Student Accommodation in Russia: Options and Costs

Russia is one of the countries that receive large numbers of students every year. This is because it has the best universities, in addition to its affordable cost of studying, compared to other countries. The international students in Russia pass through several stages during their study journey. These stages include finding student accommodation in Russia.

Here are some accommodation options, together with their advantages.

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Student Accommodation Options

Depending on the city and university you choose, you have 5 options of student accommodation in Russia:

Student dormitory
Sharing an apartment with other students
Renting a private flat
Living with a Russian family
Arranging your own housing or a Airbnb

Student Dormitory

All Russian governmental universities offer dormitories for international students. As soon as you got accepted to a governmental university, you secured a place to stay inside the university campus.

Check the top universities in Russia.

The student dormitory is one of the best accommodation options for international students.

Usually, these dormitories are located on campus or not far from the university. In most cases, two to four students share one room.

In a typical room, you will find a desk, chairs, closets, bookshelves, and beds. Student dormitories usually include shared kitchens, restaurants, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

Students living in the dormitories shall respect some rules. The most important of these rules is not to damage the furniture, keep the cleanliness of the room, and not make too much noise.

You are entitled to stay at a student dormitory if you are:

a full-time student enrolled in main educational programs (for the whole duration of a study program)
a part-time student enrolled in main educational programs (during the interim and final exams)

Make sure to ask about the following in advance:

The location of the dormitory.
The available rooms and facilities.
The cost and payment method.

Important note: Remember that you can only get a place in the student dormitory through the university representative, and under specific conditions. Any offers by companies or agencies that claim they can offer you a place is a fraud.

Rental Apartment

In case the university you got accepted in has no dormitories, or they are not an accommodation option, renting an apartment is your best option. Although staying in an apartment is expensive, when compared to the student dormitories, you will enjoy comfort and many advantages.

You can choose between staying with a partner and sharing the expenses, or staying with a host family.

How much is student accommodation in Russia?

The cost of the student dormitory varies according to the university and its fees. It starts from 500 to 5,000 rubles per month. This also differs according to the city where the dormitory is located. You can pay per month, in advance, or even per year, which may get you a discount.

Moscow and Petersburg are the most expensive Russian cities, with regard to the cost of living. The smaller the cities are, the less the costs of accommodation and living are.

The cost of a room in Moscow, with all facilities, ranges between 15,000 and 20,000 rubles per month. In other cities, it may cost half of this price.

Some universities help their students by offering them accommodation with a host family or a room. So, contact the university representative for more information about the help they can offer.

Further tips on student accommodation in Russia

When looking for a housing in Russia, you need to keep in mind that the number of students often exceeds the number of available rooms in the universities. But you can always turn to the other options while waiting for a more permanent housing.

If you opt for renting an apartment, and you want to move out, make sure to give a written notice in at least one month before your leaving. Moreover, when renting an apartment or sharing one with other students, you may have either a furnished or an unfurnished one. Be sure to check this information when you inquire of the price of the accommodation, as well as the common areas, facilities etc

Some universities in Russia help their students find housing, including finding host families. To learn if this service is available, ask the representatives of your universities, so you can have fast accommodation. And while waiting for a suitable housing, you can arrange for a temporary stay at a dormitory or Airbnb, for example.

In case your university does not provide such help, you can always turn to local realtors or look for an apartment on real estate websites like avito.ru or cian.ru.

As now, you know how to get a student accommodation in Russia, you can also read: