Learn Russian in St Petersburg: Accommodation

• Open to 16 yrs + age group
• Stay with local hosts in single room accommodation on a half board basis during the week and full board at the weekend
• Allow for a 25/60 minute commute each way
• Half-board = breakfast and evening meal
• Hosts live in apartments (flats), not houses, in the city

How is a host family defined? Hosts are not always a traditional married couple with a child/children. Above all the school look for someone who is sociable, likes to meet new people and can give a warm welcome to students. Hosts have time to talk to the students, be patient, understanding, careful and prepared to provide help with any problem that may arise during a student’s stay in Russia.

The fee includes private accommodation with a single room, either with breakfast or half-board (breakfast and dinner – full board on weekends). On request, it is also possible to provide double rooms. A student’s room is furnished with at least:

• one bed or sofa-bed
• wardrobe
• desk with chair and light
• a mirror (in a wardrobe or a separate one)

The rooms are clean and, by Russian standards, spacious. Bathroom and kitchen are shared with the family. All apartments have a  telephone. Maximum travel time to the school is 50 minutes.

All hosts and their homes are personally known to the accommodation officer.
Families are inspected once a year.
The standard of the families is monitored by questionnaires (entry and exit) given to students.

Students’ wishes and needs such as non-smoking/smoking, allergies, vegetarian food, with/without pets etc. are taken into account as far as possible. Normally students should remain with one family for the whole duration of the course, even if things are not exactly the same as expected.

We allow students to change the host family during a language course but we require minimum one week notice.

• Open to 18 yrs + age group
• Popular option for those who prefer more independence and want to live with other language students
• Self catering accommodation, single rooms
• Apartments are of a simple standard and located in residential suburbs (again anticipate a morning commute to college of 25/50 minutes)

Shared apartments are not recommended for complete beginners, who may find self catering a little too much to handle during their first few weeks in Russia!  This option works well for those students who prefer to stay on their own but at the same time wish to experience a student atmosphere. The flats provide single bedrooms (usually 2-3 per apartment), shared bathroom and kitchen. Bed linen, cutlery and kitchen equipment are provided. The flats are all equipped with one TV set, telephone, washing machine and vacuum cleaner. The shared-flat option costs about the same as staying in a host-family, but without board.

• There are some very pleasant and increasingly westernised higher standard Hotels on offer
• Please state style of Hotel and room required, when booking
•  Hotels are recommended for adult students, particularly if on shorter group or private tuition language courses

St Petersburg is a large city, built on a monumental scale, commuting is an inevitable part of daily life. Do remember there will be minor infrastructure problems, be they hot water shortages or power failures. The renown Russian hospitality will do its best to overcome most problems, but patience and understanding will be required. Likewise anticipate the occasional frustration with buses or trams and even the metro, though frequent, is likely be crowded.

Arrive: Sunday PM
Depart: Sunday PM

We recommend students fly to Pulkovo II airport. You will then be met by a school representative and taken to your accommodation. Alternatively you can take a taxi into St Petersburg although we do not recommend this unless you know St Petersburg well and have good Russian prior to arrival.