Safety and Practical Tips for Students in Russia and CIS

Know your emergency and support contacts

A simple, practical habit on arrival is to save the key contacts you might need: the single national emergency number used across Russia and many CIS countries (112), your university’s international students’ office and campus security, and your accommodation contact. Keeping these saved means you can reach help quickly if you ever need it.

Emergency numbers and procedures are published officially, and some countries also operate separate dedicated lines. Confirm the current emergency contacts for your specific city on the official source for that country.

• 112 is widely used as a single emergency number in the region
• Save your university’s international office and campus security contacts
• Keep your accommodation contact and address handy

Your university’s support services

Universities in the region typically offer support services for students — an international students’ office, campus security, student support or welfare services, and sometimes a buddy or mentor scheme. These are designed to help international students with both routine questions and unexpected situations.

Get to know what your university offers during orientation, and keep the relevant contacts saved. If you are unsure where to turn, the international students’ office is a reliable first point of contact.

• International students’ office for guidance and questions
• Campus security and student support/welfare services
• A buddy or mentor scheme at many universities

Everyday practical habits

Sensible everyday habits make daily life smoother anywhere you study: keep digital and physical copies of your important documents, share your address and key contacts with someone you trust, look after your belongings in busy places, and keep enough mobile credit and battery to stay reachable. Learning a few local phrases and your basic transport routes also helps.

These are general good practices, not country-specific rules. Where any local procedure matters, follow your university’s guidance and the official source.

• Keep copies of important documents (digital and physical)
• Share your address and key contacts with someone you trust
• Stay reachable — mobile credit, battery, and a charged phone

Health and registration practicalities

Practical matters such as health cover and any required local registration are handled differently by each country and university, and they can change. Your university’s international office is the right place to learn what applies to you and what steps to take after arrival.

This guide does not give medical, legal, or immigration advice and does not quote requirements or figures. For anything official — health cover, registration, or documentation — follow the official source and your university’s instructions, and verify current conditions before acting.

When in doubt, use official sources

The dependable sources for safety and practical matters are the official emergency and government information for the country you are in, and your university’s international students’ office and support services. Informal advice can be out of date, so confirm anything important officially.

Where a practical condition is uncertain, the safest approach is simply to review official sources and your university’s guidance and verify current conditions before you act.