Russian language courses at all levels are run year round. The quality of our the courses is controlled by a clear course syllabus, frequent host family checks, detailed entry and exit questionnaires, clear complaint and backup procedures. All courses are based on communicative approaches and combine learning common expressions used in everyday situations with a thorough and systematic grammatical approach. This is of vital importance for learning a language like Russian, which has an inflectional system and a non-fixed word order – a language in which word endings or word's place create the meaning.

The learning objectives and levels (6 levels from A1 to C1) are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and are determined by the peculiarities of the Russian language.

If you book a group course and your level is above A1+, your class will be taught by two teachers, where - broadly speaking – one focuses on grammar and the other focuses on conversation, which makes classes more varied and interesting. This system only works with well structured study plans, so we make sure that your teachers clearly and and regularly communicate the teaching objectives to you.

• A lessons comprises of 50 Minutes with a short break after each lesson
• Orientation / testing usually take place on Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday) 
• Courses start on a Monday and end on a Friday 
• Pre-course placement test upon arrival 
• Welcome package upon arrival (either at the school or airport) 
• Weekly progress test 
• Course certificate upon completion 
• Access to library and self study centre 
• Use of computers with internet and W-LAN 

Learning Materials: Textbooks and copies are incl. in the price.

Important Note: A very important minimum requirement for all group courses is passive knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet.

The Intensive Russian language course runs over 25 lessons per week in groups with a maximum of ten participants. The morning lessons (20) are taken together with the students who have booked our Standard Group Course.

The remaining five lessons are taught on two afternoons, offered at a minimum of three different levels (A1 – B2). The content of the afternoon lessons depends on the language levels and reaches from survival Russian on the beginners level, outdoor classes, telephone training over lectures on Russian mentality and traditions, cuisine and history to business, economy and political topics on the higher levels.

Academic Year Courses are moderately priced long-term group courses which correspond in content to the Standard and Intensive Russian language courses (see above).

All one-to-one courses are tailor-made. The teacher and the student jointly determine the exact content. The student is invited to specify his/her fields of interest by completing a needs analysis (available on request), which allows to pre-select material, establish a study plan and prepare a specific vocabulary. One-to-one courses are available in varying degrees of intensity: 15, 20, 30 or 40 lessons per week. 30 classes per week or more are taught by two teachers, who constantly complement the programme and co-ordinate its fulfillment. Participants may also book additional 5 one-to-one lesson modules as a supplement.

Details:

• Available all year
• 15, 20, 30 or 40 private lessons per week (5 or 10 private lessons per week in combination with another course)
• Timetable: upon arrangement from Monday to Friday (weekend lessons possible upon request)
• Maximum 1 participant per group 
• Start Dates: every Monday (except holidays)
• Duration: min. 1 week
• Levels: beginner (A1) to upper-intermediate (B2)
  

This Total Immersion Courses is a one-to one Russian language course with 20 weekly lessons run outside the school. The lessons are given by one of our teachers who see the student where he lives (host family, apartment, hotel, etc.). The course is targeted at people who do not want to have any contact with other non-Russian speakers during their stay. Course rates and dates are identical to those of our one-to one.

Details:

• Available all year
• 20 private lessons per week at your place of living
• Timetable: upon arrangement 
• Maximum 1 participant per group 
• Start Dates: every Monday (except holidays)
• Duration: min. 1 week
• Levels: beginner (A1) to upper-intermediate (B2) 

The TRKI exam preparation course is an extra module, which is booked in addition to a standard or intensive group course or in addition to another one-to-one course. This extra module is a one-to-one course.

You and your teacher jointly determine the number of modules you need in order to pass a particular exam. We advise students who wish to take the exam to book one module in advance. If you and your teacher decide that this is not enough, you can book another module in our partner school directly.

Our Russian language school partner is an official preparation and testing centre for the Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TRKI). The school is certified by the Examination Board to organise the exam in-house. The exam takes 2 days for the 5 subtests and can be taken either in Moscow or St Petersburg upon agreement with the Director of Studies.

Currently the TRKI examination system consists of six distinct exams, ranging from elementary to proficiency level.

Details:

• Available all year
• 5 or 10 private lessons per week in combination with another course
• Timetable: upon arrangement (usually in the afternoon)
• Maximum 1 participant per group
  
• Start Dates: every Monday (except holidays)
• Duration: min. 1 week
• Levels: beginner (A1) to upper-intermediate (B2)
  

Exam Fees: TEU / TBU EUR 125, TRKI 1 / TRKI 2 / TRKI 3 / TRKI 4 EUR 150 

• do something meaningful in a gap year
• explore career options
• develop social competence skills
• acquire proficient language skills
• immerse themselves in a different culture.
  

Our Russian language school partner is one of the first organisations to offer meaningful study and work programmes in Russia. The school offers two kinds of work experience programmes.

You will combine a min. of 4 weeks Russian language course with 1-24 weeks of an unpaid internship, depending on the host organization’s requirements.

An Internship is a temporary, supervised, practical experience programme in which a young person, usually a college or university student, carries out a training experience in a temporary position at a host company. 

For legal reasons, all work experience assignments in Russia are unpaid. You also need to be aware that you are responsible for accommodation and insurance costs. Accommodation may be arranged via the school or individually.

Placement is done pre-arrival, so that you know well in advance where you are going to work. In order to successfully match student and host organisation, it is important that you not only send us the necessary booking forms, but also supply us with a current CV and recent photograph. On successful completion of your assignment you will receive two documents: our graded course certificate and confirmation from the host organization.

Requirements:

• Minimum Age: 18 years (or higher according to indications of host company)
• Minimum Russian level: Elementary+ A2+

For further information on our unpaid internship program in St Petersburg, Russia, please refer to our pdf file Professional internship in St. Petersburg or Moscow, Russia.

For general information on our work programs please refer to our Study & Work abroad page. 

You will combine a min. of 4 weeks Russian language course with 1-24 weeks of an unpaid volunteer work, depending on the host organization’s requirements.

A Volunteer programme is a temporary, supervised, practical training in which a person voluntarily carries out a task which has social, environmental or cultural relevance. 

• Minimum Age: 18 years (or higher according to indications of host company)
• Minimum Russian level: Elementary+ A2+
  

Volunteering Placement Fee: EUR 250

For further information on our unpaid volunteering program in St Petersburg, Russia, please refer to our pdf file Volunteer placement in St Petersburg or Moscow, Russia.

For general information on our work programs please refer to our Study & Work abroad page.

Our partner school offers tailor made Closed Group Courses for school, college or university groups, eager to come to Russia for an immersion program. The course rates are very student friendly but depend to a large extent on the season, the number of participants, levels and group leaders coming on the trip. Rates are available upon request.

Details:

• Arrive and leave at the same time
• Follow the same curriculum 
• Several levels within a closed group possible 
• Minimum age 14
  

If you are already living and working in Russia you will have different language needs to students who come to Russia just for a language course. We have developed specially designed courses if you need to combine work and study. We offer open group and one-to-one courses in the evenings, with flexible starting dates for all levels – perfect for expatriates ready to invest in their language skills after working hours. We also organise In-company training for individuals and small closed groups.

For further information please contact us at .

• The classes take place from Monday to Friday (except holidays)
• Arrival day: Sunday (you can arrive on before by booking extra nights)
  
• Departure day: Saturday, after the end of the course
  

*Starting Dates for beginners who should be familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet.

If Monday is a holiday, the course starts on Tuesday.

On holidays the school is closed, courses are neither recuperated nor refunded. Compensation is only provided for One-to-One Courses.

The school is closed for Christmas holidays from 18th December 2010 to 7th January 2011.

Please be aware that visa applications are necessary for almost all foreigners.

Our partner school provides invitation letters for a tourist visa for all students studying up to 4 weeks. A torusit visa is only valid for a single entry and a maximum stay of 30 days. For students wishing to stay longer than 4 weeks a student visa needs to be issued. In this case there is a difference between proprietors of a passport from ‘Schengen’ countries and others. None ‘Schengen’ passport holders will get an invitation letter issued by the Russian Ministry of Interior Affairs. This procedure takes at least one month. For all 'Schengen' passport holders, our partner school is alleged to issue an invitation letter, which allows issuing of the visa at short notice.

It is the student’s responsibility to arrive at the school upon the correct visa. For further information, please refer to: http://www.russianembassy.org/CONSulAT/CONTACT.HTM and check the Russia country information on our visa service page.