University Student-Support Services for International Students in Russia and the CIS

Start with the international students' office

Almost every university in Russia and the CIS that enrols international students has a dedicated international students' office (sometimes called the international department, foreign students' department or international relations office). This is your first point of contact for almost everything practical — enrolment paperwork, dormitory placement, document questions, and signposting to other services.

Find out where it is, its hours, and the contact email or phone in your first week. Save the details in your phone. Staff there deal with international students every day and can usually point you to the right person quickly.

Orientation and getting started

Many universities run an orientation or induction for new international students at the start of the academic year. It typically covers campus layout, how classes and the timetable work, key offices, dormitory rules, and local practicalities. Attend it if you can — it is the fastest way to learn how your specific university works and to meet other new students.

If you arrive after orientation or miss it, ask the international office for an induction pack or a one-to-one briefing. Do not assume you are expected to already know the system; asking early prevents problems later.

Buddy, mentor and student-association support

Some universities run buddy or mentor programmes that pair a new international student with a current student who helps them settle in — finding their way around, understanding procedures, and answering everyday questions. Ask the international office whether such a scheme exists at your university.

Student associations, including international student clubs and country- or region-based student communities, are another strong source of informal support. Senior students who have been through the same arrival process are often the most practical guides to local life. The companion guide on making friends and building community has more on this.

• Ask the international office about a buddy or mentor scheme
• Connect with the international student association/club
• Look for a student community from your own region or country
• Lean on senior students for practical, lived-experience advice

Academic help when you are struggling

If you find a subject hard, the language of instruction challenging, or the teaching style different from home, support is available. Speak to your subject teacher or course coordinator during their consultation hours, ask about tutoring or extra-help sessions, and use the university library and its staff.

For students on Russian-medium programmes, many universities offer a preparatory faculty or language support to build the academic Russian you need — see the related guides on language. Raising an academic difficulty early, with the teacher or the dean's office (deanery), is far better than waiting until exams.

Counselling and wellbeing support

Adjusting to a new country, climate, language and academic system can be stressful, and feeling homesick or overwhelmed at times is normal. Ask the international office or the student affairs/dean's office what wellbeing or psychological-support services your university offers — many have a counselling service or student psychologist.

If you ever feel unwell or in a medical emergency, see the companion guide on using your health insurance and the emergency contacts there. Reaching out early — to the international office, a mentor, or counselling — is a sign of good self-management, not weakness.