2. Which foreign citizens have the right to enter to Bachelor course?
3: Is the instruction by correspondence or the distant education permitted for the foreigners at Bachelor courses?
4: Which subjects must be studied at the national secondary school before entering to Bachelor course at MPEI?
At last year of Bachelor courses the students may fulfil the individual research investigations under supervision of the experienced teachers.
- Application on the special MPEI form with accurate filling in (better on the computer) all the points with specialty selected from our list. (See www.mpei.ru). In application there should be necessarily mention the city in which there is the Russian Consulate and where the applicant will request the visa to Russia, as well as the exact postal address, the phone and fax number and e-mail address. After filling you should print the application, sign it and scan on the computer;
- Scanned copies of the national education certificate and transcript (list of the passed disciplines). Non-official copies (without signatures and stamps) cannot be accepted. If the educational documents are prepared in national languages, they should be notary translated into Russian or English and legalized in the Russian Consulate;
- The copies of first two pages of national passport with clear photo. The passport should be valid during 1,5 year after your arrival to Russia;
- The copy of the medical certificate with AIDS results and information about infection diseases;
- Any other documents confirming your interest to education on the chosen specialties (any recommendations, results of national competitions, diplomas about the additional course etc.). The mentioned documents should be sent to MPEI via e-mail to the address study@mpei.ru. In your letter you must note your full name which will be used for computer registration and, hence, this name should be noted AT EACH FUTURE LETTER TO MPEI.
7: When does your university gather the documents from the applicants to Bachelor course?
Answer: The documents can be submitted at any time via e-mail. The Admission Commission begins the investigation at April 1st. The selection of new applicants lasts till August 1st each year.
8: How will applicants know about the decision of the Admission Commission?
Answer: During the investigation the documents the Admission Commission forms additional questions about the documents to each applicant. The MPEI coordinator on the educational programs for the foreigners contacts the applicants with these questions and sends to them the questions, receives the answers and passes them to the Admission Commission. After that the Admission Commission makes the final decision. If the decision is negative, it will be passed to the applicants with brief explanation. When the decision is positive, the set of documents will be sent from MPEI to the Russian immigration authorities with a request to form the personal invitation to Russia for education.
9: At which language MPEI can provide the education at Bachelor level?
Answer: In Russian Federation the education in Russian Universities is available in Russian medium only. That is why, before the Bachelor course each foreigner should take the annual Preliminary Course of Russian language, mathematics, physics, informatics etc. with the final exams and the special State testing in Russian language. MPEI had got the unique permission to launch one Bachelor course in English Medium. This is “Computer Engineering and Information Science” specialty. We use this possibility and annually have the full students group educated fully in English.
10: How long the Migration Agency investigates the applicants’ documents?
Answer: The Russian Migration Agency accepts the documents only from those educational institutions, which has the license on the education of foreign citizens. MPEI has this right and the first foreign student was accepted in our university in 1948. The limit for the investigation at Migration Agency is equal 45 days but usually they work faster (25-30 days).
11: Has the Migration Agency the right to refuse the invitation to concrete foreigner in entry visa to Russia?
Answer: Formally, it has such right, but it is very rare case. The main reason is generally caused with the fact that this applicant had already visited Russia and was evicted due to some serious infringements.
12: How and when the official invitation is sending to the applicant?
Answer: After receiving the official invitation from Migration Agency, MPEI informs the applicant about it and send to him via e-mail the Bank invoice for the first payment. The applicant should pay the tuition fee for the first semester (a half from annual tuition fee). The applicant should transfer the money strictly on the basis of our invoice by means of Bank transfer to MPEI Bank’s account. Payments in cash are strictly impossible from any persons. After receiving the money, MPEI will send the official invitation and the official letter from the university to Russian Embassy with confirmation that this person is accepted as a student.
13: Here in India we have problems with preliminary payments in US dollars. We have the right to buy dollars for rupees only after demonstration the entry visa to foreign country. MPEI is asking the preliminary payment in US dollars. How we can legally act in this case?
Answer: Of course, our university does not force you to act illegally. In such cases we always find out the intermediate decision at applicants’ request.
14: How to get the entry visa to Russia on the basis of the official invitation?
Answer: The main documents for the educational entry visa are the following: the origin of official invitation from the Russian Migration Agency and the official letter from MPEI to the Russian Embassy, Besides the Russian Embassy requires the national passport, the payment of fee and some other documents. The entry visa issued at the Embassy is the single one (permitting one entry and one exit) and issued for the education in specific university (in our case – in MPEI). No other visa (say, business, tourist etc.) has not right to be educated in Russia. Also, the official invitation can act only for one university.
15: When the applicant can get the official contract on education and when and who should sign it?
Answer: After positive decision about the applicant acceptation and after the sending documents for the official invitation, MPEI forms the individual contract on two languages (Russian and English) and sends it (signed by the Dean) to the applicant for investigation. During this period of waiting the invitation the applicant discusses all rising questions with the coordinator, then prints the contract, inserts to it the data on the parents (sponsors), signs it. After that the last page of the contract is scanned and sent to MPEI via e-mail. It is necessary for acceptation the first payment by the Russian Bank. After arrival to MPEI, this contract’s text is signed by both the student and Vice-Rector, and one copy is passed to the student.
16: Why at first the student has got the entry visa to Russia for 90 days only? How after that the student’s position in Russia can be legalized?
Answer: In accordance with Russian regulations, the first entry visa is the single one (permitted only one entry and exit) and acts during 90 days after issuing. Taking into consideration that really the entry visa issues in August, the period of its validness finishes in October-November. The student arrives Russia for the beginning of classes in September. MPEI issues the order on student’s acceptation, registers his passport and then send this passport for getting of the multiple visa. This visa allows the multi-exit to the native country for vacation and back without the additional formation of new visas.
17: Has the student problems at the first entry to Russia (when boarding into the plain at the native land)? May they require the necessary buying the two-way ticket after 90 days?
Answer: This rule acts for the tourist visas. This cannot be required for visas on the education.
18: How much money should the student have at his first arrival?
Answer: After preliminary payment of the tuition fee in the first semester, the student should pay after the first arrival the accommodation fee in the current semester and the fee for the annual medical insurance as well as he must have the money for return ticket. The next payment is fulfilled in the beginning of the second semester. The student has the right (if it is suitable for him, for example, when the payment from sponsor) to pay for the full year. Of course, the student has to have additional money for meals (approximately, 250-300 USD per month), for the books, cultural programs, writing materials etc.
19: May my relative (sponsor) provide the first payment from abroad?
Answer: Of course, it is possible. For this you can send our invoice to your relative (sponsor) and his task is to transfer the money EXACTLY ON INVOICE DATA. The fees for Bank should be added to the sum. We recommend at this to send us the document from the Bank confirming the transfer.
20: May the university to change the contract sum during the education period?
Answer: Each year MPEI Academic Council discusses the situation with foreign students’ education and with financial situation in Russia and revises the financial conditions of education (the tuition fee level) both Russian and foreign students. But this revision relates to new students only who are accepted on education in new academic year. Already signed contracts with their financial conditions cannot be revised and they act during all contract period. Nevertheless, the accommodation fee and the medical insurance fee may be changed annually and that is mentioned in the contract.
21: In which currency can I pay the tuition fee after the first payment?
Answer: In accordance with the contract text the payment for education for the second and further semesters can be fulfilled both in US dollars or Euro (from abroad) and in Russian rubles in Russia (on the basis of the special rate of dollar). The payment can be performed on the basis of university’s invoices only (both in USD, Euro and in rubles).
22: If I would like to take some of out-of-program discipline (for example, some software packet) that is it possible for me?
Answer: If this discipline is available this semester, you can take it additionally but for additional payment. But it is rather difficult thing to fulfil all tasks, each educational plan has many program tasks, and therefore, we cannot advice this at the younger academic years (first and second).
23: Which diploma I can get after successful graduation of the Bachelor Course?
Answer: After successful graduation the Bachelor course and successful defense of the final project, the graduate has got the State Diploma of Russian Federation about the graduation of MPEI Bachelor Course in specific specialty. This Diploma and transcript to it is issued in Russian language.
24: May each foreign student graduated Bachelor Course to continue education at Master course?
Answer: If the Bachelor course had finished successfully and at defense of final Bachelor project the State Attestation Commission issues the recommendation to continue education, then this student can pretend on the education at Master course on the same scientific direction. The acceptation to the Master course is regulated by the State Acceptation Rules of Russia after entrance exams. For this, before the acceptation at Master course, it is necessary to prepare the new contract on education at Master level.
25: May the MPEI student change the specialty at Bachelor level?
Answer: In principle, this is possible. But taking into account that the educational curriculums are not the same for different specialties, may be it will be necessary to take and pass through exams the additional disciplines (for additional payment) or even to loose the time and to transfer to the previous academic year. Usually this is simple to do at initial stage (first or second academic year) because the programs of the Bachelor last years have very serious difference.
26: May I be transferred from Bachelor course of the other Russian university to Bachelor course of MPEI?
Answer: In principle, it is possible on the similar specialty in the case of normal education in the initial university and at claim absence from it. The difference in the educational curriculum should be eliminated on the basis of additional payment.
27: What is the equivalence of the educational documents and levels and their recognition?
Answer: This is very important question. To ensure the education quality in Russian universities the state looks after the correspondence of the initial education of foreigner to the Russian Educational Standard. This check is conducted by the Russian Federal Agency in Education and by the created Main Center of Equivalence Recognition (http://www.glavex.ru). Each foreign student should apply the origins of educational documents received in the native country together with notary confirmed translations into Russian to the appropriate center. This Center accurately investigates the documents from the native secondary schools at entering the Bachelor course, the documents of Bachelor graduation at entering Master course, the documents of Master graduation at entering Ph.D. course. The equivalence recognition gives the right for the further education. If the equivalence is not confirmed (for example, the certificate in false), the applicant cannot be accepted on education.
28: What does it mean the legalization of the educational documents?
Answer: In accordance with international regulations, the educational document received in any country must be initially legalized (confirmed) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country which issued this document. This is a confirmation of legality of the native educational institution and its certificate (diploma). After that, this educational document must be legalized in the Embassy of that country which was chosen for the further education. For example, if the secondary certificate had got in Nigeria and the applicant chooses the Bachelor course in Russia, then firstly this certificate is confirmed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and then it should be confirmed in the Russian Embassy in Nigeria. Such certificate is considered as the legalized one. Each foreign country has its own rule for legalization and the Russian Embassy know the right way. For us the legalization in Russian Embassy is the most important.
29: What does it mean apostille?
Answer: This is the unified and agreed stamp confirming the legalization of the received educational document. Only those countries have the right to use this stamp which had confirmed the appropriate Convention (so-called, the Hague Convention) and guarantee its right application. If the educational document has the apostille, no additional confirmation needed.
30: When the university can dissolve the educational contract?
Answer: the university can dissolve the educational contract if the student seriously disturbed the Russian legislation, he is brought to criminal account or the Russia is going to make his/her deportation from Russia. The same situation can be in the case of serious infection decease or the mental illness confirmed by the Russian medical institution. The contract elimination can be due to the disturbing by the student’s obligations, for example, when the payment breakdown.
31: What about the disputes in the field of education?
Answer: Points of issue as a rule can be agreed by means of the negotiations in the MPEI International Division and (at that) the main principle is the agreement by the negotiations. During last 20 year the MPEI foreign students did not apply to the courts for points of issue.
32: What is the force-majeur for the students?
Answer: Force-majeur circumstances are those circumstances, which do not depend on both the students and MPEI and which was caused by unexpected and abrupt conditions. As an example, we can remind the Russian decision at 2007 about the rewrite of all Dissertation Councils. This rewrite was prolonged more that one year and this led to derangement of all PhD theses defense. In spite of this derangement, it was recognized as a force-majeure circumstance and MPEI fulfilled its obligation as soon as the Councils were rewritten.
33: Has a student the right to live with his wife and children in university’s hostel?
Answer: Unfortunately, the hostel for foreign students is hardly overloaded. That is why, we cannot accommodate students with the families. If the wife of our student is herself the student of our university, that MPEI permit the mutual accommodation. But the child accommodation in the student’s hostel is prohibited by Russian laws. In the future we shall reconstruct the student’s hostel and this restriction (we hope) will be eliminated.
34: Has the university the pick-up service for the foreign students at airport?
Answer: Foreign students arriving to Russia for the first time can be met at the airport and at railway station and transferred to university. For this the arriving students should in advance (not later than three days before) inform the coordinator about his/her arrival. The pick-up will be free of charge if the student arrives at working time (9-00 - 18-00). If the pick-up service is ordered at night or at Saturday-Sunday, the student should pay.
35: Does MPEI require the registration fee from the applicants for the preliminary job with him/her?
Answer: MPEI does not require any registration fee from the students. All payments and taxes on preliminary work is included in the tuition fee for the first year.
36: Is it possible to pay the first payment in cash through my friends who are the students in Russian university?
Answer: MPEI cannot accept any payment in cash. All payments are transferred via Bank. Your Russian friends can certainly pay for you. For this he must come to our Dean office and to get our invoice for the payment in Russian rubles. After payment the Bank confirmation is passed to the Dean office and representative gets the official invitation. Of course, this way accelerates the payment procedure.
37: I had got the suggestion from one of MPEI students to help me in the acceptation at Bachelor Course. Do you really use your students for this?
Answer: when our foreign students offer their help in recruiting the foreign students, we usually do not regret. If this student behaves himself honestly, we do not treat this as a bad thing. But all financial and organizational conditions in work with the applicant and with his/her representative are strictly the same. Unfortunately, we sometimes meet the situation, when some foreigner contacts with the applicants, acts illegally as our representative, takes money from the applicants and disappears. That is why, we strongly advice to any serious applicant to contact us (study@mpei.ru) to be sure that you are contacting with the legal person.
38: May I after partial education in some university (not Russian) transfer on the appropriate Bachelor year in MPEI in my specialty?
Answer: In principle, foreign students are accepted on education in Russian university from the very PhD course beginning only. But it is possible the situation that during education of Russian language (first year of education) the Administration of the appropriate Institute of MPEI responsible for chosen specialty will study the level of previous education and adopted by some courses. Then after studying Russian language the acceptation to the appropriate academic year at Bachelor course. But this is rare situation which may require longer period of education.
39: How to transfer from some Bachelor academic year of the other Russian university (or after graduation of the Preliminary Russian language course in the other Russian university) to MPEI on the appropriate specialty?
Answer: There are many peculiarities here. After graduation of the Preliminary course in the other Russian university the applicant should successfully pass through State Test in Russian language (TORFL - Teaching of Russian as a foreign language) and get the appropriate certificate. If the applicant has not such certificate then he may pass through this test in MPEI. Moreover, there is once more condition: Preliminary course is oriented on the direction of the future education and besides Russian language applicants study additional subjects. Future student of the technical university (as MPEI) should study mathematics, physics, informatics and other necessary subjects. If applicant graduated from Preliminary course of the non-technical university, he should pass through interview on the necessary subjects. At transfer to MPEI after graduation of some academic years the curriculum equivalence is important, which can be checked by Directors of the appropriate MPEI Institute. In any case the transfer to MPEI requires new official invitation and formation the new visa in your country.
40: How much money should I pay for invitation?
Answer: The invitation for the student is free of charge.
41: If my parent graduated from MPEI, shall I have some privileges?
Answer: The tuition fee for you will be 10% less during all educational period compared with usual fee. But accommodation and medical insurance fees will be unchanged.
42: We are living with my husband in Russia and my husband officially works in the Embassy of my country. May I be accepted at Bachelor course not departed to my native land for visa which I already have? May I live not in your hostel but with my husband in rented flat in Moscow?
Answer: If the foreigner is officially registered in Moscow as a family member of officially working citizen of another country or of Russia he/she may be accepted to MPEI Bachelor course without getting the new visa. If the flat is officially rented by your family and you have the official document for this, we may live in this flat and refuse from accommodation at students’ hostel. Naturally, you will not pay for accommodation in the students’ hostel.
43: Which expenses are necessary for the MPEI students for books during education?
Answer: In accordance with regulations for universities each MPEI student (Russian and foreign) has the right of using the foundation of MPEI library. He may take books to home (at period of one semester) or to use books in the hostel or reading halls of the library. This is free of charge. But if the student lost or damage the book from library, he/she must pay on the established price. If the student wants to purchase books for future life in the book shop, then they must pay for this. At that, we should take into consideration that the price of books in Russia is essentially less than in foreign countries.