The document has become invalid
Document as of August 2014.
Approved
By order of the Minister of Higher
and secondary special
education of the USSR
dated October 1, 1963 N 301
Agreed
Secretary of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions
V. PROKHOROV
Deputy Minister
finance of the USSR
F.MANOYLO
1. In accordance with decisions of the Council of Ministers of the USSR (Orders of the Minister higher education USSR dated August 14, 1956 N 648 and the Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education of the USSR dated July 26, 1963 N 245) state scholarships in the established amounts are awarded to students of higher educational institutions studying on the job, taking into account their academic performance and financial support , and, first of all, to students who received excellent and good grades in exams, and in some cases, who have satisfactory grades. Scholarships are awarded twice a year. academic year based on the results of examination sessions.
2. Scholarships for students (except for the students specified in paragraph 7 of these Instructions) are assigned by scholarship commissions of faculties, and in universities where there are no faculties - by the scholarship commission of the university.
In faculties with more than 500 students, course scholarship committees may be created to assist faculty scholarship committees. Based on the materials of the course scholarship committees, the final decision is made by the faculty scholarship committee.
Scholarship commissions are created for a period of one year from representatives of public organizations of the university, faculty, course under the chairmanship of the vice-rector, dean of the faculty, and deputy dean of the faculty, respectively.
The composition of the scholarship committees of the university and the faculty is approved by the rector of the university, and the composition of the course scholarship committees is approved by the dean of the faculty, in agreement with public organizations respectively university, faculty, course.
A representative of the university accounting department is included in the scholarship committees.
3. When considering issues related to the appointment of a state scholarship, scholarship commissions are guided by these Instructions.
Lists of students to whom the commission has awarded scholarships are approved by order of the rector upon the recommendation of the deans of the faculties.
A student who does not agree with the commission’s decision to deny him a scholarship can appeal this decision to the rector of the university, who, together with the trade union committee and the Komsomol committee of the university, makes a final decision on this issue.
4. To receive a scholarship, students submit an application to the scholarship commission, which indicates the composition of the family and the income received by the student and each family member.
In confirmation of his financial situation They must, within 15 days from the start of their first year classes, submit to the university the relevant documents on family composition and income received by the student and each family member. The income of family members - collective farmers - is indicated in monetary terms, taking into account cash and natural income. In subsequent semesters, such documents are submitted by students only if their financial situation changes or at the request of the scholarship committee.
5. For first-year students of higher educational institutions, scholarships in the first semester are assigned taking into account the grades received in the entrance exams and financial situation in the usual amount without a 25% bonus for receiving excellent grades in the entrance exams.
In the second and subsequent semesters, scholarships are awarded to students from the first day of the month following the examination session.
Students who receive unsatisfactory grades and retake exams in these disciplines after the examination session are, as a rule, not awarded scholarships, regardless of what grades they received.
The rector of the university is given the right, at the request of the scholarship commission, as an exception, to award scholarships during the intersession period to students when their financial situation changes and taking into account the grades of the previous examination session, as well as to individual needy students who have retaken the exams in the prescribed manner.
Students who do not appear for exams during the examination session due to illness, certified by the appropriate document from a medical institution that has the right to issue certificates of temporary incapacity for work, are not withdrawn from the scholarship until the results of passing the exams within the individual deadlines established by the dean of the faculty, after which they are awarded scholarships on general grounds.
Differentiated grades for tests, as well as grades for educational and practical training, are taken into account on an equal basis with grades received at the examination session.
Grades in elective disciplines are not taken into account when awarding a scholarship.
6. Without taking into account financial status, and with grades not lower than “satisfactory”, the scholarship is awarded to the following students:
a) Heroes Soviet Union and Heroes of Socialist Labor;
b) deaf and dumb and blind;
c) officers admitted to universities in the 1960/61 and 1961/62 academic years from among those dismissed from the Armed Forces in accordance with the Law on a new significant reduction of the Armed Forces of the USSR, if they do not receive a pension;
d) officers and military personnel of the extended service of the Armed Forces of the USSR, troops and bodies of the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, dismissed with military service, starting January 1, 1963, for reasons of health, age or redundancy, if they do not receive a pension;
e) sent to universities in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 18, 1959 N 1099 “On the participation of industrial enterprises, state and collective farms in staffing universities and technical schools and in training specialists for their enterprises” and other decisions issued in addition to this Decree;
f) students studying at technical colleges;
g) eligible to receive a scholarship based on individual government decisions (for example, Order of the Minister of Higher Education of the USSR of February 11, 1958 N 139);
h) former pupils orphanages and children's labor educational colonies and persons under foster care, as well as former boarding school students without parents.
7. For students sent to universities in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 18, 1959 N 1099 and other decisions issued in addition to this Resolution, scholarships are assigned and paid monthly directly by enterprises, construction sites, state farms and collective farms that sent them for study, in the amount of 15% higher than the scholarship established for this course.
In necessary cases, scholarships to these students can be paid by enterprises, construction sites, state farms and collective farms through higher educational institutions in agreement with the heads of the relevant higher educational institutions by transferring to them the required amounts within the established time frame.
If a student receives unsatisfactory grades at the examination session, the dean of the faculty informs in writing the head of the relevant organization about the need to terminate the payment of the scholarship to this student until he retakes the exams.
During off-the-job training, students at factories and colleges are paid monthly stipends directly by the enterprises where the colleges are organized, in the amount of 15% higher than the stipend established for this course.
8. During the period of practical training at workplaces with payment wages, as well as during the period of production work (including during the apprenticeship period), stipends are not paid to students. Payment of scholarships during industrial practice by higher educational institutions (or enterprises, construction sites, state farms and collective farms that sent working youth for training) is made upon presentation by students from enterprises, institutions, organizations where they are undergoing internship, certificates stating that their wages are not paid.
When alternating production work with study sessions (weekly or other periods), students are paid a stipend on a general basis during their studies, and a salary for the time they work in production.
For first- and second-year students who combine training with socially useful work, enterprises, institutions and organizations pay 30 rubles per month during the apprenticeship period, but not more than for four months.
When alternating periods of apprenticeship and off-the-job study, students are paid an apprenticeship wage rate of 30 rubles per month during periods of apprenticeship, and a stipend on a general basis during periods of study.
The calendar period of the apprenticeship is extended accordingly.
Persons sent to study in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 18, 1959 N 1099 and other resolutions issued in addition to this Resolution, as well as students of technical colleges during the apprenticeship period receive 30 rubles (i.e. the student rate wages without increasing this amount by 15%) from enterprises where they undergo apprenticeship, with subsequent reimbursement of these amounts by enterprises that sent students to study.
9. Students (with the exception of students receiving personal scholarships and specified in subparagraphs “a” and “b” of paragraph 6 of this Instruction) who are eligible to receive scholarships and who received only excellent grades at the examination session, the amount of the scholarship increases by 25% from the first day of the month following the examination session.
Excellent students from among the students of factories and technical colleges and persons sent to study in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 18, 1959 N 1099 and other resolutions issued in addition to this Resolution, scholarship payments are made in the prescribed manner at 15% higher scholarships for excellent students of the relevant course.
10. Personalized scholarships are awarded regardless of financial situation, but in compliance with the procedure established by the current Regulations on personal scholarships. Personalized scholarships awarded to students sent to study in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 18, 1959 N 1099 and other resolutions issued in addition to this Resolution, as well as students of technical colleges, are paid at the expense of the educational institution.
11. An increase in the amount of the scholarship in connection with the transition to a senior year is made from the beginning of classes in this course.
Students who have lost the right to receive a scholarship based on the results of the examination session do not receive a scholarship starting from the first day of the month following the end of the examination session.
12. Students of higher educational institutions who received scholarships in the 1962/63 academic year in amounts higher than those established by Order of the Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR dated July 26, 1963 N 245, will retain the amount of scholarships they receive until graduation from the educational institution, without increasing them when transferring to subsequent courses of study, if in these courses the new amounts of scholarships are lower than the amounts of scholarships they receive.
In all other cases, the scholarship is paid in accordance with the established procedure in the amount provided for by Order of the Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR dated July 26, 1963 N 245. If individual students did not receive a scholarship in the 1962/63 academic year, and in subsequent years received the right to scholarship, transferred from one higher educational institution to another or from evening and distance learning to full-time, then the scholarship is paid to them in the same manner and amount.
13. Students transferred in accordance with the order of the relevant ministry (department) from one university to another or from one specialty to another in the same educational institution, scholarships are assigned until the next examination session based on the results of exams passed at the previous place of study, regardless of availability academic debt resulting from differences in curricula.
Students transferred at a personal request from one university or faculty to another university or to another faculty, as well as from the senior year of evening and correspondence universities (faculties, departments) to the junior year of the full-time department of the university, scholarships are awarded after repayment of the debt under the curriculum.
14. Students of full-time universities who are retained for a repeat year of study due to poor academic performance are not paid scholarships during the entire repeat year of study.
Scholarship students left in the same course for the second year due to illness or in connection with leave due to illness or other valid reason, timely issued by order of the rector of a higher educational institution on the basis of relevant documents from a medical institution that has the right to issue certificates of temporary incapacity for work, the payment of the scholarship is renewed from the start of classes in the repeated academic year until the results of the first examination session, after which the scholarship is assigned on a general basis.
For students who did not receive a scholarship and were retained for the second year due to illness, a scholarship in the second year of study may be assigned until the results of the next examination session, taking into account financial support.
15. While a student is on leave due to illness or other valid reason, the scholarship is not paid to him.
After the scholarship student returns from leave due to illness or other valid reason, the payment of the scholarship to him is resumed until the results of the first examination session, after which the scholarship is assigned on a general basis.
16. Students with scholarships in the event of temporary disability confirmed by a medical institution that has the right to issue sick leave certificates, receive a scholarship in full until they are restored to work or until the medical labor expert commission (VTEK) determines the disability; for maternity leave, the scholarship is issued in full during the terms of this leave established by the current legislation for female workers and employees.
Students who alternate production work with study, including students of factories and colleges, receive a state allowance social insurance issued only for periods of temporary disability and maternity leave during production work, excluding the period of apprenticeship.
For days of off-duty study missed due to temporary disability, maternity leave, these scholarship students are paid a stipend in the manner specified in the first paragraph of this paragraph.
In the event of temporary disability during the apprenticeship period, all students who have certificates of temporary disability are paid for days of illness based on the student rate established by paragraph 8 of Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of August 4, 1959 N 907 in the amount of 30 rubles per month.
17. Students of evening and correspondence universities (faculties and departments), as well as students studying outside of work during the period of their correspondence or evening studies, for the duration of a month’s additional leave, provided without pay at the place of work for familiarization directly at work with work in the chosen specialty and preparation of relevant materials for the diploma project, a scholarship is paid on a general basis in the amounts established for final year students.
Students of higher education institutions during the annual additional leave lasting 6 - 12 working days, provided in accordance with paragraph 12 "b" of the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of December 30, 1959 N 1425 without pay, are paid a stipend in the prescribed manner.
18. Students of higher educational institutions reinstated in the educational institution within three years after dismissal from the ranks Soviet army in reserve, the scholarship is assigned from the day of reinstatement until the results of the next examination session in the manner specified in paragraphs 2 and 3 of clause 14 of these Instructions.
19. Students of higher educational institutions receiving a survivor's pension are awarded a scholarship on a general basis, i.e. taking into account academic performance and financial support, and are entitled to simultaneously receive a scholarship and pension.
20. Rectors of higher educational institutions are given the right to temporarily remove from their scholarships students who violate discipline, upon the proposal of the deans of the faculties, agreed upon with the public organizations of the faculties. In case of violation of discipline by students sent to a university to study in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 18, 1959 N 1099 and other resolutions issued in addition to this Resolution, the rector of the university informs about this in writing to the management of the enterprises, organizations and organizations sending them institutions to stop paying them stipends.
21. Rectors of higher educational institutions are allowed, in agreement with the trade union committee, to pay students, in case of urgent need, a one-time allowance in amounts not exceeding the monthly stipend for the corresponding course. The one-time benefit is paid within 0.2% of the scholarship fund of the given educational institution.
22. The assignment of scholarships and one-time benefits to students (except for students specified in clause 7 of these Instructions) is made within the limits of the scholarship fund provided for according to the budget of the higher educational institution for the corresponding year.
23. This Instruction does not apply to foreign students. Scholarship support for foreign students is carried out in a special manner, communicated by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR.
We all understand that the presence of well-educated people in a country directly affects its economic potential. If there are a lot of well-educated people, the country will experience an economic breakthrough, and if there are few, the country will experience an economic recession. But many people forget that the living conditions of students directly affect the quality of education. Therefore, you can make a logical chain: good conditions for the lives of students lead to a good education, which in turn leads to the economic growth of the country.
In this article I would like to compare the living conditions of students in the USSR and in modern Russia. Scholarships and prices of goods and services can tell us a lot.
Under the Union, even C students received scholarships. In modern Russia, C students do not receive scholarships. Those. approximately 70% of all students in our country do not receive any money to survive. Future specialists have to either sit on their parents’ necks or go to work.
But let's think about how then can students get a good education if they work? No way. They spend all their free time from studying on work, come home tired, and have no time left to read educational literature. As a result, almost all of these 70% of students receive diplomas, but not knowledge.
But there is another 30% who receive scholarships, you say. And they are the ones who will be able to give impetus to the country’s economic growth. But, let's now see what scholarships we have. Under the Union, scholarships averaged from 35 to 50 rubles. For excellent students it is even higher. In today's Russia, the average scholarship is 2,000 rubles.
Now let's compare prices. You can take many indicators, but let's take just a few. Bread cost 12 kopecks, now 20 rubles. During the Soviet Union, a scholarship could buy an average of 330 loaves of bread, but now only 100. A cup of coffee in a cafe cost 20 kopecks, now it costs 20 rubles. Those. this is 200 cups of coffee during the Union and 100 cups of coffee now.
But don’t forget that dorm rooms were free, but now you have to pay an average of 500 rubles a month. There are now not 2000, but 1500 rubles left for living. This means you can buy even less food. You can’t live on 2,000 rubles now, so even students who receive scholarships also go to work, which in turn reduces the quality of their knowledge.
Some might say that the stipends were high, but the counters were empty. Have you heard about students who died of hunger? I did not hear.
What can we say about the requirements at universities under the USSR and the current requirements. Now a student who answers that the Tatar-Mongol invasion took place in the 20th century receives a C on the exam. Previously, a person would have been miserably thrown out of the university for this. Although such a person would not even be able to enter. And what do we have in the end? In Soviet times, students lived like in paradise and received a quality education. Now the life of students resembles hell. At the same time, it is quite difficult to gain good knowledge while working. Draw your own conclusions...
President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev agreed that the scholarship that most students receive today is not great. However, according to him, this was practically the case Always:“There is no and never will be a goal for the scholarship to cover all possible basic expenses. This is impossible".
“If anyone ever tells you that under the Soviet regime a scholarship allowed you to live with dignity, tell him that this is nonsense,” Medvedev said, adding that the maximum one could afford on a scholarship was 50 rubles in the 1980s. e years - go to a cafe with a girl. As it turns out, today’s students can afford approximately the same thing with their scholarships.”
The experts answered the correspondent's question whether it was possible to meet basic needs with Soviet scholarships.
Political consultant Anatoly Wasserman:
Soviet scholarships in numbers are well discussed in the text, based on a comparison of the prices of the Soviet public catering system and the recent words of President Medvedev about Soviet scholarships.
As a person who received a Soviet scholarship, I generally confirm these figures. But I must note: the usual stipend of 35-45 rubles in the early 1970s was still not enough for regular visits to cafes: it was a tangible luxury, and it was possible to eat with this money on a daily basis only in student canteens and/or with independent purchase and cooking.
Political scientist, first vice-president of the Center for Strategic Development Modeling Grigory Trofimchuk:
The topic of student scholarships today is no less explosive than the topic interethnic relations. Russian students follow very closely what is happening in this area, which is why at the meeting with Dmitry Medvedev they raised this issue first.
The current social state of a student is fundamentally different from the social format of Soviet times. Previously, for a student to study, the student himself was paid - now the student himself pays for his studies. At the same time, no one is interested in where he will find (get, steal) money in order to regularly pay huge sums for semesters, not to mention the fact that he must eat something and get to his place of study every day. The place of residence of out-of-town students, for even more terrible money, is generally a separate political issue.
The student is expected to work. But here there can be one thing: either study normally, or work quietly, since no one will give even half of the money that must be given to the institute every day for temporary, irregular work. If both at the same time, then after the fifth course you end up with a tired, sick person. Normal nutrition for a student is also separate topic. Walk around Moscow: students dine exclusively at McDonalds. Where is the state, which is obliged to organize hot and inexpensive lunches right at the place of classes? After five years of such an intensive “work and rest” regime, the student gets gastritis, which smoothly turns into an ulcer - pay again, this time for the hospital.
The student “coming to the place of study in his own car” is a vile myth that has nothing to do with the bulk of students.
Naturally, the student could not live on a Soviet scholarship; Dmitry Anatolyevich is right here. But the question did not arise then, because people did not think at all what they would eat, where they would live tomorrow. It was as if it was a given, a grace of nature.
If the President of Russia had said that against the backdrop of frivolous Bolshevik student scholarships new Russia hopes to give this type of assistance a more serious format, given the financial burden on fragile bodies and souls, he would “buy” the love of students out of nowhere. There is no money in the budget - you still need to maneuver somehow. But that did not happen. Therefore, in countless student forums, unfortunately, dislike for the native government will continue to ripen. And the dislike of students is much hotter and more dangerous than similar sentiments on the part of Russian pensioners.
Culturologist, Candidate of Philosophy (Germany) Larisa Beltser-Lisyutkina:
The student scholarship at Moscow State University was 35 rubles per month, 2.50 of it was deducted for the dormitory, 3 for a travel ticket. There was 1 ruble left for the day. A ticket to a concert at the conservatory cost 3 rubles, one kg of meat - 2.20, good boots - 50/70 rubles.
I had to immediately, starting from the 1st year, work as a translator. This part-time job gave me the opportunity to graduate from university, then graduate school, and have a very decent standard of living, receiving a starting candidate’s salary of 175 rubles at my main place of work.
At the same time, for one article in a magazine or newspaper one could receive a fee of 150 to 300 rubles, and for a translation or review in the amount of one printed sheet from English or German they paid an average of 200-300 rubles. My classmates, who did not know the required amount of languages to earn extra money by translating, went on a “sabbath” in the summer: they built cowsheds or houses in remote areas, earned large sums of money, which they then spent on living. So President Medvedev did not lie; it was impossible to live on a 35-ruble stipend, just as it was impossible to live on a starting salary of 175 rubles.
Director of the Center for Research of the Southern Ukrainian Borderland Vladimir Korobov:
I was a student in 1971-1976. The scholarship was 35 rubles. On average, 1 ruble was spent on food per day. 50 kopecks That is, the scholarship was exactly enough for a month for food in the canteen or food from the store - sausage and bread. Of course, the scholarship was not enough to live in big city. Parents helped. The parents of most fellow students helped their student children with money. The amounts, however, were different. They spoiled me: they sent me 70 rubles a month. So I lived on a little over 100 rubles, which is approximately the salary of a rural teacher that I received after graduating from university. But in my senior year, even this seemed not enough, and I started working in the academic theater, at first as a fire guard, I think I received 90 rubles a month. Then I added creative work- actor of crowd scenes. They paid 1 ruble for going on stage. Another 50-70 rubles ran up. It worked out quite well together. I started renting an apartment, buying books, new clothes. I agree with Medvedev, students should work. It is optimal when students work on scientific projects in their specialty. But part-time work outside of one’s specialty strengthens a student’s budget, shapes his personality, and is a “school of life.”
Scientific director of the Center for the Study of Modernity (France) Pavel Krupkin:
When I studied at MIPT, my scholarship (increased - 73.5 rubles, or regular - 55 rubles + 10 rubles from mom and dad) was enough to cover the basic needs of the student dormitory. Clothes were still mostly covered by mom and dad or left-handed earnings. However, the president's main message is different. Its message is that “at the top” a decision has been made to radically change the verbal design of social routines in yet another area of our social reality. The state ceases to be hypocritical in terms of abdicating responsibility for financing the household expenses of students, transferring it to “private hands.” Those. The “everyday part” of training boys and girls is already officially becoming their “headache” - in reality, this has long been the case, since it has long been impossible to call current scholarships financing everyday life. And this elimination of hypocrisy from yet another sphere of social life is good. But it would be significantly better if it were supplemented by the creation of private scholarship funds, as well as student loan programs for studying at universities.
Translator and IT entrepreneur (Boston, USA) Fyodor Tolstoy:
In Soviet times, in their student years I lived with my parents, so I can't personally testify to living on one scholarship.
However, I know those who lived in a hostel on a scholarship: in principle, it was possible, but “from hand to mouth.” Most solved this problem through summer earnings in “construction brigades” - they paid much more than the average salary, so the earnings were enough to support the scholarship throughout the year.
In principle, it seems to me that the system adopted in the USA is correct: students receive free assistance from both the state and universities, but with the exception of the best, this assistance does not cover the cost of living - but they can receive a loan for the cost of living during their studies, guaranteed by the state, which is gradually given back when they go to work.
Journalist and blogger (Lviv) Alexander Khokhulin:
I studied by correspondence and did not receive any scholarships. Medvedev is right. Although for Ukraine, a more important issue is the consistent reform of the education system in order to make study meaningless “to improve personality traits.” The state should spend money on training specialists for the country, and not sellers on trays with diplomas. This, and not increasing scholarships, should be the main task of our relevant minister, Mr. Dmitry Tabachnik.
Programmer and publicist Alexey Kravetsky:
In the eighties, when no one even suspected that the wonderful pavilions of the All-Russian Exhibition Center were built for selling headphones, seeds and other things, my parents and I loved going there.
Territory of the Exhibition of Achievements National economy, if anyone hasn’t been there, it’s huge. This territory could accommodate a small European city. The pavilions are located not only on the central alley, but also on its numerous branches. Many will ask, why go there if they didn’t sell headphones there anyway? And I will answer: it was great there! Firstly, the breathtaking fountains, looking at which even the residents of Rome - where fountains are also very rich - will cry with envy. Secondly, excellent architecture and landscape design in general. I was sure then that this is what the cities of the future should look like. However, I am sure of this now. When I go there, I perfectly understand Jesus driving the merchants out of the temple. I want, just like him, to grab a stick and beat all the merchants with it, and then throw them out of the pavilions and return what was there.
And thirdly, there were exhibitions. VDNKh in the original is a huge museum. A gigantic museum that instilled in a child’s heart such confidence in the inevitability of a bright future that those born after perestroika could not even come close to experiencing anything like it. In the museum pavilions there were many exhibits with examples of almost everything that was done in our country. Well, not by nomenclature, of course, but by, so to speak, main directions. But at the same time it was possible to watch everything live. From livestock farming (yes, there were real sheep and pigs) to heavy metallurgy. From national costumes to space rockets and satellites. Plus a huge number of models. Models of everything. Cities, nuclear power plants in section, cars, dams. You could go to this museum every day, no joke. And the day was not enough to get around everything. What am I talking about? Moreover, it was very good! And I want it all back! I hate the nonhumans who destroyed the city of the future!
I’ll say one last thing about restaurants. There were a huge number of restaurants at VDNH. Not to mention canteens and cafes. After running around the pavilions, of course, I wanted to eat. And sometimes they went to the dining room to eat, and sometimes to the restaurant. So, in a restaurant at VDNKh, a family from three people you could literally eat for 10 rubles. Three-course lunch, compote (beer didn’t interest me yet). Sometimes it was not even possible to finish eating.
Therefore, I absolutely don’t understand what cafes our nano-janitor went to for 50 rubles for two back then. I would also say that 50 rubles is enough for two ice creams.
Coordinator of the international expert group IA REXSergey Sibiryakov:
I listened to Medvedev, and it seemed that we lived in different countries. This is not surprising - his country is only 20 years old...
It was quite possible to eat in the student canteen for one and a half rubles a day in the late 70s and early 80s, and some could afford even a ruble. The hostel cost less than two rubles a month.
The scholarship was enough to cover basic household expenses. But of course, the turbulent young student life required great expenses. I wanted to dress fashionably, buy the latest literature, attend theaters and concerts. But these needs already required additional funds, and had to earn extra money.
My friends and I worked part-time on weekends unloading wagons. The four of us will unload a wagon of 60 tons (salt, flour...) and receive 15 rubles each. Moreover, the muscles are steel after such work. And working in construction teams allowed me to earn from 600 to 1200 rubles over the summer and dress quite decently in the most fashionable things.
The girls weren't lazy either. They worked as night nannies in kindergartens, postmen, and technicians. From the 3rd year, students were hired at the departments and research institutes of Akademgorodok as laboratory assistants part-time - 40-50 rubles per month. So even in the little things of everyday student life under the USSR, Russian President Medvedev, who never lived in a dormitory or went to construction brigades, tries to find bad sides to justify the need to throw social concerns about students off the shoulders of an anti-people state.
Student life began with a trip to collective farms to harvest crops. I remember that we made good money there for those times - we brought in 90 rubles per month in the 1st year. Somehow it happened after agricultural work, where I was a foreman and successfully negotiated with the authorities on tariffs for paying for agricultural work, my classmates elected me from the course to the faculty bureau and scholarship committee, where I defended their interests until the 5th year. Therefore, I remember well all the social and trade union benefits for students. Student-athletes competing for the university in competitions ate free meals in the canteen using coupons and went to training camps during the summer and winter holidays at the university's expense.
Poor students were given special care. Poor students included those who had an income of no more than 45 rubles per family member, children from single-parent families, and children of disabled people. They were given free vouchers to sanatoriums and health centers, and were given financial assistance twice a year in the amount of a scholarship. So social support made it possible for children from all strata of Soviet society to receive higher education, and the main factor was the desire to learn.
Let us recall that at a meeting with students of Russian regional universities, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev shared own experience working as a janitor during my student years. “Students who want to live with dignity must work and not rely only on scholarships. “I believe that the state’s goal cannot be to pay scholarships on which a student can live more or less comfortably,” the president said. — The state does not have such capabilities, and, To be honest, there are no such scholarships in any country in the world.”. According to Medvedev, a scholarship is not a form of material support, but assistance for solving some private problems.
The Soviet past is remarkable in that most older people want it back, and young people have heard so much about it that they regret not having been born earlier. The difference from today is that people had money, but they had to stand in line for hours to buy goods. But when there is an opportunity to buy something, it’s not a sin to wait a little.
As practice shows, the ability to save and count money comes over the years, regardless of what century people live in, and during student times, a scholarship could go away in one day, but then what to do next, and how to earn extra money. The average scholarship in Soviet times for a student at the Faculty of Physics was 45 rubles, an increased one - 56. In principle, if distributed correctly, it was quite enough. For example, lunch in the student canteen, consisting of the first, second and third, averaged 22 kopecks, that is, even eating three times a day, the expenses did not reach a ruble, and there was still enough for shortcakes and ice cream. The fee for the hostel was also small, maximum from 2 to 5 rubles, so 10 rubles a month were still left for theater and cinema.
It is important to note that all literature could be borrowed for free from the library, but even if you wanted to buy a book, they were inexpensive. But since most students ran out of money in the first week, they had to earn extra money. Girls, as a rule, found it more difficult to find temporary work, but boys could “sell” their physical strength well.
In almost every city there were stations to which carriage trains arrived with various raw materials, building materials, coal, metals, and so on. By unloading a carriage at night for 4-5 hours, you could earn 15 rubles, that is, in three days of work you could earn the entire scholarship. Certainly, this work It was not easy, but after just a day of rest the body returned to normal.
Of particular interest to students was the summer, when they could go on business trips to Siberia to earn money. After only 2-3 months, it was possible to bring home up to 2,000 rubles clean, and at that time this was a lot of money, when the average teacher’s salary was 120 rubles, and only miners could receive up to 500. It is important to note that if fraud with On the employer's side, all problems were easily resolved through the courts, and the shortfall in payment was returned. It is important to note that throughout Russia there were many cities where one could go to earn money if one wanted to. Most young people, after such work, returned home and went to a store called “Ruby” or “Emerald” and bought beautiful jewelry for their loved ones.
Of course, despite the socialist system, some commercial and speculative notes made their way at that time. For example, students whose parents lived near the borders with Poland, Latvia and Lithuania had the opportunity to bring a lot of high-quality and beautiful things. So, some seasoned individuals managed to resell them at several times the price, and make good money on the difference.
In Soviet times, everyone could earn money because there were opportunities, and there were no such tricks as refusal to pay for work on the basis that a person did not pass probation and didn't deserve the money. Therefore, in the sense of working part-time in Soviet time it was definitely easier.
The most happy people in the USSR these are students. Everyone who lived at that time will certainly agree with this statement. And as proof, we will talk about the life of Soviet girls while studying at the university.
1. How we did it
For millions of boys and girls in the USSR, higher education was the main social elevator. Diploma prestigious university gave a start in life, participation in amateur performances opened the way to the stage, active work in the Komsomol organization was considered almost the only option for those who decided to enter politics, that is, to make a career in the CPSU. But first you have to become a student, and this was not so easy.
Of course, for most universities, it was enough only to pass the exams more or less successfully. In some specialties there was generally a severe shortage and they accepted almost everyone who did not receive a bad mark. A striking example: “pedins” and “selhozy”. For elite institutes and universities, not only a good certificate and excellent entrance exams were expected - the passing score sometimes reached 4.7 and additional factors were required.
For example, at MGIMO good knowledge foreign language was not enough, it was required working background or at least one year of experience working specialty, as well as the recommendation of the city party committee. For the law faculty, service in the army or work in the police was required, for “medina” - an entry into the labor profile and a reference from the head physician were welcomed. In addition, there were quotas for small nations, referrals from enterprises, and so on.
All this applies to the second half of the existence of the USSR. Before the war, the overwhelming majority of educated people went through the system of educational programs and workers' faculties created by the Soviet government, and they went to college not even after exams, but on Komsomol vouchers.
2. How they didn’t act
In many universities it was necessary to pass an interview and it was not always formal. Sometimes even not-so-successful exam grades faded into the background if the applicant knew the subject well or could demonstrate her passion for it. But they could have killed her just as well. It was often more difficult for girls to get into a prestigious specialty due to gender stereotypes. For example, all other things being equal and even with lower grades, a young man would be accepted into the Mechanics and Mathematics department.
Another problem that especially hampered girls from the provinces was the discrepancy between the programs. Often during entrance exams they were faced with tasks and questions that were simply not covered in school. And if in the 1950s this lag was not yet clearly pronounced, then with each decade the gap widened.
Separately, we need to talk about the selection system for creative universities. Thousands of girls from all over the USSR came to the capital to enter the main specialized educational institutions of the country: VGIK, GITIS and so on. The competition reached hundreds of people per place, and the elimination was truly cruel.
First, I had to go through creative tasks, which is difficult in itself. Then an interview on general knowledge about theater or cinema. There were no tickets, and members of the examination committee sometimes asked questions about the history of Tajik cinema.
3. Where did you study?
Despite the formal equality of opportunity, in the USSR there was always a clear division into male and female institutions. It is no secret that mostly girls studied to become teachers and philologists. Another place where the concentration of the weaker sex was high was the narcosis. These were not the most popular universities and it was easy to get into them, with the exception of some specialties.
But in polytechnics there were traditionally few girls. There were educational institutions where women were not accepted at all. For example, sailors and military schools. Of course, there were professions that almost all girls dreamed of. We have already talked about actresses, but journalism and foreign language departments were no less popular.
4. How we went to get potatoes
Having received the coveted student card, on the first of September the girls came to their universities to plunge into the world of knowledge, but immediately went to “potato farming”. A trip to the collective farm “to fight the harvest” is a mandatory stage in obtaining higher education. It was very difficult to “slope down”. The only exception is sick leave. But it must be said that until the 1980s, this was not something extraordinary for most students.
Such trips were practiced not only for students, but also for schoolchildren, starting from the seventh grade. They were sent to the fields for several weeks at the height of Indian summer, where future actors and physicists most often occupied themselves with harvesting vegetables that had survived until September. And although the work was quite hard, everyone had a rough idea of what awaited them in advance, they were ready for it and knew how to do it at the right moment, to be honest, to cheat.
But in the evenings you could sit by the fire, listen to the guitar, meet fellow students whom you had previously only seen at entrance exams, chat with potential suitors, and generally have a fun time. Often, the days spent on the collective farm during my student years were remembered with pleasure, without negativity.
5. Where did you live?
It so happened that many girls preferred to receive education outside of hometown. Village residents went to the nearest large settlement or regional center. Applicants from there flocked to universities in the republican capitals. The chain ended in Moscow and Leningrad. Despite many everyday inconveniences, the girls tried to be as far away from their home as possible. And most of these Soviet students moved into dormitories.
The hostel was the most basic and affordable option, but far from the only one. Quite often, girls rented a room with the hostess. As a rule, they didn’t take a whole room, but only a bed, and three or four people had to live together. Such a service cost relatively inexpensively in the 1970s: 5-20 rubles, depending on the city.
Renting an apartment without a landlady was more difficult. Almost all real estate in the USSR belonged to the state. Rarely did anyone have a second apartment available for rent. But even this, with some luck, could be organized, although it already cost from 20 to 100 rubles.
6. What were your hobbies?
It’s clear that they went to universities to get a specialty. But the Soviet authorities not only ensured that female students acquired the necessary knowledge, but also developed diversifiedly. All institutes and universities paid a lot of attention to a wide variety of amateur artistic activities and sports sections.
It must be said that initially almost all sports in the USSR were strictly amateur. In the biographies of many famous athletes of the 1950s or 60s, you can often find lines that they took their first steps in big-time sports in sections at enterprises or universities. Later, female athletes and volleyball players began to appear, who were only registered at the institutes, but did not actually study. But still, girls, if they wanted, could enroll in some section and play sports for free, which is called “for the soul.” Swimming, gymnastics and mountaineering were especially popular. The latter, however, was not in all universities.
However, sports were not the most fashionable activity among female students. Their attention was more attracted to amateur artistic activities. At the institutes and student recreation centers there were both completely official groups and various ensembles and youth theaters, for which the university served only as a convenient base. Edita Piekha and Maya Kristalinskaya became stars while they were still students.
KVN stood apart. The Club of the Cheerful and Resourceful was invented on television, but very quickly it turned into a real movement that penetrated almost all universities in the country. Moreover, many institutes also held internal competitions between faculties. Even the closure of the program did not affect its popularity. Among the students, KVN successfully survived until perestroika and the resumption of broadcasts. The only disappointment: it was difficult for girls to even get into the faculty team; the main group of cheerful and resourceful people was male.
7. How did you relax?
It may seem that everything said above already refers to entertainment and relaxation. To some extent this was true, but both sports and amateur artistic activities took a lot of time and were more like receiving a second education without interrupting the first.
The girls who studied at the institutes had enough opportunities to have a good time. And it helped a large number of benefits. It was possible to visit cinemas, theaters and museums at a significant discount, and transport tickets were also cheaper for students. But the most popular pastime remained dancing.
IN major cities they were organized constantly: in the open air in summer, in winter they used any suitable premises, from Houses of Culture to train stations. Entrance to such events was paid. However, semi-closed student evenings were organized especially for students, tickets for which were distributed through the trade union committee.
Trade union committees were in charge and summer vacation. There you could get vouchers to student camps for 10-20% of the cost, and they also sent you on camping trips and tourist trips throughout the USSR. The diversity of the program depended primarily on the wealth of the university itself; as a rule, the “coolest” in this regard were not only prestigious educational institutions, but those assigned to a heavyweight department, for example, the Ministry of the Oil Industry.
8. Where did you earn extra money?
The scholarship in the USSR was relatively large. Until 1970 - from 30 rubles, then they raised it to 40 rubles, excellent students received 56 rubles. But this was not always enough for everyone. Therefore, from time to time there was a desire to find a part-time job. It was easier for the young men: loaders and laborers were constantly needed. The pay for this kind of work was good, about 10 rubles a day, and the wagons had to be unloaded at night. But the girls had to really rack their brains to find additional income.
The easiest option is to get a job as a cleaner. There were always many such vacancies, it was easy to hire part-time and it was possible to agree on working hours. But the money they paid for it was very modest. The rate was only 70-80 rubles per month. Another common way to earn extra money was tutoring. Usually they recruited schoolchildren and paid 3-5 rubles per lesson. But such work was not suitable for all students. Some people simply did not have the knowledge to tutor, while others were simply embarrassed to take money.
Student teams provided a good opportunity to earn money. The USSR had its own branched organization, “All-Union Student Construction Teams,” which operated under the Komsomol. Students were primarily sent to the construction of various objects, but not only. There were detachments that were engaged in fishing, trading and even teaching children.
It was almost impossible to get rich as a student, but you could get 400-600 rubles over the summer period. Particularly attractive in financially work as a conductor was considered. In addition to the actual salary, some also managed to hand over bottles for 5-10 rubles per shift.