The hidden costs of studying in Russia: what nobody tells you before you leave

These come first, and they are the ones most often forgotten because they are spread over several weeks in small amounts.

• Sworn translations of your diplomas, transcripts and civil status documents
• Legalisation or apostille of the original documents
• Medical certificates required for the student visa
• Identity photographs in the format the university requires
• Consular fees for the visa application
• Trips to Tunis for consular formalities, possibly with an overnight stay

A document redone because it was translated before being legalised is paid for twice: the order of operations is what costs most when you get it wrong.

• The flight, whose price varies sharply with how early you book
• Extra hold luggage, often needed for a long stay
• The journey from the airport to campus on arrival
• First settling-in purchases: bedding, kitchenware, cleaning products
• Winter clothing, better bought locally than in a Tunisian shop

Winter clothing is the item Maghrebi families most underestimate, and it is also the one you must not skimp on: an inadequate coat turns an ordinary winter into an ordeal.

On top of tuition, the following recur every year:

• Compulsory health insurance, in the region of €180 per year
• University hall accommodation, €30 to €90 per month depending on the city
• Everyday cost of living, €140 to €260 per month depending on the city
• The transport pass, at the reduced student rate
• Supplies and textbooks for your field
• Residence permit renewal and the annual migration formalities

The first year is structurally the most expensive: on top of the annual costs comes a set of one-off settling-in expenses, of the order of €900 in total, which do not recur in later years.

• Trips home during the holidays, once or twice a year depending on the family budget
• Bank charges on transfers from Tunisia, which add up when transfers are frequent
• Replacing a phone or a laptop during the course
• Unexpected medical costs not covered by the basic insurance

The single most useful piece of advice: build an emergency fund.

Set aside the equivalent of two to three months of living costs and leave it untouched. That is the difference between a manageable setback and a panicked call home.