The good news is that foreign students willing to get higher or vocational education in Belarus can apply for a scholarship, or, to put it precisely - to study for free. But travel expenses, visa and registration, medical insurance, accommodation and meals have to be covered by the student. So you don't happen to get a certain sum of money on hand, but you won't have to pay about $2500 every year - which is a lot, so the scholarship is worth applying for. The application is organized in 3 stages.
Stage 1
Until the 20th of February, our diplomatic missions all over the world accept application packages from foreign citizens willing to apply for the scholarship. You can check, whether there is a Belarusian diplomatic mission in your country, on this page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web-site. If there is no Belarusian Embassy or Consulate General in your country, don't panic and check the neighbouring countries. They may happen to have one, and you can make a trip there to apply.
Belarusian diplomatic mission will require the following documents from you:
- application for admission (there is no strict form, just write it the way you feel it and make sure you state substantial arguments for the chosen major and why you have to be admitted);
- copies of the document for travelling abroad and (or) ID document (usually it's a passport or national and international passports);
- copy of the educational certificate (in case you're still studying, a certificate from your school stating that you are their student and signed by the head, with a list of current marks on all subjects)
- copy of a document stating the level of your Russian or Belarusian language command;
- copy of a medical certificate stating that you are able to study the chosen major and a certificate stating that you have no HIV;
- a reference letter from your school (if you're still a student);
- documents prooving your Belarusian origin (in case you/your parents/your grandparents were born or resided on the modern territory of the Republic of Belarus.
If your documents are concluded in a foreign language, you have to provide their notarized translation in Russian or Belarusian as well.
Remember: the deadline for the application is the 20th of February. After the diplomats collect all applications, they send them to the Ministry of Education. By the 15th of March, your documents will reach Belarus.
Stage 2
After your application reaches the Ministry of
Education, it will be reviewed by a special committee. Members of the committee
pay a great deal of attention to the academic performance of each candidate. In
order to pass stage 2 successfully, you have to make sure that the average sum
of your marks is no less than 7.5 (in accordance with the Belarusian ten-point
marking scale). In case you have a different marking system, then you will be
required to have a 75% academic performance out of 100%.
By the 1st of May, the committee will conclude the lists of selected candidates and forward them to the educational institutions.
Stage 3
All educational institutions have to organize an
interview with their selected candidates. They will check the level of the
Russian or Belarusian language command, and in case the candidate is applying
for a creative major, like "Art and Design" or "Music
Studies", he will be required to provide samples of his creative works (in
a digital form).
If you get to stage 3, you will be contacted by your
university before the 20th of May. They will set the date for your interview,
which can be conducted distantly.
Educational institutions will be considering the
candidates until the 20th of June. After the decision is taken they notify the
winners right away and send them invitation letters.
If during the interview university representatives consider that your level of Russian/Belarusian is unsatisfactory, don't be upset. The rules allow you to take a course at the Preparatory Department using your own money. And after you improve your language skills you will be able to start your free of charge studies in the next academic year.
Good luck!
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