PhD student: visa

1. How can I get a visa for pursuing doctoral studies at HSE University?

1. Prior to applying for a visa, you must be admitted to HSE University (for more details please follow this link).

2. Carefully check your passport: its expiry date must be at least 18 months away from your planned date of entry into Russia. It must also contain at least 4 blank pages for your Russian visa and entry/exit stamps. If you do not have enough blank pages in your passport, you must apply for a new one.

3. You need an invitation in order to get an initial single-entry student visa, which will allow you to enter Russia only once and will last for 90 days. A multiple-entry student visa will be issued upon your arrival to Russia.

 *Important: Visa and registration support is only provided to students of full-time programs.

2. How can I get an invitation for a student visa?

Your doctoral school  will send you a visa invitation by e-mail. Please refer to our guide to check your visa invitation. We do not advise to book tickets until you receive a visa invitation. Alternatively, you can buy a ticket with a flexible date.

Attention: Currently invitations for Russian student visa aren't issued for citizens of:

• Iraq
• Syria
• Somali
• Yemen
• Egypt
• Libya
• Ethiopia
• Afghanistan

3. Where can I apply for a student visa?

Visit a website of the Russian Embassy or Consulate (please see the full list here) where you plan to get your visa, and check the list of required documents and the procedure. You can book an appointment in advance, but please keep in mind the visa invitation processing time - minimum 30 calendar days.

Please refer to our guide to check your visa. If you find an error in your visa, contact the Russian Embassy or Consulate, which issued your visa.

4. Where can i stay ?

Figure out where you will stay beforehand

If you are planning to stay in HSE PhD dorm, you should get an accommodation referral - you will need to send a request to Barminova Lubov - lubovb@hse.ru. Indicate your name, faculty, and arrival date in the email. 

If you are not planning to stay in the dormitory, you may use the assistance of Student housing office to find some alternative accommodation options. 

Read more details about staying in Moscow here.