Visa support
1. Do I need to book my flight before applying for a visa?
No, you do not need to book your flight before applying for a visa. However, you do need to make sure that the in-and-outbound dates of your flight fall within the start and end dates of your visa, otherwise you won't be able to enter Russia. This is the only reason why students often choose to book their flight before applying for a visa, but you definitely don't need to show your tickets at the consulate when you apply.
2. How much time does it take for the visa to be processed?
The processing time depends on your nationality and the country you are applying in. Sometimes it's possible to get a visa on the same day of application for an extra fee, but it can also take a few working days or a few weeks. Additionally, postal applications take longer than applications in person.
We advise you to check the different options with your local Consulate.
To locate the nearest Russian Consulate, please, check www.russianembassy.net.
3. Is it possible to have the visa for one day extra in case there are problems with my departing flight?
Yes, it is possible. If you want to make sure everything will go smoothly with the dates you can request us to add a day or two on the invitation, but you need to tell us precisely which days you want.
So please provide the exact dates for the visa that you think you will need.
4. Do I need an insurance to get my visa or am I automatically insured by visiting EducaCentre?
We do not provide any insurance. Usually our students take standard travel insurance.
Please note that your insurance should be valid for Russia or worldwide (not just Europe!). It should also cover the whole duration of your trip.
5. Where can I purchase a travel insurance?
You can buy your travel insurance on the internet from most major travel or insurance websites (like STA Travel, Columbus, Expedia, etc.) or from a travel agency.
Please make sure that the insurance is valid for Russia or Worldwide (not just Europe!) and covers the whole duration of your trip.
6. Why do you charge €15 per month for visa registration?
Everyone who comes to Russia must be registered with the local authorities for the total duration of their stay within 3 working days from the day of arrival.
As a school we have to register our students at the local migration registration centre (OVIR). We charge €15 per month as this is approximately the cost of the registration.
For a visit from 3 days up to 1 month we charge €15. From 1 month to 2 months (no matter if it's 5, 6, 7 or 8 weeks) it's €30, etc.
Accommodation
1. Do I need to call my host family to inform them what time I arrive?
No, you don't have to call your host family. We communicate with them. We inform them approximately what time you arrive to ensure they are at home to welcome you. You don't have to worry about any of this.
If you have booked our arrival transfer we inform your family about your arrival time according to your flight details. If you haven't booked a transfer you should provide us with the flight details so we are able to inform your host family.
2. If I stay with a host family, will I share a room with other foreigners, or will I have my own room?
There is usually one guest per host family so you will have your own room. Some families accept more than one student. If this is the case you will still have your own room.
3. Where are the host families located?
At the moment all our families are centrally located. The distance from the school depends on the particular family and may take from 5 min to 30 min on foot or by public transport.
Lessons
1. I would like to come for 1 or 2 weeks only. Is it possible to study at EducaCentre for such a short time?
Yes, of course you can come for 1 or 2 weeks. We would be happy to see you among our students.
2. Do I have to take any tests to check my level?
Yes. Firstly we will ask you to complete a short pre-course questionnaire before arrival.
Then, on your first day, we also test you at the school to ensure you will be taught at the right level. Your progress will be continuously monitored during your stay at the school.
3. Should I bring any textbooks?
No, you don't have to. You will get all teaching materials from us. Yet, if you have used any text books in the past please list them on your pre-course questionnaire.
Of course, you can bring a small dictionary or any other material that you think will help you to study, but all the material that is used during the lessons will be provided by EducaCentre.
4. What are the course dates?
You can start your course any Monday, no matter what level you are. The lessons take place from Monday to Friday, all year long.
5. If I am a complete Beginner can I also start any Monday?
Yes.
6. What is the maximum number of students in a class at group lessons?
The maximum number of students per class is 6. The average per class is 3-4.
7. How long does it take to learn Russian?
It is virtually impossible to say how long it will take to learn the language as it depends on many factors: your age and capability, the effort you put in, whether you have studied Russian or any other foreign languages before, the time you have available for the course and its intensity, what level you want to reach, to name but a few.
The average time for a student to move from one level to another (e.g. from Beginner to Elementary) is approximately 1 month, but again, it may be less or more depending on the factors mentioned above.
Booking procedure
1. What is the booking procedure?The booking procedure is as follows:
- Choose your course.
- Complete the EducaCentre Enrolment Form and email it to us together with a copy of your passport.
- You will then receive:
- A confirmation of enrolment
- An invoice
- A visa invitation with instructions that will help you fill in the visa application form
- Notify us as soon as you get your visa. We will then confirm the accommodation details.
- Send your flight details to EducaCentre, especially if you have requested a transfer service.
- Pay your invoice in advance or upon arrival.
Payment procedure
1. How can I pay you?
You can pay us by:
- Bank transfer.
- Cash on your first day at school.
- Credit card (please note that a 2% administrative charge applies).
2. If I choose to pay by cash, do you prefer euros or another currency?
You can pay with any currency that is suitable for you.
Our invoices are in euros. If you wish to pay in another currency we simply convert the invoice from euros to your currency of choice, according to the exchange rate on the payment day.
So if you decide to pay by cash, you can bring any currency you wish: dollars, euros, pounds, roubles, etc.
School location and facilities
1. Can you give me some more information about the location of the school?
EducaCentre is located on Petrogradsky Island, an exclusive and fashionable district in the centre of St. Petersburg. It's only a 15 minute walk to the Neva Embankment and the Peter and Paul Fortress.
The school is 3 minutes on foot from Petrogradskaya metro station, which is only 2 stops away from Nevsky Prospekt.
The school is set in a large four-storey building. We have classrooms on the 1st (ground floor), 3rd & 4th floors. Our office and reception are on the 3rd floor.
2. What facilities does the school offer?
Our school has 24 bright, modern classrooms, fully furnished and equipped for language lessons.
In addition, we offer students the use of our student area with free internet access and wireless internet, so they can use their own laptop computers to get online. The school also has its own audio and video library that students can use free of charge.
In the hall there is a common area with tea, coffee and snack machines, daily newspapers and magazines. There is also a cafe on the 1st (ground) floor of the building.
3. Do you offer free internet access for the students?
Yes.
4. Do you have Wi-Fi connection, so I can use my own laptop?
Yes.
General info
Money
1. How much money should I bring? Roughly how much money will I spend in a week?
As you can probably imagine, it is very difficult to advise an individual how much money to take, because it depends on a lot of different things how much money someone might spend.
If you plan to go on a lot of excursions, do a lot of shopping, buy a lot of souvenirs, go out a lot, eat in expensive restaurants and travel everywhere by taxi you obviously need more money than when you only stay at home and study. Hence it is impossible to advise you. It really is up to you and you probably know yourself best in this sense. Please also see the next question about the cost of food, drink and public transport.
Cash machines are well provided throughout the city, so if you didn't bring enough money and you have a bank account back home it shouldn't be a problem to get some extra money out.
Although paying in cash remains the norm, more and more shops and restaurants also accept major debit and credit cards.
2. Can you give me some information about food prices and the cost of public transport?
If you have lunch or dinner in a cafe the cost of your lunch may be about € 7-10. Some cafes offer a 'business lunch' with and inexpensive fixed price menu. Dinner could be €12-15.
Restaurants are a bit more expensive than cafes and the cost for a meal may vary between € 25-30. Like in any major city there are cheap and expensive restaurants and the price will increase if you consume a lot of alcohol.
Bars: the cost of a glass of wine may be about € 6, beer € 3.
Public transport costs: You can buy a monthly travel card (valid on the metro, buses and trams) for about €23. A single journey on the metro costs 17 roubles and on most buses and trams it's about 18 roubles per journey. You need to buy a token (zheton) for the metro, but you can also buy magnetic cards that can be topped up.
It is also very popular to travel by "marshrutka" (public taxi) instead of by bus - the cost is usually 22 roubles per journey.
3. What currency should I bring?
Currency exchange: Euros and US dollars are the most popular types of currency and can be exchanged at every exchange office and bank. You can also exchange these at some cash machines. Don't be tempted to change your money with individuals on the street.
I would not advise at all to take a lot of cash! The safest thing to do is to bring enough cash in euros, US dollars, pounds or roubles for the first day or two. After that you can use cash machines (ATM machines) for withdrawing money using a debit or credit card. Your teacher can train you how to deal with that in Russian in half a lesson!
The weather in St. Petersburg
Nothing changes as much as the weather. The weather in St. Petersburg is proof of that.
St. Petersburg is a city of extremes. The weather fluctuates so much that in the summer the temperature can vary from +15C (59F) to +30C (86F) and in the winter from -20C (-4F) to +5C (41F), sometimes with only a few days in between the two extremes. We advise you to bring some special clothes when visiting St. Petersburg during the winter as it is important to dress up warmly.
Summers can be humid and wet and winters can bring a lot of snow, usually not thawing till late March / early April, although nowadays the weather is even more difficult to predict because of the effects of global warming.
Perhaps the worst feature of the St. Petersburg climate is its high clouds. The average total amount of sunny days is only 75 per year, most of which fall in summer. It's always a pleasure to see the sun again after a number of grey, cloudy days, especially in winter.
Daylight hours fluctuate amazingly during the year: from 5 hours and 52 minutes in winter to 18 hours and 53 minutes in summer, when dusk merges with dawn. This mystic phenomenon, poetically called the White Nights, makes Saint Petersburg the only city in the world with bright sleepless summer nights when people celebrate life and enjoy the many festivals that take place or simply walk across the city admiring its captivating beauty and the closing of the bridges.