SCHOOL IN THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Format of study
online/offline
Language of study
Russian/English
Duration
2 weeks
January 13−26, 2025
Results
4 ECTS, official ITMO certificate
Application deadline
offline — November 11, 2024
online — December 16, 2024
Fees
offline — 35,000 RUB
online — 22,000 RUB

Who can apply?

The course is valid for current university students or university graduates.

Program description

Online

  • Classes are held via Zoom;
  • Classes are held for 3 hours on each business day;
  • The course includes project work and extracurricular activities;
  • Classes will be held in the mornings; the exact schedule will be announced later (GMT+3);
  • Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive an official ITMO certificate.

Offline

  • Classes are held on campus;
  • Classes are held each business day from 10 am to 1 pm;
  • The course includes project work and extracurricular activities;
  • Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive an official ITMO certificate.

Proficiency levels

Students will be assigned to Russian language proficiency levels after taking a short placement test
  • Basic

    This course will help you acquire basic knowledge of the Russian language: the alphabet, pronunciation rules, as well as basic grammar and vocabulary. You will learn to read and write in Russian, as well as comprehend colloquial phrases. Students will participate in dialogs, games, and other tasks to gain basic communication skills. Practice-oriented and interactive, all classes are delivered by top-tier talented lecturers from ITMO University.
  • Elementary

    The course is designed for those who have started learning Russian and want to move further along this exciting yet challenging path! In class, you will revise the common grammatical structures, cases, and verbs of movement. In the course, students learn through communication: they participate in discussions, role-playing, and other practical tasks to immediately put their knowledge and skills into practice.
  • Intermediate

    If you’re confident in your Russian skills, you can join our intermediate-level course to deepen your language knowledge and increase your vocabulary by participating in discussions on relevant topics, as well as studying commonly-used vocabulary and grammar structures, such as the passive voice, verb and noun government, and the transgressive.
  • Upper-Intermediate

    Those who know a ton and want to know even more can join our upper-intermediate course and explore a range of language aspects, including grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Here, you will learn to use complex grammatical structures and build up a rich vocabulary to communicate more clearly and efficiently. Interactive and communicative language teaching are used during all classes. You will improve your skills and better understand context through dialogs, debates, role-playing, and other interactive tasks.
Specialized courses
Each specialized course lasts 1 week. Students can choose 1 or 2 courses for the whole camp period.
Speaking Practice
Designed for learners with intermediate proficiency level (B1 and higher), the course aims to help students develop the soft skills necessary for smooth and efficient communication in a Russian-speaking environment. In class, we will study Russian culture and compare it to other cultures and international standards, as well as explore a variety of other topics.
History of Russian Society
This course on the history of Russian society is a fascinating journey through the centuries and political regimes. It seeks to help students broaden their knowledge of Russian history, as well as boost their critical thinking skills and ability to critically analyze historical events. Students will discuss and analyze different periods of history to gain a deeper understanding of historical processes and how they impacted the present.
Russian Culture
At the Russian Culture courses, students will dive deep into Russian culture, developing their critical and analytical thinking skills, as well as understanding of the Russian cultural context. At the core of the course is the study of the key milestones that have shaped Russian culture. As part of the course, students will review and analyze different aspects of Russian culture such as literature, art, religion, and history, to better understand the defining characteristics of the country and its role in world culture.
Politics and Diplomacy of the Russian Federation
This course is dedicated to modern Russian statehood and such aspects as the evolution of its political structure, formation of civil society institutions, interaction with international organizations such as the UN, BRICS, WTO, and the EU. The course is adapted for students learning Russian as a foreign language. It is aimed at educating students about the political history of Russia and improving their Russian language skills as the Russian language is one of the six official languages of the UN, UNESCO, and other international organizations.
Russian Poetry
The Russian Poetry course is aimed at international students striving to immerse themselves in the world of Russian poetry, expand their knowledge of the Russian language, and develop emotional and aesthetic perception of Russian poetry. During the course, students will look into Russian poems, as well as their history, stylistics, topics, and literary contributions. Students will be actively involved in discussions and analysis of poems to truly understand and assess their aesthetics and cultural value.
Culture of the Russian North
Students will explore the Russian North, its nature, culture, and history by getting to know its key features: geography, climate, and heritage. The course offers a chance to not only learn more about the Russian North but also take your language skills to the next level. It will help you grow more confident in your language while speaking and get a better grasp of the region’s cultural features.
Great Names of Russia
At this course, students will deepen their knowledge about the culture and history of Russia by studying the lives and accomplishments of the country’s prominent figures. You will analyze biographies of famous people and their impact on domestic and world culture, as well as read original texts, watch videos, and discuss them in class. The course primarily focuses on increasing vocabulary and practicing grammatical forms and structures.
Russian Cinema
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Russian cinematography and learn more about Russian culture and history through movies. In the course, students will look into different parts of Russian cinematography, from its history and genres to well-known directors and actors and actresses. You will watch and analyze movies, as well as their genres, symbolism, styles, and features. Other activities include watching movie fragments, reading original texts, and discussions.
Part-Time Russian Language
Combine Russian with other classes — with a part-time Russian course that will help you start your learning journey or boost your current skills. Its key features are flexibility and individualized learning. Groups are formed upon request and in accordance with students' proficiency level so that students could make the most out of their study time and achieve their language learning goals.

Cultural events

The school is organizing on-site events for students every Saturday

City tours

St. Petersburg is a magnificent, culture-rich city with a wealth of historical sites. On a sightseeing tour, you will see the city’s major sights, the Hermitage State Museum, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, Peter and Paul Fortress, and Church of the Savior on Blood, as well as take in the atmosphere of the city’s streets, art and buildings, which reflects its unique history.

Themed quests by ITMO buddies

A traditional competition-driven quest across St. Pete’s famous landmarks is an excellent chance to take awesome pics, experience the city, as well as mingle with Russian-speaking students from ITMO Buddy System.

Poetry world map

Embark on a round-the-world poetry journey to explore how poets of various cultures and epochs influenced each other’s works. All participants will be able to share poetry from their homeland, and those who write themselves are welcome to read their work in the original and in translation.

Russian North

This fun-rich event invites international students with different levels of language proficiency to delve into the geography and cultural features of the Russian North in an interactive format. Within an hour, students will immerse themselves in the fascinating world of this unique region and feel the true atmosphere of the north through watching and discussing videos.

Why choose ITMO?

Schools ITMO. St. Petersburg. ITMO University
Schools ITMO. St. Petersburg. ITMO University

  • Ranked #595 by QS WUR out of 1,503 universities around the world

  • Named among the top 100 (#78) in the QS subject ranking Computer Science & Information Systems
  • Ranked #51−70 in the QS subject ranking Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
  • Ranked #146 in the QS subject ranking Electrical & Electronic Engineering
  • Winner of AI Journey Contest, Google Image Matching Challenge, Topcoder Open, and more
  • 45+ partner universities around the world
Student feedback

Application documents

  • A scanned copy of your passport (ID)
  • CV

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