Student Life
Where will I live?
This is my first extended stay in another country. What can I expect?
Where will I eat?
What is student life like in Russia/Ukraine?
What about foodstuffs and toiletries? Should I bring them with me?
It is known that Russia/Ukraine is a very cold country, how are the students protected from the cold?
Are student hostels in or near the campus? If not, how do I travel to classes?
May I practice my religion in Russia/Ukraine?
Can a student earn while he studies?
How do I contact my parents or friends down in India?
Does a student need to come back to India during his vacations?
Where will I live?
The university you choose to go to will provide comfortable basic student accommodation with common kitchen facilities. All hostels are supplied with cold and hot water and central heating system, each room contains beds, a desk, chairs, storage space and telephone facility. The cost is included in the yearly tuition fee that is paid to the University. Student hostel will provide you an exciting opportunity to learn more about Russian/Ukrainian culture and students cultures from other countries.
For those who prefer to live out of university, private apartments are available, but students will have to rent them on their own.
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This is my first extended stay in another country. What can I expect?
Life in Russia/Ukraine is very different from home. Things that are taken for granted as routine at home may be very time consuming and frustrating in Russia/Ukraine. Also, life in student housing can be very challenging. Besides taking care of yourself, you will have to adapt and live with students from all over the world whose cultures are very different from yours. It is very important that you learn to adapt and handle each situation with maturity and poise.
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Where will I eat?
Students can dine at low-priced cafeterias which are located in the University. Alternatively, there are cafes, restaurants and fast-foods chains (McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut etc) in the cities where you can dine.
Student hostels usually provide shared kitchen facilities for those who prefer to cook their meals. There are many supermarkets and stores where you can purchase your food if you choose to cook. Shared cooking among the international students is also a popular activity.
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What is student life like in Russia/Ukraine?
It is not all hard work when studying in Russia/Ukraine. Learning is not just confined to the classroom. There is a wide range of cultural activities to check out. Universities can arrange trips which provide an insight into the culture, history and geography of Russia/Ukraine. There are also museums and galleries to explore.
Students enjoy a wide selection of extracurricular activities that may include drama productions, horse riding, pilot lessons and sports. There are also concerts, parties, and camping trips that are organized by the student unions.
With most universities located in communities, many social and recreational activities and facilities are available to students; these include opera houses, ballets, and plays. There are also numerous yearly traditional and cultural events to look forward to.
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What about foodstuffs and toiletries? Should I bring them with me?
You may be better off taking a few extra dollars with you as you can buy practically every kind of food and toiletry in Russia/Ukraine. It is recommended, however, that you bring something just for the first few days
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It is known that Russia/Ukraine is a very cold country, how are the students protected from the cold?
Even though Russia/Ukraine is a cold country, severe winters would last for 2 - 3 months in a year. All the establishments like homes, hostels, classrooms, shops etc as well as the public transports are centrally heated. Students are also advised to buy reasonably priced water and room heaters should they find the heating arrangements to be inadequate. Every student should also take care of wearing warm clothes like fur coats, caps, gloves etc when they go out doors. At others times the weather in Russia/Ukraine is not as cold as it is made out to be with temperatures between +20 degrees.
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Are student hostels in or near the campus? If not, how do I travel to classes?
For some institutions, the hostel is walking distance to the campus, but for others, some traveling is required. The normal mode of transportation for students is by bus, trolley bus, tramway, and subway (underground trains). Russia/Ukraine has an efficient and extensive public transportation system. Buses and underground trains are reasonably priced and easily accessible.
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May I practice my religion in Russia/Ukraine?
Yes, you can. Russia/Ukraine is home to over 100 nationalities and ethnic groups, as well as different religions. The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest religious group while Islam is the second most practiced religion.
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Can a student earn while he studies?
A student enters into the Russian/Ukrainian Federation on an invitation, which is issued by the University, which is an educational institution. This invitation and the subsequent visa issued is a "Student visa". Therefore the student is not legally allowed to take on any employment nor could do a business activity. Any violation may result in expulsion from the University and subsequent deportation from the country. NEC on its part advises students to concentrate on education, the main reason of going to Russia/Ukraine and refrain from any money making activities.
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How do I contact my parents or friends down in India?
Russia/Ukraine may seem a long way from home, but, thanks to its excellent communication services, you will find it easy to keep in touch with your family and friends. With the growing number and variety of telephone and other communication services, you will have no trouble staying in close contact with your family and friends.
Telephone services
Public telephones, Prepaid cards, international telephone services at the post offices and Mobile phones are widely used in Russia/Ukraine and can be particularly convenient for the students. Students are advised to carry with them a reasonably priced GSM mobile phone along with them to Russia/Ukraine and use a pre-paid card for commuting. The mobile phone also can be used by the student to receive incoming calls from parents and also for sending international SMS back home.
E-mail
Internet usage is increasingly widespread in Russia/Ukraine. Sign up with one of the web-based e-mail services like Hotmail, yahoo etc and then check your email using online computer terminals at an internet café. Video conferencing and net meeting has also evolved in recent days to bring the student and his family much closer than ever.
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Does a student need to come back to India during his vacations?
A student need not come back to India every year during his vacation. He could either stay back in Russia/Ukraine or travel to a third country. He should however inform the University accordingly.
