International students welcomed at Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University
- Published: Friday, 26 December 2025 13:49
Students from West Africa, South Asia and Iraq arrived at the Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University for studying the Russian language and further admission to universities in the Chelyabinsk Region under the government quota. Young people will study in bachelor's, master's and postgraduate programs.
The international students were welcomed by Ildar Abdulveleev, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs. Ildar Ravilevich admitted that he had long wanted to meet the students, as their arrival at the university had been eagerly awaited.
"We once had a lot of students from Africa and Asia. There was a period when students did not come, but now we are reviving this tradition. We are very glad that students from distant countries, including Africa, have started coming to us again. At our university, people have become a little unaccustomed to the arrival of foreigners, English-speaking students. In the city, this is not such a common practice, so I think you might encounter some mild surprise both at the university and in the city. But our people are very friendly, both the university staff and students, so I am confident that you will be comfortable and enjoy everything here. You can always reach out to the staff of the International Cooperation Directorate or to me. We will always be happy to help you adapt to our country and assist with any personal and everyday matters," said Ildar Abdulveleev.
Ildar Ravilevich also shared his own student-life experience, explained the structure of the university, and described the programs that the students will be enrolled in under the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation in 2026.
The students, in turn, told the Vice-Rector about themselves, their families and their plans for the future. Some plan to stay in Russia after completing their studies.
18-year-old Emile, a native of the French-speaking West African country of Benin, will be pursuing his first higher education degree in Electrical Power Engineering. He has already been in Magnitogorsk for several months and speaks Russian fluently, unlike those who have arrived recently.
Miah Tarek from Bangladesh is smiling and open to communication. The 25-year-old came to Russia to pursue a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. “My father and brother are in Saudi Arabia, and my mother has always lived in Bangladesh, she is a housewife. My sister is a schoolteacher. I really love sports – cricket, football and volleyball,” Tarek shared about himself.
Ahmed Mustafa has already earned a bachelor's degree at a university in Iraq, and plans to pursue a master’s degree in Russia after studying the language. Ahmed studies both English and Russian, and enjoys swimming and playing video games. "My father is an elementary school teacher, my mother is a housewife, my sister and brother are university students in Iraq," Ahmed said.
Some of the students will leave for their universities after studying the Russian language at the Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, while two will go to South Ural State University (SUSU). During their stay in Magnitogorsk, the students have become friends and actively support each other: those who learn the language more easily help with translation. Some students at the preparatory faculty of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language, where they study both spoken and written Russian, are already considering staying and transferring to the NMSTU.
