Planning the family budget across the whole programme
The budget question usually comes up in December, when the family gathers and the decision becomes concrete. The trap is not the annual figure — it is affordable — but forgetting a line, which turns a workable budget into permanent strain.
The five lines to include
- Tuition: €2,200 to €3,500 a year depending on the programme, paid directly to the university
- Housing: €30 to €90 a month in university residence depending on the city
- Daily living: €140 to €260 a month, meals and transport included
- Mandatory medical insurance: around €180 a year, renewed annually
- One-off first-year costs: around €900 for visa, translations and flight
Only the last line is one-off. The other four repeat every year: the reasoning must cover the whole programme.
Reasoning across the programme
General medicine runs six years, plus the preparatory year: the budget must be projected over seven years, not one. For dentistry and pharmacy, count five years plus the preparatory year.
Two levers cut the total significantly without sacrificing anything: choosing a regional city over Moscow, and staying in university housing rather than a flat. The gap runs into thousands of euros across the programme.
The comparison that settles it
Before deciding, put the full annual cost in Russia side by side with a Tunisian private school in the same specialty. Compare comparable totals: tuition, housing and daily living included on both sides.
Related articleFrequently asked questions
Does the budget rise every year?
Tuition is generally stable across the programme, but insurance renews annually and living costs follow local inflation. Plan a margin rather than a calculation to the last euro.
Are flights included?
No. The outbound flight sits in the one-off first-year costs, but trips home during holidays must be budgeted separately.
Does a scholarship change this calculation?
The state quota covers tuition and gives access to housing at student rates, with a modest monthly allowance. The other lines remain yours: a family budget is still necessary.