Dormitories
Many of ITMO’s students reside in the university's fully equipped dormitories. International students often, but not always, reside at the dorm located on Vyazemsky Lane 5/7. You can learn more about each of the ITMO dorms and look at pictures of their interiors here, but here’s a list of things they all have in common:
- Students typically share a room with one or sometimes two other students;
- Conveniently accessible by public transport;
- All the essential amenities (Wi-Fi, common kitchen areas, laundry rooms, etc.);
- Study rooms – for a change of scenery during your cramming sessions;
- Fixed prices of about 2,000 rubles per month (utilities included – prices relevant as of September 2024).
Many of the dorms on the list also have their own gyms and even associated student sports clubs, where you can earn your Physical Education credits. At each dorm, there is also a student committee that organizes all kinds of events.
More tips:
Dorm Life 101: Lessons Learned From Living in a Shared Space
In order to get a place at an ITMO dormitory, you will need to indicate this during your application and your communication with the university, as well as on your page in ISU, the university’s internal information management system, following the steps outlined here.
A common area at the dormitory on Alpiyskiy Lane. Photo by ITMO University
Important! International students residing at ITMO dormitories can get their migration registration at the university’s Migration Services Office.
ITMO Aparts
For this relatively new project (link in Russian), the university partnered up with some of the city’s aparthotels. As a result, ITMO students can now rent rooms (on their own or with friends) at modern apartment complexes in various parts of the city.
Even though monthly rent prices for ITMO Aparts are significantly higher than those of dormitories (starting from 12,000-20,000 rubles per month in 2024 depending on the complex), the opportunity comes with its own benefits:
- You get all the benefits of living in an apartment (or sharing it with a friend) – plus the added security of renting in an ITMO-verified location;
- Residing in a community of other ITMO students from all over the world (one such community has formed at the VALO complex);
- Transport accessibility and ease of traveling to ITMO campuses.
This opportunity is available to both Russian and international students. You can apply for a placement in an ITMO Aparts-approved residence in ISU similarly to how you apply for a dormitory placement: indicate that you will require a dormitory during your application to the university. Then, in the Dormitory application on ISU, pick ITMO Aparts (you will need to upload your chest X-ray results into the system) and follow the prompts. With any questions, you can reach out to ITMO’s Student Services Office via email at campus@itmo.ru.
Making your space your own:
Photo by ITMO University
Important! When choosing an apartment complex, make sure to choose one that provides temporary registration – this will be necessary for your migration documents. Then, you will be able to obtain your migration registration at the apartment complex. Reach out for help via the email address above to make sure you’ll be able to obtain the necessary documents at your chosen apartment complex.
Looking for your own apartment (room)
Finally, there is also the option to do your own search for a place – a room or an entire apartment – to rent. Before starting on your quest, you will have to consider:
- Your budget;
- The maximum amount of time you are ready to spend on your commute to and from the university daily – this will help eliminate some city areas from your search;
- Whether you’d like to rent an entire apartment or a single room in one – and whether you’d like to share your space with strangers or would rather find a friend;
- Some of your non-negotiables: for instance, no ground-floor apartments or a kitchen that comes with an oven.
Equipped with all your criteria, you can head over to these websites and apps to search for your dream residence – the popular choices are: Cian, Avito, Yandex.Realty, and the VK page Уютное гнездышко (A Cozy Nest). Another handy tool is the HomeBro Telegram bot, which notifies you about every new apartment listing that fits your parameters.
Find more tips:
If it’s your first time renting, we recommend turning to a more experienced friend or your ITMO Buddy, a senior student who will accompany you at ITMO.
Important! All international students are required to have a migration registration during their studies. If you are renting on your own, you will have to ask your landlord to file this document for you – this is a point you will have to negotiate before signing your rent contract (not all landlords may be ready to do this).
Important documents
Throughout this article, we’ve mentioned the importance of obtaining your migration registration. These matters are managed by ITMO’s Migration Services Office. If you have any questions regarding the documents you will require, reach out to the office via email at omu@itmo.ru or at ITMO’s International Office on Lomonosova St. 9 (room 2139d).
