Where to Study in the Russian Language (Outside of Russia)

Russian is one of the most popular languages on earth. Everyone has heard this beautiful, melodic language at least once in their lifetime, and it's extremely easy to recognize due to its striking presence in pop culture.

If you’re asking yourself ‘Is Russian hard to learn?’, you only need to take a look at the most common languages spoken worldwide to know that it's definitely possible to learn to speak Russian. There are approximately 265 million people who speak Russian worldwide, with 154 million being native Russian speakers, making Russian the seventh most-spoken language globally and the second most-common language on the Internet.

However, the best place to learn Russian does not stop at Russia itself. Russian is not only an official language in Russia, but also in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, and is widely used in many countries in Eastern Europe like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Ukraine.

Education in the Russian Language

Why study Russian abroad? If you travel anywhere in Eastern Europe, you will thrive just by knowing basic Russian. Many of these countries' languages come from the Slavic language family.

If you’re wondering where to learn Russian, you’ll find that it is a popular subject at many international universities. However, studying other subjects in the Russian language can be challenging, and sometimes impossible! Many consider opportunities like Erasmus+ as the best program to learn Russian, as it provides opportunities for Russian-speaking students to study abroad in universities that offer entire programs in Russian, regardless of the field.

Study in Russian in Europe

If you’re unsure about where to learn Russian or where to find the best place to learn Russian, you should know that many countries maintain agreements with the Russian government in the academic world. For example, the Belarusian-Russian University (BRU) was founded over 50 years ago as an outcome of Russian-Belarusian governmental cooperation.

BRU focuses on systematic fields and has become a major scientific and educational complex since its founding. The institution equips its students with a full Russian language learning experience on all levels of higher education, making BRU the best program to learn Russian in the area. BRU continues to work on creating scientific and industrial laboratories that provide close cooperation between higher education and industry. You will no longer be asking yourself: ‘Is Russian hard to learn?’ when you have so much academic and career experience in the language!

One unique destination where you can learn to speak Russian is France! The French-Russian University was established in 2016 as an outcome of the Franco-Russian Economic Partnership. You can even choose where to learn Russian as a student here, as the institution has two campuses - one in Moscow and one in Nice.

The French-Russian University has introduced a variety of programs, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and various professional programs. All of the courses are economically, legally, and/or politically oriented. If you’re interested in these areas, you should definitely consider the French-Russian University as the best program to learn Russian in France!

Study in Russian in Asia 

If you're wondering: ‘Is Russian hard to learn in Central Asia and the Caucasus?’, the answer is not at all. We can find many universities that run their entire programs in Russian. This region might actually be the best place to learn Russian for you. For example, in Armenia, one of the most prominent educational institutes in the country is the Russian-Armenian University (RAU). RAU is an intergovernmental university that operates under the joint authority of Russia and Armenia. 

You can learn to speak Russian beyond simple language classes, as RAU specializes in the following eight programs: Economics and Business, Law and Politics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Media, and Humanities. The university welcomes students from all levels of higher education. When graduating, students receive two diplomas- one in Armenian, and one in Russian. 

Another example you should know about when thinking about where to learn Russian is the Russian-promoted educational institution Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University (KRSU) in Bishkek. The university is operated by both the Russian and Kyrgyz governments and is considered to be one of the top universities in the country. You will find the best program to learn Russian in Central Asia and the Caucasus at KRSU!

KRSU was established in cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and Russia, and provides education to thousands of students - including those looking to learn to speak Russian. The institution functions on a multi-level system, offering educational programs, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. level degrees as well as Specialists, Clinical studies, Postgraduate studies, and internships. The university specializes in the following eight fields: Economics, Natural and Engineering Science, Law, Humanities, International Relations, Medicine, Architecture, and Design.

Study in Russian in Africa

To have an unforgettable experience while you learn to speak Russian, study at the Egyptian Russian University (ERU) in Cairo! Ever since the institution was established in 2006, thousands of students who have previously wondered, ‘Is Russian hard to learn?’, have graduated from the university with Russian-speaking abilities.

If you’re looking for the best program to learn Russian in North Africa, you should consider studying at ERU. This university was founded in cooperation with the seven best universities in Russia, making it a great place to learn to speak Russian. ERU offers the highest standard of academic programs in engineering, such as Architectural Engineering, Construction Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, and Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering. In the future, ERU aims to introduce programs focused on renewable energy and nuclear power.

There are many opportunities when looking for the best place to learn Russian and get a degree outside of Russia while still receiving an education in the Russian language. This is just the tip of the iceberg when looking at where to learn Russian- there are so many more awesome Russian universities to discover! 

To all the Russian language lovers who are looking forward to the adventure of studying abroad - Удачи (good luck) and добро пожаловать (welcome)!

About the Author

ASPIRANTUM is a Yerevan-based language school that offers intensive summer and winter language courses in Yerevan, Armenia. Russian language courses at ASPIRANTUM are often held in Tbilisi and Yerevan. Since 2014, ASPIRANTUM has helped around 200 international students learn the Persian, Russian, and Armenian languages with the best instructors in the most academically-oriented environment.