St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, Russia: Student Life

Housing and meals

Students live in the residence for foreign students for the first 3 days of orientation and to start classes, before moving onto a homestay where they receive breakfast daily and an allowance to subsidize dinner. The allowance will not cover the cost of meals in expensive restaurants.

Living with a Russian family gives students a tremendous opportunity to improve their Russian language skills and to experience a significant amount of Russian culture and cuisine.

In the residence, students live in two room suites, 2 students per room, with a kitchenette including stove, microwave and refrigerator, and bathroom including toilet, bathtub and shower.

Facilities

The Summer Advantage office is located on campus, and includes a small library and television/video facilities.

Supervision and staff

The residence and homestays are located in a quiet and safe area of town. AIFS staff are on call 24-hours a day and reachable by cell phone. They assist in academic advising and registration, provide travel guidance, and help students gain access to counseling and medical assistance, if necessary. Staff also coordinate a weekly newsletter providing information as well as practical advice and news on cultural events.

Keeping in touch

Students will receive a phone card on arrival to call the United States, as well as a stamped postcard to send home. Students can both receive and send mail via the Westpost service. Students may pay to use computer rooms on campus for Internet access, or visit a cybercafé in town. We strongly recommend that students purchase a cell phone for the duration of the program. AIFS staff will provide more information on how to do this at the on site orientation meeting.