A funded degree in Russia —
the preparatory year is the key.

Route A — The Preparatory Faculty the standard bridge

The podgotovitelny fakultet ("prep faculty" / "foundation year") runs about 10 months (Sept/Oct–June): intensive Russian plus subject modules matched to your intended degree — maths and physics for engineering, biology and chemistry for medicine. It ends with final exams and a certificate for entering a Russian degree; some universities (St Petersburg State, for one) also let you sit the official TORFL-I Russian test free.

• Cost on the paid route (2026/27): 212,300 roubles (≈ USD 2,500) at Rostov State Medical University; USD 4,300–4,900 at RUDN in Moscow.
• Free under the government scholarship (quota).

Route B — An English-taught degree skip the Russian prep year

Some Russian universities teach full degrees in English — mostly medicine (General Medicine, often advertised as "MBBS"); English-taught bachelor's choices outside medicine are few. These can waive the Russian-language prep year. RUDN in Moscow and Rostov State Medical University both teach General Medicine in English. RUDN, for example, admits fee-paying students through an interview in the programme's language plus a portfolio, not a separate English test — confirm per university.

Cambridge A-Levels can strengthen your application, but they do not remove the Russian prep-year requirement for Russian-taught degrees. (A-Levels are still the most portable bridge across all destinations.)

The funded route — the Government quota

• The Russian Government Scholarship (quota) offers about 30,000 places a year worldwide. It covers tuition + the prep year and gives you a dormitory place (some universities charge a small monthly dorm fee); a small monthly stipend depends on your results. It does not cover flights, the visa, medical insurance or daily living costs — and poor results, including failing the prep-year exams, can cost you the funded place.
• You apply online on education-in-russia.com (run by Rossotrudnichestvo), choosing up to six universities — and the Russian Embassy in Gaborone invites Botswana students to apply. Its last call we could read (for 2023/24) offered 30 places, taught in Russian after the prep year, with a second stage through DTEF (the Department of Tertiary Education Financing).
• The Botswana government pays allowances to Batswana already studying in Russia on these scholarships (confirmed to Parliament in March 2025), so this is a known, real pipeline — strongest for medicine and engineering.

The money (self-funded route)

Rouble figures converted at the Central Bank of Russia rate on 10 October 2026 (USD 1 = 84.90 roubles); the rouble moves, so re-check. Some published living-cost figures look low for Moscow and St Petersburg — budget conservatively.

Before you go — money and safety

• Botswana Visa and Mastercard cards will not work there. Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia have not worked in Russia since March 2022. Students pay with a Russian Mir card (opened at a bank after arrival, with your passport and its notarised Russian translation, migration card and registration), a UnionPay card, or rouble cash — so bring cash for the first weeks.
• Tuition is paid by bank transfer against the university's invoice. At RUDN, for example, the first payment is due within 10 days of signing. Ask the university's international office, in writing, how money can reach it from Botswana before you commit. For its own sponsored students, Botswana's government pays allowances three months in advance into their Botswana bank accounts (as of March 2025), after sanctions disrupted payments in 2022.
• Official travel warnings. The UK government advises against all travel to Russia (updated 18 September 2026) and the US rates it Level 4: Do Not Travel. The UK cites drone attacks that can close airports at short notice and a higher risk of detention; the US cites terrorism, unrest and wrongful detention. These warnings are written for their own citizens; we found no Botswana government advisory. Botswana's Education Attaché at its Embassy in Sweden looks after Botswana students in Russia.

Your action plan

1. Enter your subjects in ACRON to see your real BGCSE profile first — free.
2. Apostille your BGCSE in Botswana so it can be recognised in Russia.
3. Choose your track: a Russian-taught degree (with the 1-year prep faculty) or an English-taught degree like medicine (which can skip it).
4. Apply for the funded route on education-in-russia.com early: the system's deadline for the 2027/28 intake is 15 January 2027 for non-CIS countries like Botswana. Botswana's embassy has set its own date in past years (30 March in 2023), but don't count on a later date — confirm it with the Russian Embassy in Gaborone and DTEF. The deadline comes before BGCSE results (the 2025 results came out on 31 March 2026), so Form 5 students apply with a certificate or transcript from their current school.