BSPU in Minsk

Belarusian State Pedagogical University

Maxim Tank State Pedagogical University is the leading pedagogical university of Belarus with a centuries-old history. Its main task is professional training of teachers for pre-school, secondary and higher education institutions. The faculties of BSPU have the necessary technical and scientific basis for training successful teachers, and the institutes of BSPU are engaged in the development of actual problems of education. For example, the Faculty of Psychology of BSPU is the largest in the country, and in 2016, it was transformed into the Institute of Psychology of BSPU. In addition to social and pedagogical psychology, it is also possible to study the psychology of family relations and business psychology. The newly opened Institute of Inclusive Education of BSPU specializes in correctional pedagogy.

History of BSPU

On June 22, 1914 the Minister of Public Education of the Russian Empire Lev Aristidovich Kasso signed the Decree on the opening of the Minsk Teachers' Institute, and on November 21, 1914 it was solemnly opened. Four years later, it was transformed into the Minsk Pedagogical Institute, where prominent cultural and scientific figures of that time taught: Efim Kara, Vaclav Ivanovsky, Bronislav Tarashkevich.

In 1920-1921, as a result of the reform of teacher training institutes, a new type of teacher training institution was created - the Institute of Public Education, which provided training not only for teachers but also for pre-school and out-of-school workers. At the same time, the Teacher's Institute got a new name - Minsk Institute of Public Education - and became the only one in Belarus, where a planetarium with an exact model of the starry sky was opened. On September 8, 1993 Minsk State Pedagogical Institute became the Belarusian State Pedagogical University.

Picture 1 Photo by belta.by

In 2007 BSPU joined the Eurasian Association of Universities. Today the Eurasian Association of Universities is an authoritative international organization of universities. It includes national universities of all CIS countries, as well as leading regional universities and higher education institutions of the Eurasian space.

Currently, the Eurasian Association unites 142 universities of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova and other countries.

The EAU Congresses considered the problems of national education development, the tasks of preserving the common educational space and ensuring the equivalence of university diplomas, the development of cooperation between universities - members of the Association in the field of education and university science, the main educational and methodological issues of improving university education.

About the university

BSPU trains highly qualified teachers who are able to solve professional problems with a creative approach. Graduates of the university possess advanced technologies of education and upbringing and realize personal and public importance of pedagogical activity.

Picture 2 Photo by minsknews.by

At the moment BSPU acts as a single educational and methodical complex, which is the largest center of the national system of continuous pedagogical education of the Republic of Belarus. The number of faculty of BSPU is more than 833 people, including doctors and candidates of sciences.

The University consists of 10 faculties and 3 institutes:

• The Faculty of Philology;
• The Faculty of Preschool Education;
• Faculty of History;
• Faculty of Social and Pedagogical Technologies;
• Faculty of Aesthetic Education;
• Faculty of Physical Education;
• Faculty of Primary Education;
• Faculty of Physics and Mathematics;
• Faculty of Pre-University Training;
• Faculty of Natural Sciences;
• Institute of Advanced Training and Retraining;
• Institute of Inclusive Education;
• Institute of Psychology.

Special demand is being made for specialties such as “Fine arts and computer graphics”, “Belarusian language and literature”, “Foreign language (English)”, “Russian language and literature”, “Practical psychology”, “Social work”, “Sports and pedagogical activity (sports direction)”, “Musical art, rhythmics and choreography”.

Annually in summer, BSPU forms student teams that work from May to August in children's health camps. This work gives an opportunity to learn how to work in a team, to show their creative, organizational and leadership qualities.

BSPU dormitories

The campus of BSPU includes 8 dormitories: 4 corridor, 1 apartment, 3 block types. The 8th dormitory of apartment type is located in the student village, where there is all the necessary infrastructure: supermarket, polyclinic branch, subway. The rest of the dormitories are located in a quiet, sleeping area with good transport links. All non-resident and foreign freshmen BSPU provides a place in the hostel. Then getting a place in the dormitory depends on the social status of the student's family, his progress and participation in public life of the university.

Picture 3 Photo by mlyn.by

How to enroll a foreign student?

In accordance with the international treaty of the Republic of Belarus and the country of which the applicant is a citizen, a foreigner can study both on a paid and budgetary basis.

Admission to the university on a paid basis is based on the results of the final certification in the development of the content of the program of preparatory courses at the Belarusian University. In addition, enrollment in the Belarusian State Pedagogical University on a fee basis is carried out on the basis of the results of the interview, which establishes the level of knowledge of the language in which the educational process will be carried out, in the amount sufficient to master the content of the educational program of higher education.

Admission of foreign citizens to the University of Belarus is carried out:

• on the basis of an agreement to train a specialist with higher education at the expense of the budget;
• on the basis of an agreement on training of a specialist with higher education on a paid basis, concluded between the university and a foreign citizen.

What programs can a foreign student study at BSPU?

1. On the program of pre-university preparation. Within 8 months, foreign citizens are being prepared for the educational process at the first level of higher education: in-depth study of Russian language for the qualitative mastering of the taught disciplines, as well as basic knowledge for deep mastering of the chosen specialty. At the end of the studies, the student passes the final tests, which determine his readiness for the educational process at the first level of higher education and receives a certificate of graduation from the faculty of pre-university training. Admission to preparatory courses takes place during the whole year.
2. Higher education of the first level. At this stage, the student learns the chosen specialty within 4-5 years. At the end of the course, the student passes the exams and receives a higher education diploma. Foreign citizens are admitted until November 30 of each year.
3. Higher education II degree (Master's degree). Here the student can enter only with a higher education diploma of the first level and study the disciplines in their specialty in more depth. Education lasts 1 or 2 years depending on the specialty. At the end of the course, the student also receives a master's degree. Admission to the master's programme takes place during the academic year.
4. Postgraduate studies. If you wish to become a research scientist, the postgraduate course is exactly for you. You will study here for 4-5 years, and if you graduate successfully, you will receive a research diploma.

Conditions of admission of foreign citizens to BSPU

You need to have it with you to get into BSPU:

• a completed application form;
• notarized copy of the certificate or other educational document;
• translation of the certificate or other educational document into Belarusian or Russian, certified by a notary public;
• copy of the passport or other identification document;
• translation of a passport or other identity document into Belarusian or Russian, certified by a notary public;
• notarized copy of the medical report on the state of health issued by the official health authority of the country from which the candidate arrived to study.

Copies of all documents must be sealed by a notary and all documents executed in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation into Russian. The translation must be notarized.

The cost of education should be clarified at the university, as every year it changes. However, you should not be afraid of it, because the Belarusian education is much cheaper than the European one, but is not inferior to it in any way. We wish you success in admission!