Russian communication courses in Russia
List of most Frequently Asked Questions
When you have received your registration contract (drafted in English and in Russian), we will ask you to fill in the details, to sign it, then to scan and e-mail it and to pay the advance fee.
You will receive the invoice of your language program with your registration contract. Details about our bank account in Russia are given in the invoice. Payment is made in two instalments by bank transfer. You will be asked to pay an advance fee of 30% of the total cost of the program in order to validate your registration. The remainder must be paid no later than 10 days in advance of the program start date. In case you don't want to pay the bank charges twice, it is also possible to proceed directly to the payment of the full amount. All the bank charges charged by the transit banks are covered by the participant.
No problem if we are informed at the time of your registration.
According to how long you plan to stay in Russia (which cannot exceed 90 consecutive days) we will send you an invitation:
- Within 24 hours (from receipt of payment confirmation) if you stay in Russia less than 1 month.
- Within 13 working days (from receipt of payment confirmation) if you stay longer than 1 month (can be shortened to 7 or 3 working days on request)
To obtain your visa, you will need the following documents:
- The invitation letter
- An insurance certificate (original) covering your stay in Russia (depends on the country where you apply)
- The visa application form duly completed with a passport photo
- Your passport (must still be valid 6 months after your return date)
These documents must be handed in at the embassy or the Russian consulate of your choice. It will cost you 35 Euros to obtain the visa within 5 working days. It is possible to obtain it faster with extra-cost. You can also apply through a visa agency which will do all the necessary for you.
After you obtained your visa, it must be registered every time you stay more than 3 working days in a Russian town.
We will take care of your visa registration in Novosibirsk free of charge. Our partner agency in Moscow can register your visa if you plan to stay in the city more than three working days.
The climate is highly continental. Summer is warm and sunny; winter is cold and snowy. The first heavy snowfalls start from the middle of November. Winter is rather mild until the end of December.
The average temperature between January and March is -20°C and is sometimes falling to -30°C. As the cold is dry, it is far more bearable than the cold and dampness in Europe. We strongly advise you to put on a "chapka" (the traditional Russian fur hat) not to catch a chill! You can click here for further details.
Here is a list of useful clothes:
- A warm waterproof coat (a ski coat will be perfect)
- Waterproof gloves
- A woolen hat
- A fleece jacket and two pullovers
- A pair of warm tights
- Waterproof shoes lined with fur
All these clothes can be bought on the spot at a low price.
Russian airlines have pratically changed their whole fleet for five years and now comply with international air safety regulations.
The biggest Russian airline company is Aeroflot which serves all the largest capitals in Europe from Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow.
Its main competitor is the S7 airline company which provides national flights from Domodedovo Airport in Moscow and which has partnerships with international companies.
S7 offers direct flights from Europe from Frankfurt, Berlin, Prague and Hanover. More information on flights here.
If possible, we recommend you to buy your flight ticket on the airlines website directly in order to benefit from their cancellation policy.
Since March 2010, the new passenger Sheremetyevo Terminal D has fully replaced Terminals 1 and 2 to operate both domestic and international flights. All the flights Moscow-Novosibirsk now take off from this Terminal. The terminal is clear with information translated in English.
Passengers who travel economy class on Russian domestic flights are allowed to take a hold luggage weighing 20 kg maximum. You are also allowed to take a hand luggage up to 10 kg (according to the company) on board. Remember to check these weight limits before leaving and make sure that you don't exceed them : if you do, you will have to pay for excess luggage (about 10 Euros for every additional kilo).
On your arrival at Novosibirsk, one of our employees will meet you at the airport holding a sign with your name and will drive you to your host family or to your apartment.
Most flights from Moscow arrive at Novosibirsk between 5 and 7 a.m. It's no trouble because our host families are accustomed to these early arrivals.
The Russian government has established a lot of safety regulations to fight against terrorism. That's why people are prohibited from taking pictures of military zones, bridges, railway stations, metro stations, harbours and airports throughout the country. We strongly advise you to respect this rule not to get inte trouble.
The cost of living here is two and even three times lower than in Europe. The current exchange rate of the Rouble is as follows: 1 € = 40 Roubles (April 2011).
Here are a few prices :
- a bus/underground ticket : 15 roubles (about 40 cents)
- a cup of tea/coffee : 50 roubles (about 1 €)
- a standard meal in snack/restaurant : 300 roubles (about 6 €)
- a cinema/theatre seat : 200 roubles (4 €)
If you decide to change money before leaving, don't take more than 10 000 Roubles. Be careful about the exchange rate during the transaction.
You won't have any problems to withdraw money here if you have a Visa or Mastercard credit card. We advise you to ask your bank before leaving about the commissions you pay when you withdraw money or make a payment abroad.
The telephone network in Novosibirsk is well-developed and most foreign operators are available. However we strongly recommend you to use your telephone only to send and receive SMS because of the probitive price of the calls to or from foreign countries.
For calls to foreign countries, prepaid international cards to phone abroad from a fixed telephone are on sale here. You can also phone from the post-offices.
Our centre is situated 39 Romanova Street and is a five minute walk from Lenin Square and the Opera House. The nearest underground stations are "Krasny Prospekt" and "Plochad Lenina" which are a five minute walk or so from the language centre. On your arrival we will give you a map of Novosibirsk that will show you the way to the centre from your dwelling. If you stay with a host family, somebody from the family will accompany you to the centre on the first day.
Our centre is open from 9.30 am till 6.30 pm. When the centre is open you are welcome even if you have no course: Russian films and books are at your disposal. The centre is also equipped with wireless Internet access.
The centre is situated close to the city central park in which you will find a lot of kiosks where sandwiches, pancakes and drinks are sold. There are also many restaurants near Lenin Square and on "Krasny Prospekt".
In theory it is necessary to register for the course no later than 30 days before the program start date. This deadline is given to ensure that you will receive your visa on time. If you already have a valid Russian visa, you can register for our program no later than one week before the program start date (in case of course availability).
No absence or lateness we are not responsible for will either be compensated or refunded. Group lessons cancelled on bank holidays and public holidays will not be either compensated or refunded. Individual lessons cancelled on bank holidays and public holidays will be postponed.
No vaccination is required for a stay in Russia. Make sure that your DTP vaccination (against Diphteria, Tetanus and Polio) is up to date. In the event of a long stay, we advise you to consult your doctor who will judge whether it is necessary or not to be vaccinated against influenza A and hepatitis A/B. If you plan to prolong your stay off the beaten track by visiting Altaï or Lake Baikal between April and September, we advise you to consult a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of arbovirosis (encephalitis caused by ticks, Lyme disease, etc.) before leaving your country.
Don't forget to take the medicines you usually take to treat chronic illness because it is sometimes difficult to find the same medicines in Russia. Also we advise you to bring with you the pain-relieving medicines you usually take for headache, stomach trouble, toothache...
Never drink tap water unless you boiled it beforehand. Brushing your teeth with tap water is not hazardous to health however.
The time difference between Europe and Russia is 5 hours. Here are some useful advice to fight down your anxiety :
- Prepare for your journey one week before leaving by taking your meals and by going to bed 30 minutes earlier everyday.
- Before the flight, put your watch forward by 5 hours to go over to Novosibirsk time; during the flight already try to get accustomed to the future rhythm of your everyday life.
- On your arrival we advise you to rest for 2 hours to get over the tiring effects of the flight and then to adopt the local rhythm.
- Avoid alcohol the first days of your stay.
In the event of health problems, the international medical centre Avicenna remains open twenty-four hours a day and is situated near the language centre (35 Krasny Prospekt).
Ticks
The return of summery temperatures contribute to the proliferation of ticks in the forests outside the city. Ticks can carry encephalitis or Lyme disease. If you plan to stay in Siberia in late Spring or in Summer, it is advisable to avoid walking in the tall grass in forests between April and September. If you have to walk through a forest always cover parts of your body that are usually bare (particularly your head and your hands) and always examine your skin for ticks when you have finished your walk. In the event of a tick bite, contact the nearest hospital as quickly as possible to have an injection against encephalitis.
Stray dogs
It is advisable to avoid stray animals and to go away from animals behaving abnormally. If you were bitten, clawed, wounded or if a mucous membrane were in contact with animal saliva, wash the point of contact with soapy water immediately, put an antiseptic ointment and consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Just to be on the safe side
It is advisable to pay careful attention to the best-before date of foodstuffs (Note that in Russia the date mentioned is often the packing date and rearly the best-before date). Be wary of home-made adulterated vodka or spirits sold in kiosks.
it is no problem if you inform us in advance. Extra-cost for accommodation is 25 euros per extra-night (including half-board).
Most families are selected for the quality of the accommodation. They are well-mannered people who are eager to accommodate foreign visitors and to share their culture and their way of life. Before your arrival we will talk with you to come up to your expectations and to ensure that we find a host family that suits you. We always evaluate the quality of the accommodation by asking our participants their opinion of their host family at the end of their stay.
No problem. Just inform us of your wish when you register for the language course.
All our host families know perfectly well that the aim of your stay is to learn Russian. You will practise your Russian on them and speaking in your host family will motivate and encourage you to improve your Russian during the lessons.
As regards presents, the best thing to do is to take several small souvenirs from your region/country which will always give great pleasure to the people you are going to meet during your stay.
Note that only vacuum-packed/preserved food is allowed through the customs. Furthermore bottles of wine/spirits are not a problem (two bottles per person).
Your accommodation include the breakfast as well as the evening meal. Meals are taken at set times which depend on the family who accommodates the guest.
You mustn't be present at every meal of course but if you can't, please warn your host family a few hours beforehand over the phone, in the morning, or during the day.
If you are allergetic to pets or food (cats, milk, peanuts...) or if you are on a special diet, just tell us when you register for the language course. No problem!
Russian power points are identical to European power points (220 Volts/5O Hz Frequency). Note that if you travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway it is not advisable (except on the latest trains) to plug in your computer or your telephone because of voltage variations during the journey.
Your family will give you an apartment key at the beginning of your stay.
You can make phone calls in the city from the family's telephone and receive calls from Russia and from abroad too. We ask you not to use the host family's telephone to make call abroad.
If you want to phone abroad from the apartment, we will ask you to buy prepaid international cards here. You can also phone from any post office.
Most host families have got Internet access in their apartment. If it really matters to you, please inform us as soon as you register for the course and we will do our best to accommodate you in a family accessing to the Internet.
If for some reason or other you wanted to live with another host family during your stay, thank you for informing the person in charge of accommodation as soon as possible. We will do our best to find a solution to your problem.
Each host family has a washing machine that will be at your disposal during your stay.
No problem if your visa is still valid. You can choose to extend only accommodation or lessons+accommodation (depending on your host family and teachers availability). Thank you for keeping us informed as soon as your decision is made.
As we have many partners in Russia, we will be very pleased to help you organize your travel before or after your stay in Novosibirsk.
Register | FAQ | TRKI/TORFL | General Conditions | Links | Reviews | Contact
Learn Russian in Russia - Russian course in Russia - Study Russian in Russia
Russian language school in Russia - © 2008-2012, Exlinguo - All rights reserved
