International Admissions at HSE University-St Petersburg

There is a common belief that top-ranked universities have complex and confusing admission processes, making it difficult for applicants to navigate their websites, complete various forms, and submit required documents. However, HSE University-St Petersburg bucks this trend by offering a straightforward and easy-to-understand admission process. In this article, Daniel Akabueze, a second-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘Political Science and World Politics’ and an International Ambassador of HSE University-St Petersburg, will guide you through the international admission process at the university, ensuring that you have all the necessary information to become a member of the HSE family.

HSE University-St Petersburg

Discovering HSE University

In 2019, while taking a course in International Relations on Coursera, I came across HSE University. The course was exceptional, the professor was knowledgeable, and the level of detail was impressive. I discovered from Google that HSE University was a prestigious educational institution located in Russia with a remarkable global ranking and a developed international environment. Intrigued by this finding, I started reading articles published on the university’s website, including students’ feedback. That impressed me a lot! Moreover, the support for young researchers at HSE University-St Petersburg warmed my heart and became a major reason why I chose HSE University-St Petersburg.

Enrolment Process

The admission process at HSE University-St Petersburg is straightforward, but it does require adequate preparation. As a competitive institution, HSE University expects students to work hard to meet their requirements. However, they provide resources and materials to assist you in your preparation. In my personal experience, I participated in the HSE Entrance Exams in 2020, but unfortunately, I failed due to insufficient preparation and limited knowledge of history. It was then that I discovered that HSE University annually holds an International Olympiad for international students. Students can compete in many subjects in the olympiad, allowing winners to apply for different programmes using their certificates. I decided to participate in the fields of ‘Social Sciences’ and ‘Law’. And I won! Winning the olympiad granted me free tuition in a Bachelor’s programme and monthly stipends at HSE University.

Scholarship Opportunities

HSE University-St Petersburg offers a Russian Government Scholarship for international students, which covers 100% of tuition fees. Bachelor’s applicants can receive a Russian government scholarship after taking two entrance examinations.

In addition to that, the university provides partial scholarships, which is another opportunity not to pay the full price of your education. The partial scholarships can be 70%, 50%, and 25% depending on the points you get in the entrance exams.

You can find more information regarding the admission tracks and scholarships on the website.

But the rule is simple: the exams are not difficult if you adequately prepare.

Preparing for Exams

Preparing for the International Olympiad was fun and demanding, but it was quite easy for me. I used three ways to prepare. Firstly, textbooks: for every subject in the olympiad, there are reference materials for each field. I printed them out and borrowed textbooks from the library to prepare. Secondly, in preparing for ‘Social Sciences’, I used Crash Course Sociology, a YouTube channel that taught the course in a very interesting way. Finally, I used the demo version of each subject available on the olympiad website for my preparations. These are effective and efficient means, and I would recommend them to you.

If you require any additional assistance or have any inquiries, don't hesitate to contact the International Admissions Office via email at admission-spb@hse.ru or by phone at +7 (812) 644-62-12 ext. 61583.

Don't be discouraged: stay dedicated and work diligently, and soon enough, you will become a part of the HSE University-St Petersburg family.

 

Text by Daniel Akabueze, second-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘Political Science and World Politics’