‘Several Friends Recommended HSE University And I Decided It Was the Best Choice for Me’
International students can submit their applications to HSE University’s Master’s programmes until August 10. Jack Miles, from the UK, and Agustin Lira, from Chile, have already been enrolled in Master’s programmes and will begin their studies in September 2021. In an interview with HSE News Service, they talk about their experience applying to HSE University and the advantages they see in studying in Moscow.
Jack Miles, UK, Master’s in International Relations: European and Asian Studies
I found the admissions process to be relatively straightforward and remarkably quick. The online registration procedure and ‘Recognition of foreign diplomas’ is clear and easy to use and any questions that I had were answered clearly and almost immediately. So, I can say I am relieved with how good it was.
I decided to join HSE University because of its growing international reputation in the social sciences and consistently high position on university rankings. Several friends of mine recommended it and I decided it was the best choice for my academic interests in Russia.
It’s also a great opportunity for me to continue learning and improving Russian in Moscow. HSE’s cooperation around the world is an exciting prospect and something to be proud of and I look forward to playing my part in this.
Advantages of joining HSE include being able to study in a great global city, Moscow, and joining a great student body that brings together students from different backgrounds from around the world.
I decided on the programme in International Relations: European and Asian Studies because it will allow me to study in more detail and at a higher level similar topics from my undergraduate degree in the UK.
The chance to study international relations within Europe, Russia and Asia is something I not only find interesting but also vitally important in today’s challenging world if we consider questions ranging from Brexit, the future of the EU and even the Covid-19 pandemic
I am also interested in the history and theory of Europe as an entity. Studying history in detail equips us with the knowledge and skills to be able to tackle future questions that inevitably arise.
I hope to grow as a person and to really develop my understanding of the world around us which will assist me in further education. I also like to think that the knowledge I gain will allow me to effectively change the world for the better.
Agustín Lira Chile, Master’s in Political Analysis and Public Policy
In general, I chose HSE over other universities in Russia because it has a good standing on international rankings in political science, which is my discipline. When you study political science in Chile, you become more familiar with universities in English-speaking countries, so the rankings are a good way to familiarize yourself with universities elsewhere. Once you have seen some universities, you can start looking for what is being researched in those universities.
Luckily, the professors of the programme I wanted to apply to are researching topics related to the ones I am interested in
I chose the master's programme in political analysis and public policy due to its track in human rights and democratic governance. I have always wanted to study human rights in a non-Western country to have other perspectives on the subject.
For me, there is no doubt that the differences between Western and non-Western countries do matter when you study human rights. After all, they have different histories, cultures, and affinities. Anyone interested in human rights, whether as an analyst, like me, or as an activist, should have considerations like that in mind.
That geographical difference is reflected in the structure of the programme. For example, I will have courses on human rights in non-Western societies or human rights in post-communist spaces.
The admissions process was quick, and I really appreciate that
I understand that universities receive a lot of applications, and that slows down the process. But from an applicant's point of view, the time between the day you are notified that you have been accepted into the programme and the start of classes is only a few months. In my case, that means I have only a few months to organize a life that will last 2 years. So, the more months I have to prepare everything I need to live in another country, the better.
Of course, I will take advantage of learning Russian in the next two years. In fact, I am already taking Russian classes but I am not in a position to have classes in a language other than English or Spanish.
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 offline. 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.