Convenient Location 
- Petrozavodsk is a small and calm town with a real Russian charm. It takes 13 hours to get to Moscow and 8 hours by comfortable train to St. Petersburg from Petrozavodsk.
- Living with a Russian family, you will get to know what Russian hospitality means.
- You will study Russian in a friendly atmosphere and make friends with Russian students.
- You will be able to see the Kizhi churches, the Valaam and Solovetskiy monasteries, and other beautiful sceneries and masterpieces of architecture.
Welcoming environment
Karelia is a land of richest history and culture. While staying here, you can see world known masterpieces of the Russian Northern culture - the museum of wooden architecture Kizhi, the monasteries of Valaam and Solovki.
You can visit Karelian villages with their special northern charm and experience the exceptional hospitality of their people. Science, arts and folklore are cherished in Karelia.
There are three institutes of higher education in Karelia - Petrozavodsk State University, Karelian Pedagogical 
University and the Conservatory.
In addition, there are the Russian Academy of Sciences, Karelian Science Center and a great number of educational centers of various branches.
In Petrozavodsk alone, there are four theaters and every other town in Karelia has its own theater. Museums of local history and culture can be found in almost every town.
Beautiful environment
Beautiful nature, nice and hospitable people. Unforgettable natural attractions of Karelia are the Kivach waterfall, Onego lake (the cleanest in Europe), numerous forest parks, rocks, plains, and lakes. It's an ideal place for boating, skiing, hiking, fishing, picking mushrooms and berries, a place for picnics and rest.
See why we say, From Here You Can Go Anywhere!
You have a unique chance to visit St.Petersburg and Moscow regularly (it's relatively close). You can also visit other Northern Russian cities - Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, and Vologda!
Low living cost
Food and housing are relatively cheap, especially compared with big cities.
You can save money and yet return home with bags full of Karelian (and not only) souvenirs and gifts.
The artists of Culture and Rest Center in the Republic of Karelia are prize winners of many republican and all-Russia exhibitions. They can offer many articles unique in design and made of wood, birch bark, bone, natural fabric and yarn.
You can buy different souvenir toys like:
Nine-pieces matrjeshka-dolls, rolling matrjeshka-dolls, painted eggs, Manya-and-Vanya textile dolls, kettle cover, wooden decorative and kitchen boards, boxes with landscape painting, birch bark boxes, brooches, pendants, earrings made of bone, lace collars, etc.
A safe place to study
Petrozavodsk State University (PetrSU) is one of the largest educational institutions in the European North of Russia. Among its graduates, there are academicians, ministers and world-famous specialists in culture and science.
Over 11,500 students of the university take both full-time and vocational education classes.
The university has one of the largest libraries in Karelia.
Since 1980, PetrSU has been admitting international students. Over 500 foreign students had participated in various education programs at the university.
Besides education, the university conducts research in various fields of science, including 28 joint international programs.
The international relations of the university are developing rapidly. PetrSU joint scientific research projects with universities of Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Poland, United States and Canada. PetrSU takes an active part in international programs of the Baltic region and Barents Euro-Arctic region, Nordic Council of Ministers, Tempus, Erasmus Mundus, Fulbright, etc. Each year the university holds about 10 international conferences.
So, no matter if you're still in high school, a recent graduate, or are pursuing a graduate degree,
come and visit us!
Questions? Comments? Please e-mail us at interdep@psu.karelia.ru
