Most foreigners are entitled to free emergency care in Russian hospitals, and some countries have reciprocal agreements with Russia for free healthcare for their citizens. It is well worth taking out effective travel insurance.

Foreign students are advised by the Russian authorities to take out medical insurance in the Russian Federation which includes all medical aid and services, except chronic diseases and orthodontics.

State scholarship students receive a significant premium reduction.

Most of Russian educational institutions are able to offer only Russian state-subsidized health insurance provided by the old dilapidated system of Russian clinics and hospitals, so we strongly recommend securing your own international health and medical insurance before you arrive.

Please remember that in order to obtain a visa valid for longer than three months, Russian law requires visitors to be HIV-tested before (or sometimes after) they arrive.

Emergency for the foreigners is rendered free of charge and without delay. Planned medical assistance should be paid.

The emergency is rendered by the therapeutic-prophylactic institutions of state and municipal system of public health, as well as the health workers or persons obliged by law or a special rule to render first aid in the cases of instant danger to foreign students life or urgent medical intervention (consequences of accidents, traumas, poisonings). After a foreign citizen is out of the mentioned state he/she can be provided the planned assistance.

The planned medical aid is rendered for the foreign citizens in accordance with the contract for the paid medical service and / or obligatory medical insurance.

Thus a foreign citizen can pay from his own means for the medical advice, laboratory and instrumental diagnostics, staying in hospital, etc., but the most convenient and much more economical form of access to the paid medical assistance is to buy a policy of voluntary medical insurance. The insured gets a complete outpatient and hospital medical aid without extra charges.