‘If You Are Talented, You Have Every Chance of Getting a Full Scholarship at HSE’

Nadezhda Lozina

Nadezhda Lozina, graduate of the Master's programme in Applied Cultural Studies, came to HSE University from Moldova. Nadezhda told HSE news service about  the process of enrolling at HSE University and what role the HSE Global Scholarship Competition has played in her life.

Learning about HSE

I first learnt about HSE University when I was studying in the 10th grade. Our lyceum has always celebrated student success, teachers not only talked about all the opportunities for admission to Russian universities, but also prepared us for student competitions. It was important for me that HSE University has no restrictions on accepting foreign citizens. This means that if you are really talented, you have every chance of getting scholarship for your tuition fees.

After graduating from the lyceum, many of my schoolmates entered HSE University, but back then I did not want to move to Russia to study and instead chose a university close to my home. But I was always aware of HSE life: I visited the website, learnt about the campuses, events, and competitions. We can say that I was aware of HSE’s activities.  

Participating in HSE Global Scholarship Competition

HSE representatives came to my city to host the competition, and a friend of mine worked as volunteer at the event. He invited me to participate, so I took part in the competition about cultural studies and received a second degree diploma, which allowed me to enroll on the programme in cultural studies without sitting entrance exams. I had a good knowledge of the history of culture and art, so I did not face any problems during the competition. In addition, the decision to participate was so spontaneous that I didn't even have time worry. That year, I decided not to enroll and instead graduated from the university where I was already studying. But thanks to HSE Global Scholarship Competition, I decided to apply to do my master's degree at the Higher School of Economics.

Enrollment at HSE, the Joy of Studying, and Cold Winter

Ironically, two years later, I didn’t succeed in the Global Scholarship Competition to enroll on the master's programme in ‘Applied Cultural Studies’. So, I had to postpone my dream for another year, during which I studied at the Russian State University for the Humanities. It was only in 2018, having participated once again in the competition and won, that I was finally able to apply for the desired programme. Although I enrolled according to the results of another competition, it was the HSE Global Scholarship Competition that opened up the opportunities of HSE competitions for me.

Submitting documents, moving into a dormitory, meeting with the programme’s academic supervisor, lecturers and classmates - everything went perfectly

Sure, there were certain teething problems. For example, I moved in the new dormitory that was not yet equipped with furniture, and I had some problems dealing with LMS and my personal account. But these were minor inconveniences that did not affect my joy of enrolling at HSE University.

By that time, I had already lived in Moscow for a year, working on exhibition projects and in contemporary art galleries, so I was used to the city, its rhythm and style. In all honesty, however, I still can't get used to the long, cold winters (and for a resident of the South of Moldova, Moscow winters are really cold). I often visit my home country, but it’s always nice to return to Moscow and feel its rhythm.

© Daniil Prokofyev/ HSE University

Freedom and Self-discipline

The first module was difficult: I had to understand the principle of working and interacting with lecturers, which was different from my previous academic experience. On the one hand, I had much more freedom and the communication was easy (it was especially pleasing when teachers called us colleagues and we communicated on equal terms). On the other hand, this freedom required more self-discipline and meeting strict deadlines.

As soon as the adaptation period passed, it was much easier for me to study, and combine study and work

The School of Cultural Studies is small, so there is a feeling that everyone knows each other and will come together to help to solve your problem. We became not only colleagues, but also friends: we went together to exhibitions, cultural events, and carried out a lot of joint small research projects. Even small joint reports and presentations were fun, lively and interesting.

Of course, you always want to add something to the degree programme curriculum, everyone has their own enthusiasms and desire for particular knowledge. I would like the ‘Applied Cultural Studies’ programme to further develop the applied nature of cultural knowledge. This would lead to more people understanding about the proficiency and potential of cultural scientists.

In the 2020/2021 academic year, the HSE Global Scholarship Competition will cover the following subjects: Foreign Languages (English), International Relations, Asian Studies, Design, Journalism, History, Cultural Studies, Mathematics, Media Communications, Law, Psychology, Advertising and Public Relations, Modern Politics, Social Sciences, Physics, Philology, and Philosophy.

You don't have to pay any fees to take part in the Competition. The Competition includes one round only and is intended for those applying for Bachelor degree programmes at HSE. You may either attend the Competition venue in person or compete online.