Salaries, Scholarships and Other Financial Issues
The HSE University Finance Unit has prepared answers to the most pressing questions about salary payments, scholarships, benefits, the use of bank cards in HSE buildings and much more. The article has been updated.
Will my salary be paid on time? Are there any risks that bank cards will be cancelled and employees will receive their salary in cash?
Salaries will be paid on time as before. Payroll settlements with employees are carried out using MIR payment cards. They operate in the Russian national payment system, which continues to fully function within the Russian Federation.
Will HSE University change its service bank?
HSE University pays salaries and scholarships mainly through VTB Bank and Sberbank, whose systems are technologically integrated with the university’s automatic data processing modules. Both banks fully retain all settlement transactions in roubles. These are the largest issuers of MIR payment cards, which are supported by the Bank of Russia and are not experiencing problems with payment liquidity.
At the moment, there are no grounds for the transfer of HSE rouble payments to other service banks.
At the same time, HSE staff, students and doctoral students who wish to receive payments to their MIR cards issued by other banks can submit an application to the HSE Accounting Office (Application for Salary Transfer.docx (live.com )). Please note that due to technical reasons, the transfer of payments to new banking details will be possible only starting from the next payment cycle (ie from the next month).
Will I keep receiving my scholarship payments? Do I need to change my payment card to receive them?
You will continue to receive your payments and there is no need to change your payment card. Scholarships and salaries are still paid via MIR payment cards serviced by the Russian national payment system. The payment terms also won't change.
Will students and staff keep receiving benefits and payments (financial assistance, discounts, etc)?
Yes, HSE University continues to fulfil all its social obligations, including those funded by the university.
How can international students pay their tuition fees from outside of Russia?
You can make a wire transfer to HSE University’s account in euros or US dollars in the amount determined by the figure in your educational agreement. To make the payment, you will need to contact your bank and submit a request for an international wire transfer to HSE University. Information about the university’s bank details is available here — SBERBANK ACCOUNT REQUISITIES
At present, only Sberbank accounts are used. Accounts with other banks may appear later. Detailed Instructions for making the wire transfer for tuition fee are available here.
I am a foreign citizen working with HSE University under a contract and receiving my salary in roubles to an international payment system card. Do I need to switch to the MIR card?
This is not necessary, as according to the Bank of Russia, all payment cards issued by Russian banks continue to work in Russia without restrictions.
Please note that the issuance of new cards of international payment systems in Russia is limited. If your card is expiring soon, it is better to arrange to get a MIR card in advance and inform HSE University about your new banking details (you can inform your employer or the Accounting Office directly. Please include the number and date of your contract). This will help avoid delays with future payments.
If I’m a contract worker, will the rules for paying my salary change?
No, there are no plans to make any changes to these rules.
However, if you are a foreign citizen residing outside of Russia, and your contract stipulates that salary transfers are carried out in US dollars or in Euros, you may encounter some difficulties. Due to the sanctions imposed by the United States and the EU on a number of Russian banks, such payments may cause technical difficulties. This may lead to delays in bank transactions in these currencies.
In any case, the university will continue to fulfil its obligations under concluded contracts, and will make every possible effort to ensure the payment of international settlements.
At the same time, if you have the opportunity to receive your salary in roubles, then you can provide the details of your rouble bank account to the HSE Accounting Office (please include the number and date of your contract). In this case, settlements will be carried out without delay.
I am a foreign citizen working at HSE University. Will my contract remain valid? How will I receive my salary?
HSE University is committed to ensuring adequate and stable working conditions for its employees. We do not plan to make any changes to the working hours of foreign employees. Payments will also be made to your payment card in time.
If you, as a foreign citizen, receive your salary on an international payment system card, then please check its validity period. The issuance of new cards of international payment systems by Russian banks is still limited. If your card expires soon, it may be advisable to get a MIR card in advance and provide its details to HSE University (you can inform your employer or the Accounting Office directly). (Application for Salary Transfer.docx (live.com)).
Can I pay for food in the cafeteria or snack bar with Apple Pay?
According to the latest information, Apple Pay no longer works with the cards of sanctioned banks. Suspension of other payment apps is also possible, so it is better to have your plastic card with you. Cards of international payment systems issued earlier continue to work within Russia, as they are serviced by the Russian national payment system. However, the issuance of new cards of this kind is currently suspended. Therefore, if your card of international payment systems expires soon, it may be advisable to get a MIR card for further payments.
Will contactless payment remain in snack bars?
Yes, if you use the appropriate plastic cards. Contactless payment using smartphones (Apple Pay systems and similar apps) may be suspended depending on the sanctioned status of your bank or the current policy of the operators of these apps.
Will it still be possible to withdraw money from ATMs at the university or transfer it via apps?
Yes. ATMs at the university work as usual.
The transfer of money via apps depends on the app itself and the bank mode of operation. In any case, all payments in roubles within Russia are carried out under the same procedure and without delay.
Will it still be possible to pay for housing/services/degree programmes on the HSE website online?
Yes, it will.
Will HSE University provide help to students and staff who might find themselves in difficult circumstances because of the current international situation?
HSE students on mobility programmes abroad and students in difficult circumstances can contact the Study Office of the educational programme they are currently enrolled in. Working in close cooperation with the campus administration, teams at Study Offices will do their best to solve any appeal.
List of contacts of Study Offices of the Higher School of Economics — St. Petersburg (XLSX, 18 Kb)
You can also contact the HSE Student Council — St. Petersburg. To do it, submit an application to the Student Council emergency hotline or write a personal message to the VK group, telegram channel and personally to Ruslan Miftakhutdinov (@rimiftakhutdinov), Alexander Shabelnikov (@shbalx) or Vlade McCormick (@balodisvlada). Email for communication with the Student Council studsovetspb@mail.ru
Students and campus staff can also call the HSE Situation Center at +7 (495) 628-53-20 or email help@hse.ru. The centre provides psychological assistance, provides legal advice, helps with solving everyday issues, organizing studies, etc.
Can I continue working remotely on contract if I am a Russian citizen?
The rules for contract work of this type have not changed. If necessary, please discuss your situation with your supervisor.
Will it be possible to conclude/maintain contracts with foreign citizens working remotely?
All existing contracts between the university and foreign citizens continue to be valid.
At the moment, there are no changes in the rules for concluding new contracts with foreign citizens.
The Bank of Russia raised the key rate. Is it possible that interest rates on loans will be revised? Is it possible that my educational loan and its terms will be increased?
Any changes to the terms of previously issued loans are determined according to the loan agreement and the decisions of your bank.
The conditions of the state educational loan programme with a subsidized rate are determined by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in cooperation with the participating banks. At the moment, the university does not have any information about revisions to the terms of the programme. In any case, we expect that benefits will be preserved according to the goals stated at the outset of the programme.
This list may be updated.