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RUSSIAN COURSES

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The best way to learn a language is to live, eat and breathe it!  In St Petersburg, you get the opportunity to do just that. You’ll live with a local family while doing your course, giving you the opportunity to practice your newly-learned Russian every day at home and while shopping or socialising in your leisure time.

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RUSSIAN COURSES

The course can be completed in 1, 2 or 3 months, and even longer, depending on how long you would like to go for. The course is organised by the State University of St Petersburg.

Lessons are normally spread over 20-hours per week, and are taught in a group environment with lessons lasting 1 and a half hours in length. You will normally only work 4 days a week but you may be asked to attend 5 days a week. This allows you plenty of time for any homework and also gives you lots of time to sightsee and explore the city while you’re there.

An outline of the type of elements included in the course is given below:

1. The Russian Alphabet. Russian Sounds.
2. Phonetics
3. Grammar
4. Conversational
5. Acquaintance
6. About yourself.
7. About your Family.
8. Weather.
9. Appearance.
10. Traveling.
11. The days of the week. Months.
12. Working day
13. Numerals.
14. Revision.

Upon arrival you will sit a test to determine your level of ability and then allocated to a class to suit your level. If you qualify to join groups with a greater knowledge of Russian, you'll also be able to attend lectures on:

• Russian Literature

• Viewing and discussion Russian Films

• Reviewing and discussing the Media.

Throughout your time you may sit various tests which will result in higher merit for you, and during a 3 month course there are approximately 4 tests which you are likely to be able to take. If you wish, and if it applies to your native university, then the St Petersburg University can issue credit hours to help with your application to university in England or abroad. Some universities do ask for this if you are applying to take part on a Russian language course at university. 

Also, three times during the year you have the opportunity to apply to take a test which will entitle you to a ‘State Certificate of Knowledge of Russia’. These certificates are very well known and may help in your application to university. They could also serve as an additional qualification if you're planning a career within the languages field.  

Upon completion of the course the University will issue a certificate which confirms that you were trained in the Centre of Russian Language and Culture of the St Petersburg State University, for the period of your placement.

If you would also like to teach and learn Russian, then we can arrange a combination placement or a dual placement for you. The combination course will integrate your teaching placement and your Russian Course during your stay in St Petersburg. The Dual placement will mean that you have a month/s solely on the Russian course and then a month/s just on the teaching project

Please note that you must apply at least six months (approximately) before the date you'd like to start your placement. This is because Russian bureaucracy is ever-changing and requires a lot of time to get your visa.

"You can't beat learning a language and then going straight out and practising it on people outside, because you have to! I found I learnt very quickly, much quicker than if I'd been taking lessons in a class at home."

You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.) Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.

We may also be able to provide you with a TRAVEL PASS which enables you to travel locally for FREE during your placement.

VISAS: For most countries you will need to apply your visa but we will send you all the necessary forms and information.  We will make the process very easy for you.

If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket. We meet you at the airport regardless of whether you make your own travel arrangements or not.

We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!

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