According to experts' forecasts, the peak of the coronavirus epidemic in Russia is expected in late April, which means that the epidemic would be decreasing in May. Today there are 6542 confirmed cases of the disease in Russia; this represents less than 0.003% of the country's population. The school year in Russia for students enrolling in the main educational programs will start regularly in September, and for students in preparatory courses from the beginning of October.

Admission procedure for foreign students in the new academic year

Admission to studies for foreign students in 2020 is open: most universities continue to accept foreign applications. Due to the epidemic, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia has already extended the deadlines for acceptance of documents in universities for Russian applicants. The admissions campaign for foreign candidates this year should also be extended; the exact information on this will not appear until the beginning of May. If this is the case, foreign applicants will have more time to apply for studies in Russia. However, due to the epidemiological situation, the processing of visa invitations may be delayed, so it is important to choose programs and universities, as well as prepare admission documents in advance.

Impact of the epidemic on studies

Currently, courses at Russian universities are provided online: this is one of the measures taken by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The majority of universities have been able to adapt flexibly to the new conditions: in just two weeks, more than 60% of universities have successfully switched to distance education. The remaining universities could make this transition as soon as possible. The teachers organize video seminars for all students, including foreigners, using the Skype and Zoom platforms. Conferences are available for students in the form of online courses on special electronic platforms of universities. The universities plan to resume regular face-to-face studies in May.

Measures taken by Russia to combat the coronavirus

Measures taken in Russia to prevent the spread of the infection allow the country to avoid an uncontrolled outbreak of the epidemic. Among the most important of these measures are:

·      Scheduled and charter flights with all countries have been significantly limited;

·      The crossing of the national border of the country by automobile, railway, pedestrian and other checkpoints has been limited;

·      The whole month of April was announced non-commercial;

·      Citizens are required to respect the self-isolation regime;

·      All mass events have been canceled or postponed, schools and universities have switched to distance education;

·      Cafes, restaurants, cultural, entertainment and sports facilities are temporarily closed;

·      The number of laboratories with the capacity to test the coronavirus has been increased.