Russian universities are planning to start offering more places to foreign students, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Lyudmila Ogorodova, told journalists on Jan. 25.
"The minister and I decided to increase the quota for foreign students, and we asked for 50,000 more places, which is around 30% more than the current number," said Ogorodova.
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Ogorodova said Russian universities are prepared to accommodate the increased number of foreign students.
The government's investments in science and education over the past several years have been instrumental in creating educational opportunities for foreign students, including programs in English, at many Russian universities.
Ogorodova said that medical, engineering, pharmaceutical, and IT programs are particularly popular with foreign students in Russia.
There are also plans to simplify the visa requirements for foreign students enrolled at Russian universities by giving them a visa to cover the entire period of studies, instead of re-applying every year for a visa. A relevant bill has been submitted to the government.