Thread: Need income while in Russia

Hello, I want to go to Russia to study, but I don't have any money. I mean I do have a little money, enough to buy a plane ticket to get there, but it would run out soon after I got there. So would I be able to find some kind of part time job there to make enough to live on and pay my tuition? Or maybe universities there offer some kind of on-campus work for foreign students?

What kind of job did you have in mind? Unless you're a brain surgeon or nuclear physicist, your chances of finding gainful employment are virtually zero.

i met some students who taught english for a couple hours a week. Wasnt enough to live off of though, but they got 15 bucks an hour. Just didnt work that many hours a week. They were extremely lucky to get that though

So the only way to go study in Russia is if I first save up enough money in Canada to live on while there? How much would I need to last me about a year in Russia, including tuition?

Tuition for a year: USD ~$2000
Dorms for a year: USD ~$2000
Food for a year: USD ~$1200
Alcohol for a year: USD ~$500

Of course this depends on where in Russia, these prices should be true for Petersburg...

More expensive in Moscow, less expensive in Norilsk

and how expensive the alchol you want is.

Probably best if you are a student to pay tuition for abroad as you are now at your home institution, if you are a current student at a university. Whether that be from your pocket, loans etc. Say you go next fall, start working asap and over the summer to get some cash saved up. I think i spent around 1200 or so for one semester for "fun" expenses. Food, drink, travel. I did have some included meals at my homestay, but still ate out a lot. Lunches, some dinners. 1200 bucks over 5 or 6 months can go a long way. You can also blow it real fast if you make a habit of going to expensive places, and there are a lot of them.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Tuition for a year: USD ~$2000
Dorms for a year: USD ~$2000
Food for a year: USD ~$1200
Alcohol for a year: USD ~$500

Of course this depends on where in Russia, these prices should be true for Petersburg...

I can't tell you about tuition fees, but I can tell you that USD $1200 is OK for a month, but not for a year.

Hmm I would prefer not to go to Moscow or Sankt Peterburg because those are very large tourist-oriented cities and therefore expensive. I would prefer a smaller city, but not a town. What are some cities which have a population between 200,000-500,000 and have a university?

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

I can't tell you about tuition fees, but I can tell you that USD $1200 is OK for a month, but not for a year.

Ah but that's because you spend all your time sitting in the cafe eating блины с красной икрой

I hear of people learning Russian in Pskov, Murmansk and Vladimir... maybe those are better places?

$1200 for a month!? You will live like a king!

Originally Posted by Danilo

What are some cities which have a population between 200,000-500,000 and have a university?

All of them have. I live in a city which has population about 200 000. There are some universities here. Most of them are bad or useless for foreigners, I guess you don't want to study russian laws or something like that. Speaking frankly, I know only one which is not bad but it is a branch of university from another city and about last 2-3 years students study at main university in a big city, but anyway it has specific subjects local industry oriented - there are a lot of metallurgical works in my city so the main stream in the university is "обработка металлов давлением" - metal forming and "механика" - mechanics. The prices are lower here than in a big cities, a couple of years ago tuition costs about $700 a year, 1 bedroom apartment rent is about $120 a month and so on. But remember you will have no chances to get part time job.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

$1200 for a month!? You will live like a king!

I dunno. I spend more than $1200 a month and consider myself a very frugal person. On the other hand, it might be different for students - they have discounts and all. Unless, of course, you go to those horrible peasant places where they will fry you a sarcoptic manged up stray and call it 'rabbit stew'...

waxwing
No, I don't eat blini s ikroi - I hate ikra and I don't like blinis.

If you live in a dorm and cook your own food you can live quite cheaply. Eating out will cost you $4-8 a meal at the cheapest cafes and fast food stands.

supermarket prices=
bread 7-11p
1kg potatoes 17p
1L juice 35p
250g frozen farsh 19p
1L milk 21p
instant noodle soup (1packet=1 serving) 3p

Originally Posted by JB

...Eating out will cost you $4-8 a meal at the cheapest cafes and fast food stands.
...
250g frozen farsh 19p
instant noodle soup (1packet=1 serving) 3p

Gotcha! So you're not a doctor then. (I knew you weren't a doctor but I needed proof, something I could show everyone on this board) Only a quack or a Nazi "doctor" would advise people to eat out at "fast food stands" or buy "frozen farsh" and "instant noodle soup". Thanks, JB, you've made my day.

Doctor??? VM, I don't know what you've been eating for $1200 a month, but I think it may be causing brain damage.
And for all those Moscow students who can't afford to eat the VM diet but don't like Роллтон soup, you can check out this weeks sales at
www.mosmart.ru and www.perekriostok.ru

I lived in Peter a year, and had my own apartment. I also bought my own groceries. I bought mostly imported food and I spent about $20-25 for one week of food.

Rent was $500 (3-bedroom apt), my share: $200
food: (conservative) $30*4 = $120
resaturants (happens to the best of us): $20*4 = $80
Alcohol: Expensive beer at bar: $2*100 = $200

still only $600

what will get you is museums and stuff, unless you are a student. I was a student and got free entry to nearly all museum. The Russian Museum I visited almost every week at one point.

Originally Posted by JB

Doctor???

Well, I know you never claimed to be a proper doc, but you did say you were into pulling 'em babes with a pair of tongs, a midwife of sorts, and you were always making it look like a big deal, weren't you, a midwife with an attitude... Thing is, even an ignorant orderly will tell you that eating junk food won't do your health any good. I can only conclude that you aren't connected to any medical profession whatsoever.

VM, I don't know what you've been eating for $1200 a month

Are you familiar with the expression "ne khlebom yedinim"? A chap has other needs besides eating out in style.

but I think it may be causing brain damage.

And who gives a hoot about what you think now that you've entirely discredited yourself as a medical person?

And for all those Moscow students who can't afford to eat the VM diet but don't like Роллтон soup, you can check out this weeks sales at
www.mosmart.ru and www.perekriostok.ru

I told you, it's not just about feeding your face, it's about living your life to the full. Not that you'd know much about it....

VM, your psychotic ramblings are way off the subject of the original question. Danilo wants to know how to survive in Russia on a student's budget.

Originally Posted by JB

VM, your psychotic ramblings are way off the subject of the original question.

Since you turned down that invitation to a tea party anything that exposes your porkies is spot on in any thread, innit?

Originally Posted by JB

Danilo wants to know how to survive in Russia on a student's budget.

Mission impossible.