How to Enter a Foreign University from a Russian School: Pathways

Freedom Degree, together with Groza, a media project for students and young people, has compiled a guide to exams and educational pathways for those who want to enroll in a foreign university immediately after graduating from school.

Graduates of Russian schools often face the fact that 11 years of school education are not enough to enter a foreign university: in other countries, students study at school for 12 — or even 13 — years.

To compensate for the missing year, you can complete a “zero” year at a university or take special exams that confirm your readiness to receive higher education abroad.

How can you make up for the missing year of education?

In some countries, school students study for more than 11 years. For example, in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Canada, China, and many other countries, school education lasts 12 years, while in Germany and Austria it lasts 13 years.

To avoid studying for one more year after graduating from school, you can enroll in an international online school alongside your main studies. This way, future applicants simultaneously finish school in Russia and a school abroad, whose education allows them to enter a foreign university immediately after graduation. At the same time, this is one of the most expensive options — studying at such schools may cost from several thousand to 15,000–20,000 USD per year, depending on the school and program.

King’s InterHigh — an independent British online school. You can take either the British curriculum or the international International Baccalaureate (IB) program. If you choose the IB program, you should remember that International Baccalaureate has been declared “undesirable” in Russia;

Cambridge Home School Online — a private British online school. Unlike King’s InterHigh, this school has a serious selection process for students, and only the British curriculum is available;

Crimson Global Academy — a private online school with different educational programs depending on the country of the university you plan to apply to;

SEK International Schools — a Spanish network of schools that offers education under the international IB program.

When choosing a school, it is important to pay attention to which specific qualification it prepares students for and whether it is considered an accredited center of the relevant educational system. For example, after studying at King’s InterHigh, you can apply both to a British university and to another university that recognizes the International Baccalaureate system.

Other ways to make up for the missing year include Foundation Year and specialized exams.

What is Foundation Year?

For applicants who studied for 11 years only in a Russian school, there are special one-year preparatory programs — Foundation Year. This is the so-called “zero year,” which gives future applicants a foundation in school subjects and a foreign language. Foundation Year also develops university study skills and adapts future applicants to the specifics of studying abroad.

The main purpose of Foundation Year is to compensate for the difference in education systems and the required knowledge: in many countries, school education lasts longer than in Russia.

What is Foundation Year needed for?

First of all, Foundation Year is taken to compensate for the missing year of school education. But it can also be useful in other cases.

To learn more about the chosen profession. During Foundation Year, you can learn more about the field you want to enter and make sure that you have chosen exactly what suits you.

To change your specialty. An additional “zero” year at a university can be useful for those who have decided to change their field of study — for example, to move from natural sciences to humanities or technical subjects. Some universities require subject-specific knowledge for admission to undergraduate programs — Foundation Year helps you acquire it.

To improve your language level. If you have already chosen the country and the language in which you want to study, but are not yet confident in your foreign language level, you can improve it during Foundation Year: not only learn to speak, but also write academic papers and essays. For international students, Foundation Year necessarily includes intensive language modules.

To have more guarantees of admission. First, it is easier to get into Foundation Year than into an undergraduate program. Second, after it, some universities guarantee automatic admission if you have scored the required points and completed the necessary number of academic hours. Even if the university does not provide direct guarantees, an applicant has a better chance of admission with a completed Foundation Year.

To prepare for admission if you did not manage to get in last time. If you have already tried to enter an undergraduate program but did not pass by score, you can enroll in Foundation Year. During this period, you will receive additional preparation for undergraduate studies.

Can you enter Foundation Year after nine grades and college? And how does Foundation Year work? The experience of an applicant in Germany

A Freedom Degree applicant, Ilya, spent more than a year trying to enter a Studienkolleg program — the German equivalent of Foundation Year. But the German education system did not consider him a person who could enter the program — because Ilya had completed only nine grades, then went to college and did not finish it.

“I did not have a formal right to education under the standard procedure — in Russia, I finished nine grades and went to study at two colleges at the same time, which I was unable to complete because of political persecution and the need to leave the country. Because of this, formally, all I had left was a certificate for the ninth grade,” says Ilya.

Because of the unfinished college and only nine grades of education, the young man had no opportunity to enter either a university or even a preparatory year. Over the course of a year, Ilya wrote letters to the program organizers, communicated with officials and journalists, and even went on hunger strike.

“The issue of education was at the center for me, and I could not compromise on this topic. Less than a week after I announced the hunger strike, the university recognized that I effectively had the equivalent of 11 Russian grades and enrolled me in the preparatory program. I had no difficulties in terms of knowledge or language — I passed the interim exams and tests without problems. And I was enrolled for the next semester,” Ilya shares.

Ilya is now taking the preparatory year Studienkolleg and notes that the program provides not only general school knowledge, but also the opportunity to choose a track that corresponds to the chosen specialty. In his opinion, Foundation Year purposefully prepares students for study at the university itself, “skipping other programs that are not always necessary.”

“In the first semester, we studied only German. In the second semester, programs in history, social studies, and the basics of philosophy will begin. The program is easier than school because it is focused on specific subjects and teaching techniques,” says Ilya.

The Studienkolleg program is completely free: students only need to pay semester fees, which all students at public universities in Germany pay. Usually, students pay from 100 to 350 EUR per semester, depending on the federal state and city. According to Ilya, the education easily pays for itself and even becomes a net benefit: the program provides free public transport throughout Germany.

“For me personally, the program is useful for two reasons: improving the language with preparation for academic German, and getting acquainted with the university environment and the specifics of German higher education, so that after starting a bachelor’s degree I do not have to spend time on this. This is necessary for everyone who chooses German education and wants to study in Germany. At the very least, it is training and preparation for the main studies. And, of course, a lot of language practice,” he notes.

How to apply for Foundation Year?

You can apply for Foundation Year online — through the website or other platforms of the university or partner organizations. Documents can be submitted remotely. Different programs and universities may have their own requirements, so the necessary information should be checked on the official website of the educational institution.

Most often, the receiving side requests the following documents:

a secondary education certificate translated into English;

transcript of grades;

copy of international passport;

motivation letter;

letters of recommendation from teachers and academic supervisors;

CV;

confirmation that you or your sponsor have money to pay for tuition and living expenses — most often bank statements are required;

language certificate. In some cases, a language certificate is not required immediately — it can be obtained after submitting the main documents.

If you are not in Russia but graduated from a Russian school, you can submit documents remotely, but you will need to separately confirm the authenticity of the school certificate, legalize it, and notarize the translation.

Exams that replace additional education

If you do not see the need for a “zero” course or did not study at an online school, you can try to apply directly to an undergraduate program. To still compensate for the missing years of school education, you can take additional exams that confirm your level.

Advanced Placement (AP Exams)

AP Exams are standardized exams in individual subjects. The exams assess knowledge in a specific subject at the level of the first or second year of university and are recognized by universities around the world for admission. Such an exam can also become an additional advantage for admission and provide credits to skip some introductory courses.

Subjects: 42 different subjects, including art history, social sciences, languages, and mathematics.

Age restrictions: none.

Cost: 129 USD for one exam; for AP Seminar and AP Research exams — 147 USD per exam. If you register after the deadline, you will have to pay an additional 40 USD. The price may vary for different groups of countries.

When the exams take place: in May. You can register from mid-October to early November, and also until the end of February if you pay an additional fee.

Countries that accept them: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and more than 50 other countries.

A-Levels

A-Levels (Advanced Levels) are advanced-level exams taken by school students in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries. Foreign students can also prepare for and take them independently at special accredited centers. This exam is recognized around the world and can help with admission to universities in English-speaking countries.

To take A-Levels, you need to choose three subjects in accordance with your future university specialty.

Subjects: three subjects of your choice according to your specialty — for example, biology and chemistry for medicine, and mathematics and physics for engineering. The field and the required subjects should be checked on the website of the receiving university.

Where to take them: at international test centers around the world — including Cambridge International Education, Pearson Edexcel, and Oxford AQA centers.

Cost: the price depends on the specific test center.

When the exams take place: in May–July.

Age restrictions: from 16 years old.

Countries that accept the exam results: the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, other English-speaking countries, and individual programs — for example, English-language programs at the University of Amsterdam and SRH University.

General Educational Development (GED)

GED is a test after which the applicant receives a certificate stating that they have completed full secondary education and have the same knowledge and skills as 12th-grade graduates.

Subjects: mathematics, English language, natural sciences, social sciences.

Where it can be taken: at official accredited GED centers in more than 90 countries. A list of all centers is available on the official exam website.

Age restrictions: from 16 years old.

Cost: 90 USD for one of the four exams.

When the exams take place: they can be taken at any time.

Countries that accept the exam results: the United States, Canada, Thailand, New Zealand, and other countries in Asia and Europe.

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)

SAT is a standardized test that assesses academic skills important for university study. This exam is mandatory for some universities in the United States — for example, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Miami.

Subjects: the exam is divided into two parts: a test of grammar and language, and a mathematics test.

Where to take it: at centers in other countries — for example, in Armenia, Turkey, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova, and Tajikistan. Registration is required one to two months before the exam itself.

Age restrictions: from 16 years old.

Cost: the exam costs 68 USD, excluding the international surcharge if you take the exam outside the United States; with the surcharge, it may cost more.

When the exams take place: in March, May, June, and August–December.

Countries that accept the exam results: the United States, Canada, and some European universities.

American College Testing (ACT)

ACT, along with SAT, is considered the main entrance exam for applicants to undergraduate programs at higher education institutions in the United States. The exam focuses on practical skills and speed of problem-solving: on average, ACT questions are easier than SAT questions, but much less time is given for them — this makes the exam more difficult.

Subjects: English, mathematics, reading, science and reasoning, writing.

Where to take it: test centers are located in Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and other countries. You need to register in advance on the official exam website.

Age restrictions: from 13 years old.

Cost: without the Writing test — 68 USD; with Writing — 93 USD.

When the exams take place: four to seven times a year.

Countries that accept the exam results: the United States and some European universities.

Test für ausländische Studierende (TestAS)

TestAS is an exam for foreigners who plan to enter universities in Germany and Europe.

To enter some specialties, for example medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt, taking TestAS is mandatory.

Subjects: a compulsory part with logic tasks and general cognitive abilities, and a specialized part of your choice — engineering sciences; mathematics, computer science and natural sciences; economics; or humanities, cultural and social sciences.

Where it can be taken: at specialized licensed centers that cooperate with German universities. They are located both in Germany and in other countries: you can find a suitable center on the official exam website.

Age restrictions: none.

Cost: 125–160 USD in most countries; in some centers in Germany — 170 USD.

When the exam takes place: three times a year — in autumn, winter, and early summer.

Countries that accept it: Germany as the main country, as well as individual European universities with programs in German.

Exams for those who are already 19 years old and older

21+ Toelatingstest

This is a special entrance test for applicants over 21 who do not have a suitable school diploma for study at a Dutch university. This exam allows applicants to enter Dutch universities of applied sciences on equal terms with school graduates.

21+ Toelatingstest is designed specifically for people who decided to take a break from education, for foreigners without a local school diploma, for refugees without documents, and for everyone who wants to continue studying without formal qualifications.

Subjects: the exam consists of an academic aptitude test that checks logical thinking and other skills, and a language test in Dutch or English depending on the program. For an English-language program, IELTS or TOEFL may replace the test. Subject tests may include mathematics, physics, economics, and other disciplines depending on the requirements of the specific program.

Where it can be taken: at universities in the Netherlands.

When the exam takes place: usually three times a year — in November, March, and May–July. Dates depend on each individual university. You need to register several weeks before the exam itself.

Age restrictions: from 21 years old.

Cost: depends on the university. For example, at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the exam costs 210 EUR for the first two dates and 150 EUR for the third. At Inholland University of Applied Sciences — 90 EUR, while on the Dutch-language page the university indicates 180 EUR.

Countries that accept it: the Netherlands.

Exame M23

In Portugal, Exame M23 fully replaces the school certificate and gives the opportunity to enter undergraduate programs at Portuguese universities. It is suitable for people without secondary education, refugees without documents, and adults who want to get an education. This is one of the “softest” requirements in the EU — school documents, for example, are not required at all. Free online courses are available to prepare for the exams and run from March to May.

This exam is mainly accepted by polytechnic institutes, as well as universities across the country — for example, the University of Lisbon, the University of Porto, NOVA University Lisbon, and the University of Coimbra. Keep in mind in advance that each university sets its own rules, deadlines, and available places.

Subjects: written and/or oral exam in the chosen field — for example, biology, physics, history, English, and others depending on the faculty; assessment of the candidate’s academic and professional CV; assessment of motivation through an interview. For some creative specialties, a portfolio may be required.

Where to take it: at universities in Portugal.

Age restrictions: from 23 years old.

Cost: check on the website of the specific university. University of Lisbon — 60 EUR; University of Algarve — 75 EUR.

When the exams take place: registration for the exams takes place from January to March, written exams at the end of May. Deadlines may differ slightly depending on the university.

Countries that accept it: Portugal.

Prueba de Acceso para Mayores de 25 años

This is a special exam for admission to Spanish universities for people over 25 who do not have the Spanish equivalent of a school certificate. This exam fully replaces school documents, gives the right to study for a bachelor’s degree at Spanish universities, and allows admission to secondary vocational education institutions. The exam is valid in all autonomous regions of Spain.

Subjects: the exam consists of two parts — the first assesses reasoning ability and written expression, Spanish language, and a foreign language of choice; the second is chosen by the applicant depending on the future field of study: arts and humanities, sciences, health sciences, social and legal sciences, engineering and architecture. Some universities also conduct an interview.

Where to take it: at universities in Spain.

Cost: check on the website of the specific university. For example, Universidad de Sevilla — 88.1 EUR; at universities in Catalonia — 110 EUR.

Age restrictions: from 25 years old.

When the exams take place: each university sets its own dates, but the common registration period is approximately February–March. Exams usually take place in April–May.

Countries that accept it: Spain.

Diplôme d'Accès aux Études Universitaires (DAEU)

DAEU is the official French equivalent of a school certificate, which gives the right to enter French undergraduate programs. It is intended for people who interrupted their studies without receiving a certificate and want to return to university education. DAEU is recognized throughout France and the European Union and is considered one of the recognized ways for an adult to receive education.

Subjects: there are two options: an exam in the basics of literature and French civilization, a foreign language, and two additional subjects of choice; or an exam in French, mathematics, and two subjects of choice.

Where to take it: at French universities. Some universities offer distance preparation — for example, Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 and Université Le Havre Normandie. You need to register for it in advance.

Age restrictions: one of the important requirements is that the applicant must be at least 24 years old on October 1 of the year the diploma is issued, or at least 20 years old and have proof of two years of paid work with social insurance contributions in France. Foreign candidates need a residence permit.

Cost: depends on the university, the format of study, and the availability of preparatory courses. It is better to check on the website of the specific university.

When the exams take place: registration opens several months before the start of the academic year, preparation lasts one academic year, and exams are held at the end of the year. Exact dates depend on the specific university.

Countries that accept it: France. In some cases, it may replace a school certificate in other countries as well, but this depends on the specific university — check separately.

Access to HE Diploma

Access to HE Diploma is a British program that prepares adults without a traditional English school certificate for university study. The diploma is recognized by more than 140 universities in the United Kingdom and allows admission to undergraduate programs in different fields — from medicine and law to education and the arts.

Subjects: more than a thousand courses are available — including medicine, business, law, and engineering.

Where to take it: at educational institutions in England and Wales, as well as online.

Age restrictions: only for receiving funding — you need to be over 19 years old.

Cost: depends on the college and the format of study. For example, at University College Birmingham, the annual Health Professions course costs 3,022 GBP. But you can try to obtain a grant or discount.

When the exams take place: most courses start in September, with student recruitment beginning in January. For distance learning, registration is possible at any time of the year.

Countries that accept it: the United Kingdom — England, Wales, Northern Ireland.

Mature Student Entry

Some universities in the United Kingdom allow admission without a school certificate based on an interview, a test, and assessment of life and professional experience. This route of admission is common for programs in journalism, arts, social sciences, and other fields where practical experience is important. In this exam, motivation, existing work experience, and entrance test results are important.

Subjects: depends on the university and program, but most often an interview, written tests, a portfolio for creative fields, and a motivation letter are required.

Where to take it: at universities that offer this admission route.

Age restrictions: from 21–23 years old depending on the university.

Cost: standard university tuition fee.

When it is held: application deadlines end in October or January depending on the university.

Countries that accept it: the United Kingdom and Ireland.