International students completed their training at the Pre-University Training Center of Tomsk State University. In total, 62 students have successfully completed the preparatory course, and all of them intend to continue their studies at TSU. Among the graduates are citizens of Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, China, Peru, Chile, Nigeria, Mali, Pakistan and other countries.

Training international students according to the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation is an important part of TSU's mission to ensure equal opportunities for talented young people. Every year, about 90% of graduates of the Pre-University Training Center enter TSU and other universities in Russia.

According to this quota, international students have been coming to study at TSU for more than ten years. At first, these were small groups, now, after one-year preparatory courses at the Pre-University Training Center, about 60-70 students graduate annually, who continue their studies at the main educational programs at TSU. Many choose the Faculty of Historical and Political Sciences, the Biological Institute, the Institute of Economics and Management, the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. International students often chose International Relations, Management, Biology, Ecology and Nature Management.

— Students fr om all over the world come to study at TSU. These countries include Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, India, China, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Nigeria, Mali, and South Africa. There are more students from certain countries – mainly these are countries with whose representative offices we have been interacting for quite a long time. Over the years, we have seen many of these students demonstrate high achievements, they are active in research and public projects. They are often well motivated to show high academic results, for example, scholarships from their native government. TSU, in turn, seeks to create conditions conducive to their development and success, actively including international students not only in the scientific community, but also in public life, – said Anna Tikhonova, deputy head of the International Students Recruitment and Admission Office.

This year there is a representative of a new country for the Pre-University Training Center – a girl from Slovakia. She enters TSU according to the quota for the program “Translation and Translation Studies”. Also this year, after a preparatory course, three students from Indonesia, Zimbabwe and Pakistan have joined the Higher Engineering School of Agrobiotechnology to study Agronomy and Bioinformatics.

Graduates of Pre-University Training Center – about their path to TSU

For international students, the preparatory course becomes not just language training, but an important stage in personal growth and adaptation in Russia.

Mohamed Elkradawy from Egypt came to Tomsk to study Educational Analytics within the master program. He says that in the beginning it was not easy without a good knowledge of the Russian language, but it was at TSU that he met support that helped him believe in himself.

— I chose TSU because it is one of the leading universities in Russia and provides quality education to students from around the world. I was also attracted by the university’s strong research schools and the opportunity to gain modern knowledge in the field of interest. Before entering the master course, I studied Russian at the TSU Pre-University Training Center. Due to the professionalism of my teachers, their patience and constant support, I was able to significantly improve my language proficiency. Now I speak much more confidently in Russian, I can read educational and scientific texts, communicate with teachers and students. Most of all I liked the friendly atmosphere of the university. Teachers are always ready to help students and answer any questions. At TSU, I met many interesting people from around the world and gained valuable international experience, – says Mohamed Elkradawy.

In the future, if possible, he would like to take a graduate course at TSU.

— Studying at TSU has become and, I am sure, will remain an important stage in my academic, professional and personal development, – adds Mohamed Elkradawy.

Another graduate of the Pre-University Training Center, Abdul Basit, came to Russia from Pakistan without knowing the language at all. Now he is entering the master course in International Relations. For him, TSU became not just a university, but a place wh ere he found new friends and confidence in the future.

— When I chose a university, it was important for me to get a quality education, get acquainted with a new culture and learn Russian. That is why I chose TSU. I liked that students fr om different countries study here, and Tomsk is called a real student city. Now I understand that I made the right choice. During my studies, TSU became for me not only a university, but also a place wh ere I met good friends, gained new knowledge and valuable life experience. Teachers always supported us and helped to believe in ourselves. Now I can study in Russian, communicate with teachers, classmates and friends, and also use Russian in everyday life. Sometimes I even wonder how far I could get. For me, this is one of the biggest results, – says Abdul Basit.

He enters the TSU master course in International Relations and continues to improve the Russian language – with confidence that this will be useful in his future professional career.

— After training, I want to work in my specialty in the field of international relations. I hope that the knowledge that I received at TSU will help me build a successful career and contribute to the development of international cooperation, – says Abdul Basit. – I am very grateful to TSU for the experience gained, new acquaintances and warm memories that will remain with me for life.

TSU Pre-University Training Center was established in 2015. Over ten years, it was able to create a complex system to work with foreign citizens, and the geography of the center has expanded to four continents. The mission of the center is not only to prepare students for admission to Russian universities, but also to learn the culture and traditions of Russia. The teachers here help students adapt to life in Russia, learn Siberia, and form an understanding of their future profession.