‘I Am Very Pleased with My Choice: HSE Is a Very Good University with Good Lecturers and Smart Students’

© Daniil Prokofyev/ HSE University

Many international students choose HSE University as their academic mobility destination. Some travel to Moscow to immerse themselves in a new culture, while others take online mobility options due to pandemic-related restrictions. HSE News Service spoke to three students about their exchange semester at HSE University.

Ilmari Vauhkonen, Aalto University (Finland)

Throughout my studies, I have always wanted to do an exchange semester in Russia. I learnt Russian language at school, and an exchange period seemed the best possible opportunity to get real-life practice with native Russian speakers. Luckily, I found out that through my home university it was possible to apply for an exchange semester at HSE. HSE was an optimal choice as I wanted to study economics, and its good reputation and location in Moscow all contributed to the choice. 

I am very pleased with my choice, HSE is a very good university with good lecturers and smart students. One thing that could maybe arranged differently is that currently the course schedules are unavailable before the start of the semester or module. For an exchange student that makes things a bit tricky, as one easily selects overlapping courses from multiple faculties and programs.

I have enjoyed the courses; they are both challenging and rewarding at the same time

Even though there has been a lot to do, I have managed to do all tasks and learnt what was required. I think all the expectations I had before the exchange have been fulfilled, and more. I have got many new friends, both locals and exchange students from other countries. With them, I have experienced a lot of unforgettable moments, ranging from student parties to visiting places all over the country. 

Orsane Ribault, ESSEC Business School (France)

My main courses and specialisation are economics, international marketing, finance, and communication. I decided to come to HSE for my exchange because I used to live in Russia when I was 11 years old, and I really wanted to discover the life in Moscow as an adult—that is before I knew that I had to study online because of covid. Furthermore, I am fond of the culture and the Russian language. HSE University is really the best economics school that I could wish for in Russia. 

As an online student, my impressions are great as the teachers are really nice, very understanding and are always present to answer our questions and take time for us

The courses are really well structured and the course list very wide. Everything was already well organized for exchange students and I did not encounter any problem following my courses through Zoom and HSE's classes on the Coursera platform. 

I really enjoyed taking Contemporary Russian Politics class as I feel that it is important to understand in depth the country in which we are doing an exchange. Furthermore, compared to France, I felt that the administration and teachers are really present for us and answer very quickly whenever we have questions. They really helped me to fit in quickly and understand how things work at HSE. 

During Module 1, I had an Economics class which took place offline and online at the same time, meaning that the teacher was in class with HSE students and at the same time he had the Zoom open for us. We could really follow the course and the teacher was always present for the online students as well, taking into consideration their questions. Regarding the exams, I felt that the teacher gave us good instructions and helped us do our best.

If I had anything to arrange differently, it would have been getting rid of covid, of course! I hope that I will be able to come visit soon.

Alessandra Chiochia, University of Bologna (Italy)

I study Translation and Interpretation, more specifically I study English, Russian and Portuguese. The very reason I decided to come to HSE is to boost my language skills both in English and Russian. When my home university offered me to come here for an exchange programme, I decided to strike the iron while it was hot and seize this invaluable opportunity.

HSE has certainly made a very good impression on me, as it is very welcoming and it never makes us feel as if we were thrown in at the deep end. On the contrary, we are constantly guided through every application process and everything is explained thoroughly to us.

As for the courses, I attend classes delivered by the School of Foreign Languages and I have enjoyed them quite a lot, especially because professors try to involve us as much as possible, making it more motivating to study and work hard to achieve good results

The most interesting thing for me has been noticing the differences in the teaching methods between Russia and Italy. Here it is much more common to give home assignments and expect students to participate actively during the lessons. In addition, in Italy we receive our final grade only on the day of the exam, whereas here almost everything is assessed, which can be demanding, but also motivating.

I would say my expectations were definitely met, the only thing that upset me was the switch to the online mode for the second half of the semester, as attending classes offline allowed me to interact with fellow students and teachers much more. That is probably one of the few things that I wish had been different.

HSE University welcomes applicants from all over the world and offers not only different levels of study, but also different formats in English and Russian, online and on campus. International applicants can apply for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in a separate admissions process for foreign applicants and receive scholarships with full or partial tuition fee coverage.

When applying to a Bachelor’s programme, including five English-taught programmes in Moscow, it is possible to submit international certificates you have received in English and mathematics, such as IELTS, TOEFL, A-Level and other international exams and they will be recognized by HSE University, so taking entrance exams in relevant subjects will not be required.

Undergraduate applicants can test their chances of admission now by taking mock tests. Master’s applicants also have the opportunity to get a preliminary assessment of their portfolio and communicate with their programme of choice online.

To learn more about HSE University, its admission process, or life in Moscow, please visit International Admissions website, or contact the Education & Training Advisory Centre. The staff are happy to advise applicants and their parents via e-mail at inter@hse.ru, by phone +7 (495) 531 00 59, or WhatsApp +7 (916) 311 85 21, as well as on social media in Russian and in English: Vkontakte, Facebook, Telegram and Instagram.