Proficiency Exam?

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

I was hoping some of the more advanced non-native speakers can answer a few questions for me (or at least one major one).

I've taken 3 years worth of university-level Russian and lived in St. Petersburg for about 2 months.  I know I'm definitely nowhere near fluent, but I'm also not a beginner.  I'm also learning Chinese (currently in Beijing) so I don't have very much access to Russian things here. 

My major questions (despite that lead in) is what exam (if any) foreigners are expected to take if applying to work/whatever in Russia.  Most American universities require foreigners to take the TOEFL, for example.  I would like to know what the Russian equivalent is. 

What I'd really, REALLY like is access to a "practice" version online.  I don't want or need to take the actual exam now, but I'd like to be able to see where I would place on it if I took it today without studying (and then maybe in a few months after I review a little more again). 

The main reason is this: I'm entering Junior year at school next year and want to spend the spring abroad but haven't chosen a location yet.  I'm leaning towards Russia of course, but my school has this silly rule that if you go to Russia, all your classes must be in Russian for credit.  I'm a political science major VERY far from completing my major, so I'd need to take 4 Poli Sci classes in Russian to work this... and I don't know if 3 years was enough to discuss international law or political philosophy etc.  Have any of you had similar experiences, and if so, how did they go?  The program that I would most likely be doing if I choose Russia will be the Bard-Smolny program in St. Petersburg (damn I really want to live in Moscow though...)

Thanks!

(I should mention that I would try to look for all of this myself of course, but internet is TERRIBLE here so I'm preparing this post ahead of time and praying people can help me). 

Comments

[caith-sith.livejournal.com]

We don`t have any kind of TOEFL for russian language. At least, I didn`t hear anything about it.
http://www.bibliotekar.ru/encSlov/index2.htm
That is the encyclopaedia of common russian idioms. Maybe that could be useful for you.


Sorry for my english. I am not very good at it.

[slovami.livejournal.com]

The exam is called the Государственный тест русского языка для иностранцев. (или "русского языка как иностранного", или "русского языка для лиц без гражданства"... I'm pretty sure the first is correct, though) There's a base level that doesn't get you a certificate, and then four certified levels. This info is all rather rough and might have mistakes since I went through all this more than a year ago, but hopefully it'll be helpful.

1st level - required for citizenship? (I could be making that up)
2nd level - required to enter undergrad or get a job
3rd level - required to graduate from undergrad, enter grad school, or work as a translator
4th level - required to graduate from majors such as "Russian language and literature"

Each level has 5 sections: grammar, speaking, listening, reading, and writing. You have to pass all five sections (passing is 65%) to get certified, but if you pass three or more, you can retake just the parts you failed instead of sitting the whole exam again. Like the TOEFL, it runs about $100-$150 to take.

I passed the second level after 3 years of university study and about 5 months living in-country, with a 20-hour prep course. The hardest thing about taking it cold is the writing portion - i don't know if you've ever had to write an official document (like a заявление or something) in Russian, but there's a very specific format, and you have to know how to do it to pass the 2nd level. In general, think the amount of language study needed to pass it probably varies pretty widely.

I don't know anything about prep materials/practice exams online, and my internet is also kind of bad at the moment. Sorry. :( I know they sell practice exams in Moscow and Petersburg bookstores (they're called типовые тесты), not that that necessarily helps you. I'm going back to the U.S. at the beginning of August, so if you're super-eager for a practice test send me a message and maybe we can work something out where I get one for you on my way through Moscow (not a problem as I'll be going to Dom Knigi anyway) and mail it to you in the U.S.

As for taking courses in Russian, all I can really say from experience is that you seem to have to talk a lot less in Russian college courses than you do in American ones. There's a lot more of the professor lecturing than the "read at home, discuss in class" format. So it would mostly be a question of comprehension ability, at least until exams. However, Smolny is not a typical Russian university, so I'm not sure that really applies.

Sorry, longest comment EVER!

[slovami.livejournal.com]

PS You go to Yale? (I just looked at your profile.) No way, I went to Yale too! I graduated right before you got there, though, I guess (in '06). Maybe we even had some of the same Russian teachers! (Irina Dolgova? Kostya Muravnik? Yulia Titus? eh?)

Ok, I'm done being a dork now. Hope you're having fun in Beijing!

[cherity.livejournal.com]

I was sure there are no such exams in Russia. Most of Russians obviosly don't know anything about it. Thank you for this information

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

No shit? Yea I graduated '06 from HS so I must have just missed you lol! I did second year through the program they offer, so I never had Irina as a teacher. Yulia taught the second year part in New Haven and Kostya was my 3rd year teacher. If I take the advanced convo class I'll probably have Irina as a teacher.

What college were you in btw? And out of curiosity, what Russian things did you do through Yale (internships, connections, etc).

Boola Boola!

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Americans don't usually know the TOEFL exists either, so I wouldn't sweat it :) It isn't exactly something you'd ever need to worry about, just like I'd never need to think about the TOEFL.

[slovami.livejournal.com]

Ha, I also did second year on the Yale/SPB program, woo! At the time, Irina taught it. She is awesome, probably one of the most patient people on the entire planet. I also really liked Kostya as a teacher. Yulia... not my favorite, we just had kind of different personalities though. :)

I was in Trumbull... tragic. No, just joking, I love Trumbull, despite its lameness. But it was being renovated my senior year and we were stuck in Swing Space, and that *was* tragic. What college are you in?

I didn't really do any Russian stuff at Yale... so, I was a linguistics major, and Russian was just sort of a side thing (foreign language req for the major) until senior year I decided to apply for a Fulbright and come to Russia and became a total Russiaholic. Now I'm going to grad school for Russian/East European/Central Asian studies (starting in the fall) and am super excited!

Also I was kind of wrong about what the different levels of the test are needed for. This link explains it: http://www.iie.tpu.ru/pages_ru/3_russian_certificate.php Still, I think the second level would be best for assessing whether you can do university stuff.

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

Thanks! To be fair, I'm pretty sure the Bard-Smolny program teachers know that we're not fluent, and since they say only 2 years are necessary to do it, I'm sure having at least 3 years will be enough.

I share you're sentiments with Yulia. A lot of people really liked her, and while she's certainly qualified I can't say our personalities were a great match...

I'm in Branford, and came into it well after renovations (so much so that we're now starting to seem rather outdated again... JE just got renovated this year and we got all their rats, yay!)

Good luck with grad school! I'm gonna add you as a friend if that's cool. I can't say I really update that often, but I keep up with my friend's page religiously...

[khathi.livejournal.com]

There is, but most Russian companies/universities doesn't require a language certificate. There's just general assumption, that if a person wants to came and join -- then he or she knows what (s)he's doing.

[khathi.livejournal.com]

There is an exam, but most places simply don't ask for any certificates. I had a fresman this year (I teach physics and CS in a medical school) who came from Vietnam and hardly ever spoke Russian -- well, he could manage some simple phrases, but his Russian was really bad -- but he had no problems enrolling. He also managed to get "3" in my class without any trouble.

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

That's good to hear. I figure that there isn't anything official needed, especially since this is going through an American university in conjunction with a Russian one. The practice test was more for my own benefit to get a little assurance ahead of time that I would personally be able to handle it. Thanks for the reassurance though ^_^

[barbarisotschka.livejournal.com]

hey, I have "tipovie exameny" (practice examens) of the second, third and fourth level of the TRKI Test (which has been described by slovami). If you want I can email them to you (they're saved as pdf and word documents). Just send me a message via lj.
I passed the third level after three years of university Russian and one year living & studying in Moscow.
I don't think you have to worry about not being able to discuss international law/philosophy in Russian. :-) Most examens are oral, though. But I think your Russian will improve by the end of the semester, so that won't be a problem. My experience was that the professors are very "loyal'no" (understanding) towards foreign students.
Oh and as much as I love Moscow I really wouldn't regret living in Petersburg! It's a wonderful city (you've been there, so I think you know that). :-)

[vanessa-ru.livejournal.com]

I went on Bard/Smolny. You will take a test of your level, and from there your dean will tell you whether they think your planned academic classes are possible for your level of Russian. For Smolny, the more Russian the better, as you're expected to contribute to discussion and write papers and tests, and depending on the professor, you'll have the same amount of reading etc. as you would in America. Some will let you write your papers in English though, and you'd still get credit as taking a Russian course. Plus you can take studio art in Russian.

If you have any more questions about Bard/smolny or petersburg, ask me. :) don't email the program director because he's really busy and behind at answering email, but i can pass your questions on to him. I liked spb so much i moved back immediately after graduation.

About official tests: if you enter a russian university, you will need to take a profiency test. You wouldn't do that for smolny or any other program. It's for people who are entering in a university for a bachelor's/master's program. As far as jobs go, the only one you can do and get paid for on a student visa is teaching english. I know a lot of kids on other programs teach, but smolny kids usually don't because you have a lot of schoolwork. And obviously to teach english you don't need russian profiency.

[slovami.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm sure you'll be fine. :)

Friend away! I can't say I really write anything enthralling, it's mostly for language practice. I added you as well.

[zauberer.livejournal.com]

Wow! I never heard that there is something like TOEFL for Russian already in the wild. I've heard that some Russian language authorities are going to produce something like that and standardize it, but all I've heard were rumours.

Anyway, even if there were such a test, there's no formal requirement for non-native speakers when applying for a job or university course.

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

I would love it if you could email those to me! Send them to doubleagent47@gmail.com. Out of curiosity, do the tipovie exameny come with the answer keys, or will I be gaging my success on how easily I think I can do it?

I LOVED St. Petersburg, loved loved loved... but I really want to try living in Moscow because I might end up there after graduating, and it'd be nice to get used to it before that you know?

Thanks so much again!

[barbarisotschka.livejournal.com]

i just sent you everything by email. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I took level 2 and 3.
What are your plans for Moscow after graduation, if i may ask? I'd also like to end up in Russia after graduating. :)