FAQ

A study abroad programme is a big investment, and if you are considering joining one of our courses you are bound to have a lot of questions about what awaits you in Russia and at Language Link. Below you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, covering everything from safety to school facilities and accreditation to accommodation. If you have a question that doesn't feature in this list, please write to us at russian@language.ru, and we will be very happy to help.

Questions about Studying at Language Link

Q: Why choose Language Link?
Q: What are the usual age ranges and nationalities of students at your schools?
Q: Do you offer any cultural programmes, or sightseeing and social opportunities?
Q: Will I have Internet access? What are the schools' facilities like?
Q: Which textbooks are used in lessons?
Q: Will my Russian studies at Language Link be accredited by my university?
Q: When do the courses start and end?
Q: How and when can I apply?
Q: How much will my Russian improve during my stay?

Questions about Living in Russia

Q: What will my LL accommodation be like? What if I have my own place to stay?
Q: How expensive is life in Russia?
Q: How is it best to bring money?
Q: How long does it take to get a Russian visa? What kind of visa will I get?
Q: Do you provide health and/or medical insurance for your students?
Q: What is the weather like in Russia? What clothes should I bring?
Q: Is it safe to live in Russia?
Q: What are the procedures for arriving in Russia?

Questions about Studying at Language Link

Q: Why choose Language Link?

A: Since 1975, Language Link Schools have helped over 200,000 students from over 60 countries to improve their foreign language abilities. By employing only qualified native speakers with international experience, and offering clients exemplary personal care and attention, Language Link has become the largest provider of educational services in Central and Eastern Europe today. Our courses of Russian are approved by the local educational authorities as well as UK and US universities, and have been designed for every level from complete beginners to highly advanced. Our schools are all modern and well-equipped and with convenient city-centre locations. Additionally, Language Link, unlike many foreign businesses operating in Russia today, has gone 'that extra mile' necessary to meet the stringent requirements of the Russian Ministry of Education and is able to provide its language services in complete accordance with Russian law.

Q: What are the usual age ranges and nationalities of students at your schools?

A: Language Link students range in age from their teens to their 60's, and come from literally every corner of the world. Although about half our students tend to come from the UK and the USA, we have also welcomed citizens of France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Canada, Australia, Togo, Nigeria, Turkey, Japan… the list is endless!

Q: Do you offer any cultural programmes, or sightseeing and social opportunities?

A: If you are looking for a purely cultural programme, then you may be interested in "On the banks of the Volga and Don" or "Russian Vacation", unique opportunities to experience the life and culture of contemporary Russia first-hand. Apart from language tuition, the Russian Vacation programme includes three lectures (in English or German) about contemporary Russian authors, philosophers and economists, plus many fascinating excursions to sites of interest, concerts, theatres and more. For details, see Special Courses.

For courses such as Russian for Christians and Academic Russian, excursions are arranged to complement the topics of study (e.g. to monasteries and churches, or sites of historical/literary interest).

Language Link also offers all our students the chance to participate in guided excursions to the most famous landmarks and museums of the city where they are studying, be it Moscow, St Petersburg or Volgograd. We are equally happy to offer students help and advice in arranging independent trips, theatre and concert tickets during their programme (please note that all excursions are subject to an additional fee unless included in the programme by prior agreement).

Q: Will I have Internet access? What are the schools' facilities like?

A: Only limited free internet access is available at Language Link schools. Most students prefer to use local internet cafes, which offer excellent facilities for very reasonable prices ($1-$2.5 /hour). There are 2 good internet cafes within 5 minutes' walk of our Moscow school, and cafes within 10 minutes' walk of our schools in St Petersburg and Volgograd.

As regards other facilities, all our schools offer newly renovated, comfortable and bright classrooms, equipped with video, DVD and cassette players for use during lessons. Students are welcome to make use of our small libraries of learning resources (books, dictionaries, films on DVD and video). In our Moscow school, free refreshments are provided during breaks, encouraging students to socialise together between and after lessons. To celebrate the beginning or end of a course, we even organise traditional Russian tea parties with our genuine Russian samovar!

Q: Which textbooks are used in lessons?

A: As there is no universally acknowledged 'ideal' textbook or series of materials for learning Russian, our teachers use a combination of different books, choosing and adapting material to best suit your particular learning style. That said, there are certain textbooks that are usually used as a base for General and Intensive Russian: for beginner to intermediate levels, the main textbooks are "Russian Express" 1 and 2 by S. Hachaturova, "Let's Go" by Chernishev, "The Golden Ring" and "Vladimir" by E. Nikolenko & G. Levina, "Speak Correctly - Survival Russian" by Karavanova, and "Zhili-Byli" by Miller and Politova; for upper-intermediate and advanced courses preferred textbooks include "How we live" by V. Berkov, "Perspektiva (4th Edition)" by Kostina, "Window on Russia" by L. Skorokhodov and O. Khorokhordina, "Let's improve our Russian!" by Volkova and Phillips, "Heart-to-heart Conversation" by Zharkova and "Practical Russian Stylistics" by A. Vasilieva. All courses are supplemented by materials from other textbooks and exercise books, literature and the press.

Q: Will my Russian studies at Language Link be accredited by my university?

A: To answer this question you will need to speak to your professors and the Study Abroad Coordinator at your university/college. Working in our favour is the fact that Language Link runs accredited academic programmes for Goucher College and John Hopkins University of the USA, and RLUS of the UK (RLUS, Russian Language Undergraduate Studies: the educational organisation which organizes year-abroad courses for most undergraduates studying Russian in British universities). The standard of tuition in our Russian Department is extremely high, and many of our teachers are specialists in academic fields (translation, literature, history, etc.) However, we understand that each institution applies its own criteria when accrediting study abroad, so accreditation cannot be guaranteed. We are happy to correspond with your professors/study abroad coordinators to discuss the issue, and to provide comprehensive course descriptions upon request.

Q: When do the courses start and end?

A: Language Link has a policy of 'open groups', so it is possible to start and end most of our standard courses (General, Intensive or Conversational Russian) at any time convenient for you. The only limiting factors are whether or not there are places available in a group of the appropriate course and level for the time period you want (individual courses can be arranged any time you wish). Contact us at russian@language.ru to find out about availability.

If you are learning Russian from scratch, then we recommend starting with one of our regular 2-week intensive courses for complete beginners that run every month in Moscow. More details can be found in Hot Offers.

If you would like to join our prestigious academic semester programme, these run from early September to December in Moscow, and from February to May or June in Moscow and Volgograd.

Q: How and when can I apply?

A: You can apply for any course by writing to us at russian@language.ru,you would like to study, your preferred location, the course you are interested in (group or individual, amount of tuition per week, type of course), and your current proficiency level (if you are unsure of your level, you can use our Test On-Line).You should apply at least 1 month before you wish to arrive if you want Language Link to provide you with visa support. One of our administrators will then contact you about course availability and help you to arrange a programme according to your specifications.

Q: How much will my Russian improve during my stay?

A: The longer you stay in Russia, the more effort you put in and the more hours you study, the more progress you will make. Some of our talented past students have gone from zero to a good intermediate level of fluency within 6 months, studying intensively (20+ academic hours per week). You can speed up your progress by opting for home-stay accommodation and practising your Russian at every opportunity. Even on shorter programmes you should be able to make a significant impact on your fluency level and understanding, as studying in a Russian-speaking environment is 10 times more effective than studying in other countries, however good your teachers are at home.

Questions about Living in Russia

Q: What will my LL accommodation be like? What if I have my own place to stay?

A: Language Link offers a range of accommodation possibilities (family home-stay, apartment, hotel or hostel, depending on which city you are based in). Descriptions of each are given on the Accommodation page of this site. If you decide to stay in Language Link accommodation, whichever option you choose, we guarantee that it will be comfortable, clean and equipped with all the necessary basics.

If you would rather arrange your own accommodation, that is not a problem. The only point to bear in mind is whether or not you will be able to register your visa at your address - for this, you need the permission of your landlord.

Q: How expensive is life in Russia?

A: We estimate it costs a minimum of $300 - $400 / month to cover living costs in Russia. Day to day living costs in St Petersburg and Volgograd are slightly lower than in Moscow, although provided you avoid ex-pat hang-outs in Moscow, the cost of living here is still a lot lower than in the West. The prices below should only be considered a rough guide (take the upper limits for Moscow and the lower limits for Volgograd, with St Petersburg somewhere in between):

Eating, Drinking and Dining: Your weekly grocery bill is likely to be around $40-80 per person (all prices are in USD). You can buy a fairly decent three-course meal out for about $20 per person. If you eat out at lunchtime during the week, you can get a three-course business lunch for around $5. A 0.5 l glass of beer costs on average $2.

Evening Entertainment: A ticket to an English-language cinema costs $10, but you can see films in Russian for $5 or less. Theatre, opera and ballet tickets can cost as little as $3 but expect to pay $10 - $20 for decent seats. Entrance to museums and art galleries can cost anything from 50 cents to $10, depending on the place and what discounts you can get. Cover charges for nightclubs, if there is one, usually average at about $5 - $10.

Transport: A monthly metro pass costs between 250 roubles ($8) and 500 roubles ($16). Bus, tram and trolleybus tickets cost 10 - 50 cents (for one journey, irrespective of length).

Trips and Excursions: Day trips to Golden Ring towns can be arranged independently for $10 - $20. Train travel in Russia is extremely good value (a 3rd class ticket from Moscow-St Petersburg costs about $12). Outside Moscow and St Petersburg it is usually possible to arrange accommodation for $20 - $30 per night, although that may mean Soviet-style hotels where service and decor leave a lot to be desired.

Clothes: It is worth buying winter items (hat, scarf, big coat, fur-lined boots) here, as they are better value than in the West and are more suited to the Russian climate. However, other clothes tend to be poorer quality for higher prices, so we recommend you do your clothes shopping before you arrive.

If you want to make long-distance telephone calls you should use international phone cards that offer very good rates: a $20 card lasts almost 2 hours when calling Europe and America from Russia. Any calls you make within the city you are living in will be free of charge.

Q: How is it best to bring money?

A: Although many prices are listed in US Dollars or Euros (including on this website), the only currency accepted in Russia is the Russian Rouble. The Rouble cannot currently be purchased outside Russia, so we recommend bringing cash cards/credit cards to withdraw money from ATMs (which are common in major cities). As back up, it is advisable to bring cash US Dollars (in good condition, with no creases or tears), which can be exchanged at exchange points all over the city, many of which are open 24 hours a day. Travellers' cheques tend to be less convenient as few banks exchange them.

Q: How long does it take to get a Russian visa? What kind of visa will I get?

A: The type of visa Language Link issues for you depends on how long you want to study with us. For courses of less than 3 months, we generally issue tourist visas invitations. If your course is longer than 3 months, then we can issue you with a 6- or 12-month multi-entry business visa. Sometimes we issue invitations for initial 3-month single-entry visas, which can be converted to year-long multi-entry visas after arrival in Russia.

It usually takes 2 - 4 weeks for us to process invitations for visas, plus 3 - 5 days to have them delivered to your address by courier. Visa processing at your nearest Russian Consulate can take from 1 day to 3 weeks, depending on how much you are willing to pay, and whether you apply by post or in person.

The visa process is undeniably time-consuming, and can sometimes involve frustrating delays, so if you need to get a Russian visa we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

Q: Do you provide health and/or medical insurance for your students?

A: We are only able to offer Russian state-subsidized health insurance provided by the old dilapidated system of Russian clinics and hospitals, so we strongly recommend securing your own international health and medical insurance before you arrive. There are some high-quality European and American medical centres in Moscow and St Petersburg (e.g. American Medical Centre, International SOS, Euromed), and good private Russian clinics in Moscow, St Petersburg and Volgograd. You might also consider having an evacuation rider included in your policy. Please remember that in order to obtain a visa valid for longer than three months, Russian law requires visitors to be HIV-tested before (or sometimes after) they arrive.

Q: What is the weather like in Russia? What clothes should I bring?

A: The weather in Moscow, St Petersburg and Volgograd varies greatly according to season. The winters are long and cold (with lots of snow and average temperatures around -10 degrees Celsius), and the summers are hot with occasional thunderstorms. As for what types of clothes to bring, it depends on what time of year it is, but remember two crucial points about life in these cities: 1) You will be walking a lot; feet and public transportation are the main modes of transportation in large Russian cities, so your shoes will take a beating and will get quite dirty, i.e. light-coloured shoes are not recommended 2) The same goes for clothes. Russians do wear bright things (shoes included), but dirt naturally stands out more on brighter clothes than it does on darker ones. So, you can see why a tendency toward wearing darker clothes can be seen on the streets of Russian cities. No one wants to be washing their clothes every day! For more information on the weather, try visiting CNN Online or the BBC website.

Q: Is it safe to live in Russia?

A: Is it safe to live in New York or London? Moscow and St Petersburg are neither safer nor more dangerous than any other large cities, although there is admittedly a higher than average risk of icicles falling off high buildings and hitting you on the head during the spring thaw. The mafia will take no notice of you whatsoever. Recent events have obviously made terrorism a concern, but sadly, no city in the world is immune from that threat these days. Volgograd may be considered slightly quieter, and thus safer, but the following advice applies to all 3 cities.

It's all just a question of common sense: you should be careful when going out late at night, and try not to draw attention to yourself, i.e. don't talk loudly in English or flash money/valuables around. If you go out for the evening, stay in a group, and plan it so that you accompany each other home right up to the front door. Women are strongly recommended not to walk home alone after 11pm, and they should be prepared to put up with occasional verbal harassment late at night, as Russian males who have had too much to drink might well shout things at girls on the street. It's irritating and impolite, but if you ignore them they almost always stop bothering you. Guys should also be careful when out late at night in large English-speaking groups, as nationalism is on the rise in Russia as a whole. People of dark skin tones will be more at risk of abuse than others, and may be discriminated against by the police (i.e. stopped more often for ID checks). Smaller streets can be badly lit, so try and keep to the main streets if possible when it's dark. Avoid carrying with you more cash than you need - pick-pocketing is a problem in the metro, particularly in Petersburg. None of this advice is intended to scare you, and in any case, most of it applies anywhere in the world. With luck, your stay here should pass off without you being hassled in any way, but you should know the risks in order to avoid them.

Q: What are the procedures for arriving in Russia?

A: Students for Moscow or Volgograd generally arrive at one of Moscow's two international airports, Sheremetevo 2 or Domodedovo. The latter is preferable as it was completely renovated in 2002, and is now an extremely modern and efficient airport comparable with any in Western Europe. Sheremetevo is older and can be worse in terms of passport control and baggage delays. In St Petersburg the main international airport is Pulkovo. The exit process is basically the same in all airports. After getting off the plane (generally directly into the airport building) you should follow the signs to passport control. Before you go through, make sure you have filled in both sections of a migration card (often handed out on the plane, otherwise available on desks in the passport control area). Hand in this card together with your passport and visa, have the migration card stamped (and one copy returned to you), and go through to baggage collection and customs. Find the appropriate baggage conveyor belt for your flight, and avoid the trolley caddies who will charge a fortune for pushing your luggage 50 metres.