Students from across the globe dream of performing an internship abroad. Russia is obviously one of these countries due to its developed economy and the various opportunities which are available there. However, it can be quite difficult for foreigners to obtain an internship offer in the country.
Foreign trainees studying at a Russian university should be aware of the fact that they are required to dedicate all of their time to their studies and that internships as part of their degree cannot be paid officially. According to the Russian law, students are not allowed to perform paid internships or paid jobs.
Proceedings
To be able to undertake an internship in Russia, you must obtain an official offer by a Russian company beforehand. You are required to register with a Russian university. The invitation to Russia letter will then be issued by the Russia Ministry of Internal Affairs' Passport and Visa department. Once you have obtained this document, you can apply for the visa with the nearest Russian Embassy or Consulate to your place of residence.
Apply for a visa
You may choose between a short-stay visa, if your training has a less than three months duration, or a long-stay visa if your training will last for more than three months. Note that the short stay visa costs some 60 euros while the long stay visa costs around 110 euros. Document to be produced to apply for the visa are the following:
- a duly filled and signed visa application form which is available at visa.kdmid.ru
- two 3.5 x 4.5 cm color photographs
- a valid passport with at least 3 blank pages (that's valid for at least 6 months following the visa expiry date)
- a photocopy of your passport's first three pages
- medical insurance
- the original letter of invitation
- an AIDS screening certificate if you wish to stay for more than 3 months.
Register with a Russian university
Enrollment in Russian universities generally takes place between May 1st to October 15th. You are required to pay registration fees by September first at the latest. You may make a bank transfer if you are not yet in the country. You can proceed with the registration on your own, or with the assistance of a specialized agency.
To enroll at a Russian university, the following documents are required:
- an approved secondary education certificate
- a certificate of fixed income proving that you will be able to support yourself during your stay in Russia (tuition, rent, insurance, meals)
- a certificate of academic ability
- a medical certificate.
All documents will need to be translated into Russian and all translations notarised. In general, you will need some US$1,500 to US$9,000 for tuition fees, between US$300 and US$600 dollars per year for rent for a shared room in a dorm, some US$100 to US$200 per year for insurance fees and an average of US$150 per month for your meals, depending on which city you live in and which university you chose. Moscow and Saint Petersburg are more expensive cities to live in than Yaroslavl and Novisibirsk, for instance.
Find an internship in Russia
There are various ways to find an internship in Russia. You can start by checking out internship offers on the internet. Being able to read and write in Russian will enable you to considerably expand your research and get first hand information. You may also advertise your internship search in various expat groups on social networks and platforms so that potential employers may contact you. Moreover, you can inquire on available opportunities with universities.
Sending spontaneous internship applications is also a common practice. Proceedings are similar to those of a job application. Hence, you will be sending your resume along with a cover letter to a few companies operating in the country.
Important:
You are required to perform all related steps at least 3 months before joining the company for internship.
Useful links:
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