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HSE Preparatory Year students not only learn Russian and get ready to enroll in Bachelor’s or Master’s programmes but also explore Russian culture and way of life, which includes trying the local cuisine, sightseeing, and interacting with Russian people. Three international Prep Year students have talked to HSE News Service about learning the language, getting used to living in Moscow, and joining in New Year celebrations in Russia.

On December 20, the students of the International Preparatory Year programme at HSE’s Moscow campus got together to usher in the New Year in true Russian style. They all first arrived in Moscow this September with zero or very limited knowledge of Russian. So, their programme started with an intensive course of Russian as a Foreign Language. Now, three months later, they have already mastered enough Russian to make mini-presentations, perform sketches, take part in a Russian culture quiz, and solve Russian riddles.

The HSE Art Gallery is the first of its kind among Russian universities. The gallery is expected to become a space for established contemporary artists and students to work together and share their experiences with one another. They will be able to not only present their works at the gallery, but also participate in the creation of exhibitions.

Having fallen in love with Moscow and the Russian culture during an exchange programme three years ago at HSE, Alis Maria Endres, a native of Germany, decided that she wanted to return to the university to complete a Master’s degree in management. In order to be able to study in Russian, Alis Maria first enrolled in HSE's International Preparatory Year programme.

On July 12, HSE officially congratulated the graduates of the 2018 Preparatory Year programme. The 10-month intensive course, which was introduced at HSE in 2015, is designed for international students with little or no knowledge of Russian who wish to undertake Russian-taught full-degree programmes. The curriculum focuses on basic language skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) and students are able to study in their chosen academic field (humanities, economics, or engineering). This year, young graduates from 40 different countries attended the ceremony, where they were congratulated by their teachers, friends and families.

The Lunar New Year, or Tet holiday, is the most important and largest festival of the year in Vietnam. It is when the Vietnamese express their respects for their ancestors and welcome the lunar New Year with family members. The date of Tet is decided by the lunar calendar; this year, it began on Friday, February 16, and lasts until next weekend. 2018 is known as the year of the Golden Dog.

HSE News Service has asked some of our teachers at HSE for any advice they might have for international students in Moscow. Arkaja Chakraverty and Renira Rampazzo Gambarato agreed to share their secrets. Ms Chakraverty, from India, is Assistant Professor at the International College of Economics and Finance and moved to Moscow in 2017. Dr Bambarato, from Brazil, is Assistant Professor at the Department of Media, Faculty of Communications, Media and Design and has been working at HSE since 2013.

On December 21^st  Master's programme in Applied Social Psychology organized the 4^th annual All Cultures Day at the School of Psychology. International students from many faculties and schools, including Preparatory year students, gathered to celebrate HSE’s multicultural environment and the Russian New Year.

Amand van Rossum, student of a MA Programme in International Relations, has been part of the International Students’ Association since its foundation, first serving as its Vice-Chair and then becoming the Student Advisor and PR Officer. He has talked to HSE News Service about international students’ life in Moscow and the role International Student Association intends to play in helping students better adapt at HSE.

Preparatory Year at HSE aims to help students learn the Russian language in order to subsequently apply to Russian-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes at HSE or other Russian universities. Two recent graduates of the programme share their impressions.