Our offer to learn RUSSIAN
Immersion Program in Russia and Latvia
Whatever your reasons for learning Russian today, you are in good company as interest in the language of Pushkin and Tolstoy is no longer confined to an academic sphere. Demand for modern and communicative Russian is on the increase, be it for professional purposes or pure pleasure! Our campuses are located in four of the region’s most historic, beautiful and culturally rich cities:
∎ St. Petersburg was the jewel of Imperial Russia and is an UNESCO World Heritage site
∎ Moscow is Russia’s economic powerhouse and Europe’s largest metropolis
∎ Irkutsk is the capital of Eastern Siberia and a gateway to the Baikal region
∎ Riga is the beautiful Latvian capital, full of charm and history.
Why study with us?
With campuses in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Irkutsk, Russia’s premier cities for culture, tourism and business, and Riga, the historic and elegant capital of Latvia, Jaisfa offers the finest destination in which to study Russian. It’s not just about the quality of the location, however, but the quality of the teaching which sets our courses apart from the competition.
Group courses
Our teaching method, in small multinational groups, uses no intermediary language: we teach Russian in Russian from day one. This develops an ability to interact in Russian much faster and helps overcome any language barrier. Our communicative approach to teaching makes the educational process an enjoyable and efficient experience. You will quickly learn grammar, using new words and language skills adapted to daily situations.
This course of 20 lessons per week is available all year round, with a weekly intake of new students following a modular pattern of two-week units. Group courses operate from Monday to Friday with a minimum course length of two weeks and no maximum.
The curriculum is built up like a spiral, where each new level of language acquisition starts with the revision of previously studied grammar constructions, logically connected with different speech patterns. This has two advantages: group newcomers are able to feel involved in the learning process, while continuing students acquire new vocabulary based on previously acquired grammar material.
Groups are formed according to an assessment test, which is compulsory for all students. Standard group courses are available for A1-B2 levels all year. A very important minimum requirement for all group courses is passive knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet.
If you choose our Intensive Group Course, you will have 20 morning lessons with students following the Standard Group Course and 5 additional lessons, taught on two afternoons. Intensive Group Courses are offered all year in three different levels:
∎ Elementary (A1/A1+)
∎ Pre-intermediate (A2/A2+)
∎ Intermediate (B1/B1+)
Intensive Group Courses are also available at Upper Intermediate (B2/B2+) and Advanced (C1) levels when there is sufficient demand.
St.Petersburg and Moscow are cities that never sleep and with lots of things to do after classes. Especially for those who want to have enough time to discover the treasures of St. Petersburg or Moscow, we have designed a group course with less lessons than our standard group courses and timings which allow for enough sleep after a long night out. This course of 15 lessons per week is available from mid-September until mid-May with weekly intakes and usually starts at 15:00, Monday to Friday. The minimum course length is one week. Levels offered: A0-B1+. This course is available only in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
One-to-One Courses
Our One-to-One Courses are designed for students who require a very focussed area of study. You will be invited to specify your field of interest when completing the online booking form, so that we can pre-select material, establish a study plan and prepare specific vocabulary. One-to-one courses are available in varying degrees of intensity: 15, 20, 30 or 40 lessons per week. For 30 lessons or more the student is taught by two teachers. Individual courses can be booked throughout the year. The minimum course length is one week with each course starting on a Monday and ending on a Friday, though weekend classes can be organized on request. Participants may also book an additional 5 lessons as a supplement to any One-to-One or Group Course.
Accommodation Options
When you’re miles from home, studying in a foreign country, it’s important that you make the right choice of accommodation so that you feel comfortable and relaxed enough to make the most of your precious time. Whether you’re looking to stay in a hotel, rent a studio apartment, share a student flat or experience everyday life with a Russian-speaking family with Homestay, at Jaisfa we have a range of options to suit a variety of preferences… and budgets!
Homestay
Shared Flats
Hotels and Hostels (Residences)
Studio Apartments
Activity Programme
St. Petersburg
Wandering round the historic centre of St. Petersburg is one of the joys of this magnificent city, and our free walking tour will help you experience its many architectural delights. We also offer excursions to two of the Tsar’s former residences — the Peterhof Palace and the Ekaterinsky Palace — where you will get a flavour of the opulence and majesty of life in imperial Russia. In addition, our programme includes a boat tour, Russian cookery lessons, a brewery excursion and trips to nearby Veliky Novgorod and Pavlovsk.
Irkutsk
Unmissable excursions in Irkutsk include a day-trip along the Lake Baikal in a steam train and a beautiful journey via the Circum- Baikal Railway. We also organize excursions to Listvyanka, the closest place to Irkutsk on the Baikal shore, with a hike to the top of the mountain ‘Kamen Cherskogo’.
Moscow
There’s more to Moscow than the world famous Red Square, with the Kremlin and the iconic St Basil’s Cathedral, though that’s rightly top of most visitors wish list and part of our activity programme. From the towering ‘Seven Sisters’ skyscrapers to the rebuilt Church of Christ the Saviour, there are reminders of Russia’s history under communist rule everywhere. Included in our schedule are trips to the world famous Moscow Zoo, Gorky Park, an open air cinema and a fascinating range of historic museums and galleries.
Riga
Riga, Latvia’s capital and the largest city in the Baltic States, has architecture which spans the centuries, most notably a medieval centre and one of the world’s finest collections of Art Nouveau buildings. You will get to know the historical centre well during your time here, with tours to the Central Market, and rides around the city on the renovated tram. There are also excursions to the seaside suburb of Jurmala. On Fridays you can relax with your teachers as you enjoy a traditional Russian tea party.