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Transfers

FAQ: transfers

What’s the difference between an assessment interview and an assessment test?

An assessment interview is a meeting with representatives of your desired faculty to discuss potential differences between your academic transcript and the program curriculum.

An assessment test evaluates your knowledge and training level.

What’s the difference between a certificate of ongoing education and certificate of education?

A certificate of ongoing education confirms your student status and form of studies.

A certificate of education contains information on the courses you’ve taken; it is needed to document any academic backlog resulting from assessment of your transcript.

Can ITMO students transfer to tuition-free positions once they complete their first semester?

Yes, you can now apply for transfer after completing only one semester.

Can I transfer if I have academic backlog?

Academic backlog doesn’t hinder you from applying for transfer (within ITMO or from another educational organization).

How can I find out what my academic backlog will be after a transfer?

It will be calculated by your desired faculty. You will be provided this information at the assessment interview.

When will the results of transfers and readmissions be announced?

The results will be announced after February 6.

How and when do I need to eliminate my academic backlog?

You will have to discuss the date with the appointed lecturer. The deadlines for eliminating academic backlog are determined by your faculty.

When will the number of places for transfer be announced?

It will be announced after all ongoing transfers and readmissions are complete.

In your experience, what are my chances of getting transferred?

Every semester the situation is different, so we cannot really predict your chances. Moreover, as each case is decided upon separately by each faculty and the university-wide committee, it’s hard to foresee their decisions.

I am a student of another university and I want to transfer to ITMO. The exam period at my university ends after January 28. How can I provide a certificate of education without completing my last exam?

You can provide the certificate of education with all the exams you’ll have taken by the application date. If your transfer is approved by the committee, you will have to provide another certificate of education once you are expelled from your university. Based on this certificate, you’ll be able to count credits towards eliminating the academic backlog that will be registered by the committee.

Transferring to ITMO from another educational organization

The committees on student transfer operate twice a year — in August and January-February.

Some structural divisions conduct attestation tests

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Faculty of Physics 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Information Technologies and Programming Faculty 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Advanced Engineering School master's's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the International Research and Educational Center for Physics of Nanostructures 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes and 1-2 years of master's's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Research and Educational Center for Photonics and Optoinformatics 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Institute of International Development and Partnership 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Faculty of Technological Management and Innovations 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

Transfer to tuition-free positions is possible: 

  • Only for those transferring from tuition-free positions; 
  • If the program of planned transfer has open tuition-free positions;
  • Only in the same year or the year below depending on the outcome of the interview. 
  • You cannot transfer to the 1st semester of the 1st year. You can only enroll in the 1st semester of the 1st year via ITMO’s Admissions Committee.

Transfer to fee-based positions is possible: 

  • Both from positions with and without tuition fees;
  • Only in the same year or the year below depending on the outcome of the assessment interview. 
  • You cannot transfer to the 1st semester of the 1st year. You can only enroll in the 1st semester of the 1st year via ITMO’s Admissions Committee.

The application process

Applications for transferring to ITMO University will be accepted on January 20-31, 2025 at the Student Services Office on Lomonosova St. 9.

The list of documents to be included in your application to transfer to ITMO from another educational organization:

  • request;
  • the application form;
  • consent for personal data processing;
  • certificate of study (with grades);
  • student status certificate confirming your form of study;
  • 2 photos (3*4);
  • copy of passport (pages with photo and registration);
  • copy of individual insurance account number (for Russian citizens);
  • copy of the diploma of previous education with supplement.

Follow these steps to apply for a transfer to ITMO University from another educational organization:

  1. Between December 9, 2024 and January 23, 2025, register on id.itmo.ru. You will need to indicate your phone number and email address. If you face any problems, reach out to the support team. Once you’ve registered, log into my.itmo.ru, where you’ll be able to access the tab Requests and queues.
  2. Fill out the application form. Once it’s approved, on January 20-24, you will be able to access the “Request for transfer to ITMO University from another educational organization” on my.itmo.ru.
  3. From your university, get the following:
    • Certificate of education (with information about your completed courses and grades);
    • Certificate of ongoing education confirming your form of studies.
  4. On January 20-24, fill out the “Request for transfer to ITMO University from another educational organization.” To your application, attach scanned copies of all documents as .pdf files.
  5. Submit your application.
  6. Once your Request is considered, you will have to bring the original copies of your documents to the Student Services Office by January 31, 2024. Your request, application form, and consent to the processing of your personal data can be downloaded from your application by employees of the Student Services Office. What you do have to bring are your passport, 2 photos (3*4), the original copy of your student status certificate, and a certificate of study (with grades).

    If you aren’t in St. Petersburg when you receive a notification that your request has been reviewed, you will need to print out your request, application form, and consent to personal data processing and sign them. Then, you will have to send all the necessary documents for your application to transfer to ITMO via mail to Kronverksky Pr. 49, bldg. A, St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia (with the mark “For Student Services Office”).

  7. To register your application and sign up for an assessment interview, you must provide a full set of original copies of the required documents to the Student Services Office between January 20 to 31, 2025. Documents submitted after January 31, 2025 will not be reviewed.
  8. Assessment interviews will be conducted in January-February. You will receive a notification on your application on my.itmo.ru with a link to registration for the assessment interview. You will have to sign up for the interview yourself.

    NB: you might receive the notification about the assessment interview the day before the interview will be conducted.

    To take part in the assessment interview, you will need: a PC/laptop, stable internet access, and a web camera. Assessment interviews are conducted by staff members of the respective faculty (department).

The competition

Transferring to fee-based positions

  • An assessment interview is conducted. Afterwards, a summary is drawn up stating the differences in academic transcripts, the number of credits transferred, and the deadline for the elimination of differences in academic transcripts. The interview must be attended in person. 
  • The faculty’s committee assesses the applications received. 

Transferring to tuition-free positions

  • An assessment interview is conducted. Afterwards, a summary is drawn up stating the differences in academic transcripts, the number of credits transferred, and the deadline for the elimination of differences in academic transcripts. The interview must be attended in person. 
  • The faculty’s committee assesses the applications received. 
  • After that, the candidates approved by faculty committees are assessed by the university committee which reaches the final decision. 
     

The decision

  • If your request is declined, your application on my.itmo will be declined. You can apply for the next session of the committee. The number of times you can apply is not limited.
  • If your request is granted, you will receive a notification on your application detailing your further steps. You will also receive a certificate of transfer to start the expulsion process at your previous university. There, you will need to get an excerpt from the order of expulsion and your high school or degree certificate that you will need to provide to ITMO University. After the Student Services Office receives these documents, an order of your admission to ITMO will be issued. If you are transferring to a tuition-based position, the order of admission will be issued after your payment is confirmed.
  • The committee’s decision will be sent after around February 6, 2025 depending on the time when information is provided by educational departments.

The final steps

  1. As soon as you can, bring the documents received at your prior university to the Student Services Office:
    • an excerpt from the order of expulsion from your prior university;
    • a confirmation of your studies at the prior university (issued after your expulsion);
    • the original copy of your previous certificate of education (diploma).
  2. In the event that you are transferring to a fee-based position, you will need to sign an educational contract, receive a payment bill, pay the fees, and provide a confirmation of your payment to the Student Services Office.

Transferring to another educational program

The committees on student transfer operate twice a year – in August and January.

Some structural divisions conduct attestation tests

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Faculty of Physics 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Information Technologies and Programming Faculty 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Advanced Engineering School master's's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the International Research and Educational Center for Physics of Nanostructures 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes and 1-2 years of master's's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Research and Educational Center for Photonics and Optoinformatics 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Institute of International Development and Partnership 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

For candidates who have applied to transfer to the Faculty of Technological Management and Innovations 1-4 years of bachelor's degree programmes to tuition-free or fee-based education, it will be necessary to pass an attestation test.

The transfer to another educational program without changing your subject area is possible:

  1. For students who have passed the assessment interview.
  2. For students with no outstanding payments for educational services (if you are a tuition-paying student).
  3. For students who have passed the attestation test (if applicable).

The transfer to another educational program in a different subject area is possible:

  1. For students who have passed the assessment interview.
  2. If the program of planned transfer has open positions. Information about tuition-free and fee-based positions will be published later.
  3. For students with no outstanding payments for educational services (if you are a tuition-paying student).
  4. For students who have passed the attestation test (if applicable).

The application process

You have to submit your signed application on January 20-31, 2025.

  1. From January 20 to 24, 2025, fill in the application form on my.itmo.ru – “Transfer to another educational program”.
  2. Attach scanned copies of documents proving your outstanding achievements in academic, research, social, creative, and sports activities at ITMO University (if applicable).
  3. Submit your application.
  4. After your request is approved, you will receive a notification inviting you to sign the application at the Student Services Office.

    NB: you have to bring the original copy of your application to the Student Services Office between January 20 and 24, 2025. If you aren’t in St. Petersburg when you receive a notification that your request has been reviewed, you will need to print out your request from the application and sign it. Then, you will have to send it via mail to Kronverksky Pr. 49, bldg. A, St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia (with the mark “For Student Services Office”).

To register your application and sign up for an assessment interview, you must provide a full set of original copies of the required documents to the Student Services Office between January 20 to 31, 2025. Documents submitted after January 31, 2025 will not be reviewed.

Assessment interviews will be conducted in January-February. You will receive a notification on your application on my.itmo.ru with a link to registration for the assessment interview. You will have to sign up for the interview yourself.

NB: you might receive the notification about the assessment interview the day before the interview will be conducted. To take part in the assessment interview, you will need: a PC/laptop, stable internet access, and a web camera. Assessment interviews are conducted by staff members of the respective faculty (department).

NB! Deleting your application on ISU will not cancel it. If you decide not to apply for a transfer after all, please contact us at transfer@itmo.ru.

The competition

Transfer to fee-based positions 

  • An assessment interview is conducted. Afterwards, a summary is drawn up stating the differences in academic transcripts, the number of credits transferred, and the deadline for the elimination of differences in academic transcripts.
  • The faculty’s committee assesses the applications received. 

Transfer to tuition-free positions

Transferring within a subject area:

  • An assessment interview is conducted. Afterwards, a summary is drawn up stating the differences in academic transcripts, the number of credits transferred, and the deadline for the elimination of differences in academic transcripts.
  • The faculty’s committee assesses the applications received. 

Transferring to another subject area: 

  • An assessment interview is conducted. Afterwards, a summary is drawn up stating the differences in academic transcripts, the number of credits transferred, and the deadline for the elimination of differences in academic transcripts.
  • The faculty’s committee assesses the applications received;
  • After that, the candidates approved by faculty committees are assessed by the university committee in order to reach a final decision. 

The decision

  • If the request is declined, you can apply for the next session of the committee. The number of times you can apply is not limited;
  • If the request is granted, the order for your transfer to another program will be issued within three office days. It will state your year of study, form of study and the number of your study group [1]. Your student ID stay the same. 
  • The committee’s decision will be sent in a notification to your application after around September 2, 2024 depending on the time when information is provided by educational departments.

[1] Students who have transferred to fee-based positions (from tuition-free positions of fee-based) will sign contracts for the reception of paid educational services.