Pre-arrival procedures
You are always welcome to contact our Enrolment manager. Should you wish to book a course, get practical advice about your trip to Russia, or ask any other question, we are eager to help.
Most information about our courses and other services can be found on our website. Once you’ve decided which course suits you best, you can use an enrolment form. If you require further information or don’t want to fill in the enrolment form on-line, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Our group courses start every Monday; individual lessons can be started on any day. We recommend that our students take a placement test before the beginning of the lessons. We will send a grammar test to you via e-mail and will also arrange a Skype/phone conversation with our Academic Coordinator at your convenience to check your speaking level and to discuss your personalized goals for the course you’ve chosen. This procedure will save you time, allowing you to better enjoy and utilize your stay in St. Petersburg.
We recommend that you enroll in a course at least two weeks before the starting date in order to ensure that everything is arranged properly and on time. Please understand that, should you require visa support, more time will be needed. We will provide you with a tourist visa invitation letter if you enroll for a short-term course and if you intend to stay in Russia less than 30 days. It takes one day for us to get an invitation letter, after which we can send it via email. If you are interested in a long-term course, you should send an enquiry about 2 months before the desired starting date as long-term visas are more complicated to arrange; it takes more than a month to arrange a visa invitation letter for a stay above 30 days. Please, read our visa support page.
First day at Educa
Before beginning the course, students should take a placement exam which consists of two parts: a grammar test and a Skype or telephone conversation with our Head. This process is beneficial both for us and for the student; we are able prepare for the course and form proper groups, while the student becomes aware of his or her level and can be assured that enrolment in a proper class has been arranged.
If a student doesn’t have the opportunity to pass the test before arrival, it’s possible to take it on the first day at school. If you have previously studied Russian and haven’t spoken with our Academic Director before arrival, please arrive at the school by 9:30. If your speaking level has already been evaluated, you are welcome to come at 9:45.If you are staying with a host family, provided by our school, you will be escorted to the school by your hosts. Otherwise our Manager will send you a map with directions from the metro station.
We ask our students to bring the following items on your fist day: a passport-sized photo for your Educa student card, your passport (with visa), and the migration card which you will receive at passport control in the airport.
If you don’t plan on staying in a hotel, it’s absolutely vital that you bring these documents, which will allow us to process your registration as required by law.
We issue student cards which allow our students to go to most museums at a discounted price. For this purpose we kindly ask to bring a photo on the first day. Also it’s possible to arrange for an ISIC card with our help.