representative Offices 

The University connects you with the whole world through its representative offices in the Republic of Korea, China, Spain, Greece, Italy, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and Thailand. 

The Representative Office of St Petersburg University is a driving force in promoting the Russian language, history and culture, academic exchanges and joint research and academic projects. The representative offices host contests for students, Russian-language testing and lectures delivered by Russian scholars and cultural figures. Additionally, the representative offices support joint research projects and organise international conferences and expert round table discussions. 

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Global Careers 

St Petersburg University is the ideal choice for those looking to gain the skills and experience needed to succeed in the global labour market and in a diverse, multicultural society. The University has long-term cooperation agreements with leading international companies. 

International Research 

International cooperation with universities worldwide provides our academic staff and students with access to numerous research and study opportunities. Students and researchers benefit from international cooperation, that enables them to share experience and keep abreast of the latest advancements in global science. Ties between scientific communities are the strongest in the world and SPbU takes pride in being a part of that community.

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