More and more young people continue education by entering Master's degree, considering it as an opportunity to deepen their knowledge in their chosen field or to learn a new specialty. Foreign students are also awarded Master's degrees in Belarusian universities. We talked with Xue Weiping, a graduate of the Sichuan International Studies University, why she decided to enter Master's program in Belarus.
I studied Russian at the Chinese university. The most difficult aspect for me was grammar. The grammatical system of the Russian language is fundamentally different from that of Chinese. It was difficult to read and understand Russian texts. I spent a lot of time on grammar exercises and after that learning the language became easier, shared the student.
After an internship in Russia, she realized that studying abroad helps not only to obtain new knowledge, but also to get acquainted with culture.
Xue decided to continue her studies in Belarus by winning a grant from the Ministry of Education and enrolling in a master's program at the Faculty of Journalism. She aspires to become a journalist at the Chinese news agency Xinhua and is now working on her master's thesis on the analysis of the Belarusian labor market in journalism.
Academic work is a big challenge for me, but while I was writing my thesis last year, I realized that I like it after all. During my studies there are some difficulties, but I cope with them. The most important thing is to ask the teachers if something isn’t unerstandable. They always help, summarized the student.
Advantages of studying for a Master's degree
Change of specialisation
You can apply for a Master's degree in your field of study or in another one. For example even graduates of humanity disciplines can apply for a Master's degree at technical university. This gives you opportunity to get new profession and become a specialist with two qualifications. At the same time you will save time: it takes four years to get second higher education and maximum two years to complete a Master's degree.
! It is important to understand that Master's degree doesn’t mean learning from scratch, but helps tp deepen your knowledge and qualifications to advanced level. That’s why if you apply for the second level of higher education in another education field, you should have basic knowledge in your chosen field of study.
Launch of a scientific research career
If you were interested in science and taking part in research conferences at undergraduate level you should consider enrolling in a Master's. The major part of education there is research. During two years you work on your Master's thesis - you can dedicate all that time to creation and developing your idea. The university will provide you with research laboratories, research literature, an experienced supervisor and venues of start up. It's a great opportunity to begin as a scientist.
Competitive growth
There are more chances to get management position or promotion with Master’s degree. Employers understand that you’re more experienced professional than the one with just a Bachelor's degree because Master's degree provides two years of in-depth study of narrowly focused disciplines. Sometimes this may be equal to several years of work experience. Besides you can get a job not only in Belarus but also abroad as Belarusian diplomas are internationally recognised.
Flexibility of study
Master's programs in Belarus offer two main forms of study: full-time and correspondence, which allows students to choose the most convenient option depending on their employment and life circumstances.
Full-time study involves regular attendance throughout the academic year. This is an ideal option for those who can fully devote themselves to their studies and wish to immerse themselves in the educational process. Full-time students have the opportunity to interact more closely with faculty, participate in various academic events, and utilize all of the university's resources, including laboratories and libraries.
Correspondence courses are ideal for busy, working people who want to continue their education without taking time away from their main job. The plan of classes in the correspondence form is designed so that personal presence is required only at three sessions (not counting the initial one), consultations and intermediate attestations, which are held at least twice a semester. The defense of the Master's thesis is held before the State Examination Committee. This allows students to flexibly plan their time and combine work with studies.
Admission rules for Master's programs
Foreign students with a Bachelor’s degree can apply for Master's. You don’t have to apply for a Master's degree at the same university: you can choose another speciality and change the university.
Graduates from Belarusian universities submit the original diploma and its annexes with grades. If your educational document wasn’t issued in Belarus, it has to be recognised by the National Institute of Higher Education or apostilled (confirming that the level of education corresponds to the first level of higher education in the Republic of Belarus).
Also you should submit the following documents:
Documents in a foreign language must be translated into Russian or Belarusian and notarised.
The list of the required documents may vary depending on the university. Our managers will inform you about all changes during consultations.
When you apply for Master’s you are interviewed in the language and in the subject area. It determines the level of proficiency in Russian or English (depending on the language of instruction), the applicant's interest and level of knowledge in the chosen direction. Sometimes the grades of the Bachelor’s degree diploma can be taken into account.
It is important to keep an eye on application dates, they can vary from university to university.
Tuition fee
The tuition fee depends on the institution, speciality and form of education. It is possible to find an educational program for $1,500 per year, but these are few. Mostly the cost ranges from $2,500 to $3,700 per year. The maximum cost of education in the Belarusian master's program is $4,700 per year for IT specialization.
Law, medicine and IT programms cost more, but agricultural and education programms cost less. Full-time form of education is more expensive than correspondence .
Living expenses can be minimised: universities provide dormitories for foreign students. Costs range from $40 to $70 per month.
Studying at a Belarusian Master's program is an opportunity not only to deepen your knowledge in your chosen field, but also to obtain a new qualification, start a scientific career, and increase your chances of getting a prestigious job both in Belarus and abroad. At the same time, affordable tuition fees, university support and a variety of study programs make education in Belarus cost-effective and attractive.
