Information on Double Degree Tracks for Students

The number of potential double degree programme participants is limited and specific to each track, thus nominations are based on the competition results. The Academic Council of the educational programme shall decide on the nomination to the double degree track programme following the competition selection criteria and the assessment of the competitors’ documents. Competition selection criteria shall be determined by the Academic Councils of the educational programmes under which the double degree tracks are implemented. Along with other selection criteria, the Academic Council of the educational programme shall assess the competitor’s Cumulative Student Rating position and GPA.

Selection criteria are specific for each degree programme. You can find more information here (block - About the Double Degree tracks).

The application and required documents shall be submitted via a Nomination Form. The list of required documents and the application form are available in the same LMS module. The standard set of required documents comprises:

•  a motivation letter,
• CV, 
• a certificate proving proficiency in language to be used at the partner university (usually English). In case of absence of the certificate, it is enough to submit a notification from HSE St. Petersburg language teacher. Please note, that the certificate of proficiency in Chinese language is required for the Double Degree Track Programme "Business and Politics in Modern Asia", and the proficiency of German language is also obligatory for the Double Degree Track Programme "Russian Literature in Cross-Cultural and Intermedial Perspective". The more detailed requirements can be found on the degree programme pages.

 Be sure to keep track of updates on this page as well as the announcements on the degree programme pages.

Double degree programme participants bear the costs associated with their studies at the partner university on their own (including travel costs, accommodation costs, insurance etc.), although scholarship assistance is possible. It is awarded on a competitive basis if the call for applications is open in a particular academic year.

Nomination for scholarship is carried out by the Programme Board of the respective degree programme on the basis of applications submitted as part of the competition for the Double Degree Programme; no separate application for scholarship assistance is required.

Nomination for scholarship award shall take place prior to the start of the academic mobility activities of double degree track participants. However, the scholarship shall be awarded upon receipt of the student’s arrival form and shall be paid monthly for a period of three months from the date of award.

The amount of scholarship assistance to be granted is determined on an annual basis. 

Scholarship Assistance Terms and Conditions
Initially, a participant in the double degree programme may be nominated for a scholarship for the first semester of the academic year in which they will be studying at the partner university. Applicants for scholarship must meet the following criteria:

1) At the time of issuing the mobility order, there are no academic failures without a valid reason and no ‘satisfactory’ grades as per intermediate and final attestation, held in accordance with the academic schedule,

2) At the time of issuing the scholarship order, there are no financial debts owed to the HSE,

3) A student does not benefit from any other form of financial assistance for international mobility from HSE, public authorities of the Russian Federation and/or another country, governmental, non-governmental, profit-making, non-profit, and other foundations and organisations, as well as financial assistance (scholarship) from the host partner university, unless the amount of such assistance does not exceed 50% of the scholarship amount.

The Programme Board of the respective degree programme may decide to re-nominate a participant for scholarship following an assessment of the intermediate performance under the curriculum set at the partner university. If this is the case, the scholarship shall also be paid in equal monthly instalments over a period of three months from the date of granting thereof. 

You can find the list of academic disciplines offered by the partner university in a special LMS module, which is used to submit applications for the Double Degree Track. This list is subject to certain annual changes. Should you have any questions regarding the contents of academic disciplines studied at a partner university, you may contact the academic supervisor of the respective degree programme.

The Double Degree Track participants are offered an individual study plan. Successful implementation of this curriculum is one of the mandatory conditions for obtaining two degrees. You can address questions related to the development of an individual study plan to the programme office of the relevant degree programme.

Along with the thesis supervisor at HSE, Double Degree Track participants are assigned a co-supervisor from the partner university. They accomplish a single final thesis, which is then assessed both by HSE and at the partner university. The assessment includes defending the final thesis before a joint commission consisting of representatives of both HSE and the partner university.