How to find a host family to study in Russia

How to live with a Russian family in Russia — Do you want to live “the Russian way”? Find a host family (preferably without bears at home).

One thing is for sure: learning Russian with the locals makes learning to speak easier and faster, at least as much as with private tutors. For native Russians, hosting a foreign student is an advantage! Before looking for your Russian host family , you have to determine the nature of your stay :

Language classes or language exchange,
Volunteering,
Internship abroad,
Only Russian lessons,
Combination of work and vacations,
Summer Camp,
Au pair ,
Organized trip,
Tonic accent private classes,
Russian grammar classes,
Holidays with a tourist visa.

If you go to Russia to achieve an intermediate level or close to native, the “host family” option is a good plan!

Opting for specialized agencies is the best option to find a good host family , because there are many scams in the context of young au pairs and the student world. Among the agencies, you can contact:

A language school like the Pushkin Institute in Moscow,
Tour operators,
A training organization such as Exlinguo or Derzhavin Institute .

These agencies can offer you host family packages, whatever your project in Russia, including the preparation of a trip in Trans-Siberian or the Caucasus.

Another tip: choose your family according to your language level . If you are a beginner in Russian and need to practice both oral and written expression, opt for host families who speak English, not just Russian, as few Russians speak a foreign language.