On Campus

The HSE building on Griboyedova Canal Embankment hosted an event devoted to Nowruz—an ancient Eastern festival symbolising the beginning of a new year and renewal of nature. Students of various universities from Pakistan, India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Azerbaijan shared their distinctive local traditions, festive decorations, and national cultural practices.

The building at Griboyedova Canal Embankment hosted a meeting with international students from the South Korean universities of Chung Ang and Kyung Hee, as well as HSE students who went to South Korea on an academic mobility programme.

In 2025, HSE University-St Petersburg opened the Centre for Russian Language and Culture at the School of Arts and Humanities. The centre offers various courses for international applicants, the largest of which is the 'Pre-University Programme', a Russian preparatory course for those intending to enrol in full-time bachelor's and master's programmes. Read on to find out more about the centre's activities, courses, and study conditions.

Every year, HSE University welcomes more than a thousand students from all over the world. In 2024, Junseo Lee, a student from South Korea, came to HSE University-St Petersburg as a master’s student of the programme ‘Comparative Politics of Eurasia’. In the article, Junseo shares the story of why he chose St Petersburg and HSE University in particular and his personal experience of living and studying in Russia as a foreign student.

The HSE building on Kantemirovskaya Street hosted the first meeting of the project 'Mexican Traditions—Why Are Mexicans Always Happy?' Students and professors learnt about national festivals, customs, and traditions in Latin America, as well as opportunities for academic mobility.

Each year, hundreds of students from all over the world decide to pursue knowledge at HSE University- St Petersburg. This journey is filled with excitement, hopes, and discoveries: from choosing a programme, submitting documents, attending interviews, and passing entrance exams to receiving that coveted acceptance letter and finally arriving in Russia.

And once they take those first steps in a new country, an entire world of opportunities opens up, far beyond classrooms and lecture halls. Extracurricular life becomes an integral part of students’ experience, allowing them to delve deeper into the culture of the host country, make new friends, and uncover their talents. This article takes a closer look at all of these extracurricular activities.

On November 9, the building on Kantemirovskaya Street hosted Pakistani Culture Night. More than 80 people attended the event, including students and alumni of St Petersburg universities as well as Raja Qadeer Ahmed, a representative of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The event was organised by Syed Junaid Abbas, an international student of HSE University-St Petersburg.

HSE Saint Petersburg International Summer School is in full swing—right now, international students from 12 countries are actively attending lectures and enjoying the cultural programme. We talked to some participants about their most vivid impressions.