Saint Petersburg State University

About Saint Petersburg State University

Saint Petersburg State University — also called Saint Petersburg University or SPbU — is a federal state university in St Petersburg, Russia. It was founded by a decree of Peter I dated 22 January 1724. The founder and owner of its property is the Russian Federation, and the Government of the Russian Federation exercises the founder's functions. The main address is 7–9 Universitetskaya Embankment. In 2009 a law gave SPbU and Lomonosov Moscow State University a special status. SPbU is a different institution from the other St Petersburg universities with similar names, such as the State University of Economics or the State University of Industrial Technologies and Design.

Institutes and research

The university includes institutes of history, philosophy, chemistry, earth sciences, pedagogy, cognitive studies, theology and management, a Medical Institute and a Higher School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Its faculties include biology, mathematics and mechanics, physics, economics, law, oriental studies, international relations, psychology, sociology, philology, foreign languages, arts, and liberal arts and sciences. SPbU has branches in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Gatchina (Leningrad Region). According to the university, it offers 720 educational programmes and its Research Park has 22 resource centres.

Students

The university reports more than 5,800 degree and non-degree international students from 130 countries, and more than 4,250 teaching and research staff.

For international applicants

SPbU has run a preparatory course for international applicants since 2018. It lasts 10 months (1,152 study hours, two semesters) and can be taken full-time or online. The first semester is devoted entirely to Russian. The course offers these tracks: natural sciences, engineering and technology, humanities, economics, or medicine and biology. The course prepares applicants for degree study entirely in Russian. Applicants apply through a personal account on the course website and upload their documents there.

For degree programmes, applicants submit an online application through the "University Admission Online" service on the Gosuslugi portal. A separate application route exists for the Russian Government scholarship, and applicants can also apply on a fee-paying basis. The International Admissions Office is at 13B Universitetskaya Embankment. The university also lists more than 1,200 courses taught in English and other foreign languages, including German, Chinese, Spanish, French and Italian.

Housing

According to its mandatory disclosure, SPbU has 23 dormitories with 13,710 places. The English-language site says accommodation is provided to all full-time students, including international students. Rooms are furnished and have internet access. The halls have laundry facilities, cafes, canteens, shops, gyms and ATMs.