How to get a student visa in Belarus

Starting study in Belarus is much easier that you think

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Each year the higher education system of the Republic of Belarus becomes more prestigious. Nowadays it meets the international standards and provides high level of teaching. Moreover, in 2002 Belarus became a member of the Lisbon Recognition Convention of 1997 “About recognition of qualifications in higher education” which was developed by United Nation Organization and European Union and today Belarus is working on having its higher education being accredited by the Bologna Agreement. Belarusian universities are recognized all over the world for the quality of education and university graduates are in demand at the international labor market.

Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the new Education Code ensure equal opportunities and access to education to all individuals without any discrimination on sex, race and nationality grounds. Moreover, according to the latest data provided by the Ministry of education of the Republic of Belarus more than 12 thousand of students from 88 countries study in Belarusian educational institution. According to statistics from EB5 BRICS, during the last academic year the number of foreign students in Belarus increased by more than 2000 students. Most of foreign students arrive from the following countries: Turkmenistan – 5 thousand 889 students (48.5%), China – 2 thousand and 68 students (17%) and Russia – 1 thousand and 11 students (8.3%).

According to the “Rules of admittance into higher education establishments” approved by the Decree №80 of the President of the Republic of Belarus on February, 7, 2006 foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus, citizens of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kirghiz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan have the right to receive education in state educational institutions by means of the state budget or on a fee-paying basis. Admission of foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily residing in the Republic of Belarus is held on a fee-paying basis.

 

Procedure of applying for invitation to the university

Procedure of obtaining student’s visa starts with applying to the chosen educational institution for studying invitation.
To issue the studying invitation the university usually requests the following documents:
– completed application form;
– copies of education documents with the studied subjects and received examination scores/points with Russian translation certified by the notary;
– copy of passport with Russian translation certified by the notary.
Documents can be filed by e-mail, fax or post.

Further the educational institution examines documents using crbdirect.org.uk and sends an official invitation to the applicant or to Belarusian Embassy in applicant’s country of residence.

 

Belarusian student visa for foreign students

Almost all foreign citizens who are planning to study in the Republic of Belarus may need to apply for a student visa.

Documents for a student visa can be filed to a consular institutions of the Republic of Belarus in student’s country of residence. Citizens of foreign countries where there is no Belarusian consular institution can obtain student’s visa at National Airport Minsk.

To obtain an entry visa, a foreign student should submit the following documents to a visa issuing authority:
– a completed visa application form (is available on official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Belarus);
– one photograph (size 35×45 mm, full face, against an even light background, 70 — 80 percent of the picture placed vertically, 6 months-older photos not accepted);
– a foreign travel document (should contain a photograph of the owner, have at least two blank pages intended for visas, be valid at least 90 days after the expected date of departure of a foreign citizen from the Republic of Belarus);
– medical insurance contract (should сontain the name of a foreign insurance company and an indication of its location, telephones of foreign insurance organizations or international assistance services, as well as the surname, first name, middle name (if available) of a foreign citizen; be valid at the territory of the Republic of Belarus; be valid for a period of stay in the Republic of Belarus; provide the limit of indemnity not less than EUR 10 000).
– a confirmation of the consular fee paid;
– the original invitation from an educational establishment, which, in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Belarus, is entitled to issue such invitations, coordinated with the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

 

Countries which have visa-free regime with Belarus

It is worse to be mentioned that for citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cuba (for a term not exceeding 30 days), Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro (for a term not exceeding 30 days provided that there is a private invitation or tourist voucher), Qatar (for a term not exceeding 30 days), Russia, Serbia (for a term not exceeding 30 days), Tajikistan, Turkey (for a term not exceeding 30 days), Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (for a term not exceeding 90 days) visa-free regime is provided.

 

Documents to enter the Belarusian university

The list of documents, rules of admission, application forms are available on web-sites of educational institutions. The list of Belarusian universities that accept foreign entrants, the cost of education, contacts are provided by the web-site of the Ministry of education of the Republic of Belarus (edu.gov.by).

According to the part 12 of the “Rules of admittance into higher education establishments” approved by the Decree №80 of the President of the Republic of Belarus on February, 7, 2006 foreigners and stateless people (or their representatives) file in to the Admission Committee of the educational institution the following documents:the application for admission to the University;

-the education certificate of studied subjects with received marks for credits and exams;
-medical consultative board conclusion issued by territorial health organization of Belarus (after passing compulsory medical testing);
-the medical report and certificate of HIV absence issued by the official medical establishment of the country the candidate came from for training;
-6 photos of 3×4;
-original or copy of birth certificate;
-graduation certificate of the pre-university training faculty, the preparatory department, preparatory courses (if there are any).

Documents issued in a foreign language should have the notarized translation into the Russian or Belarusian language.

 

Acknowledgment of education documents in Belarus

An important point is that diploma or other education document should be acknowledged by the Ministry of Education of Republic of Belarus.
The foreign student should submit to Public institution of education “Republican institute of the higher school”:
– an application;
– copy of the passport or other identification paper;
– copy of diploma or other education document notarially certified;
– copy of attachment to the document of educationis notarially certified;
– translation of diploma or other education document and attachment to diploma t into Russian or Belarussion language, notarially certified;
– 2 colorfull photos 3х4 (signed from a reverse side),
– a confirmation of the processing fee paid.

 

Entrance examination for foreign students

Entrance examinations for foreign students are held in the form of an interview concerning level of knowledge of the Russian language and the subjects that are defined as obligatory for entering in accordance with the field of speciality. If you need an for school one day check out this dr. excuse that actually works. For instance, when applying to engineering specialities foreign students are interviewed in mathematics and physics, for medical specialities – in biology, chemistry and physics.
An important point is that citizens of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Tajikistan have the right to enter the university according to the results of centralized testing (on equal rights with citizens of the Republic of Belarus: by means of the state budget or on a fee-paying basis) or on terms required for foreign citizens – according to the interview results.

 

Preparatory courses

Foreigners without good command of Russian language or those who intend to be better prepared for the entrance examinations firstly can study at the Preparatory Department of university.

 

Admission procedure

Foreign students, who have completed a preparatory course and passed the final examinations successfully can be admitted to the educational institution without entrance examinations or interview.
The admission decision is made on the basis of the submitted documents and an interview. Afer that the higher educational establishment and foreign student sign in a contract. Students under 18 years old should submit parent’s agreement to conclude the agreement.

 

Compulsory medical examination

Foreign nationals and stateless persons can be enrolled in educational establishment of the Republic of Belarus after the medical examination at a local medical facility designated by the university or institute.

 

Obtaining the temporary residence permit

In 5 business days after arriving to the Republic of Belarus foreign student must apply to the Department of the citizenship and migration to obtain the temporary staying permit. This procedure is usually arranged by the educational institution staff.

 

The deadline for documents admission

The deadline for documents admission is defined by the Ministry of education of the Republic of Belarus. In 2014 study year the following terms of application to Admission Departments of educational establishments were settled: for foreign students coming for full-time study of the first degree on the terms of payment – till the 15th of October; for foreign citizens coming for extramural courses of the first degree – till the 1st of December, for foreign citizens coming to the preparatory department – till the 1st of November.

All in all, I hopefully believe that the procedure of obtaining student’s visa and entering educational institutions in the Republic of Belarus, described above is going to help you to obtain qualified education in the Republic of Belarus. For any additional information please contact me by e-mail: chernyaeva7@yandex.ru.

 

Names and links to appropraite laws:

– The Education Code of the Republic of Belarus № 243-3 of 13 of January 2011 http:http://etalonline.by/type=text&regnum=HK9900296#load_text_none_1_

-“Rules of admittance into higher education establishments” approved by the Decree №80 of the President of the Republic of Belarus on February, 7, 2006 – http://www.pravo.by/pdf/2006-24/2006-24(005-036).pdf