Aram Street 64, Yerevan, Armenia 🇦🇲 +374 55 441218 info@araxinaacademy.com
Pre-University

Foundation Year (Padfak)

Foundation Year (Padfak)

Bridge the gap between high school and university with our rigorous Foundation Year.

Our Foundation Year is designed to elevate your academic standing, focusing heavily on core sciences and mathematics to ensure you are fully prepared for the demands of a bachelor's degree.

Who this program is for

A preparatory year exists to remove the two things that stop capable students: language and academic gaps.

What you will study

Language and science run in parallel, so scientific vocabulary is learned in the language you will be examined in.

Russian for Academic Purposes

From the alphabet and pronunciation through to the grammar, reading and listening needed to follow university lectures. Taught intensively, because this is usually the limiting factor.

Scientific Russian terminology

The specialist vocabulary of anatomy, biology and chemistry. Knowing the science is not enough if you cannot follow the terminology in a lecture or a written exam.

Biology

Cell structure and function, genetics, human anatomy and physiology, and ecology — taught to the standard first-year medical and health-science courses assume.

Chemistry

General, inorganic and introductory organic chemistry, with the quantitative work — stoichiometry, solutions, reaction equations — that first-year courses move quickly through.

Physics

Mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and optics, with emphasis on the applications that recur in medical physics and laboratory work.

Mathematics

Algebra, functions, geometry and introductory statistics — the numerical fluency assumed by science degrees, including for reading research data.

Academic study skills

Note-taking in lectures, structuring written work, referencing, revision planning and exam technique. The skills that separate students who cope from students who struggle.

Cultural and academic orientation

How university study works day to day: assessment norms, academic expectations, and practical adjustment to studying abroad.

What the year is designed to achieve

By the end of the Foundation Year you should be able to:

Program details

Confirm current-cycle details with an advisor before you apply.

Languages of instructionRussian and English
DeliveryOn campus in Yerevan, Armenia
DurationOne academic year — exact dates to be confirmed
Weekly contact hoursTo be confirmed
Intake datesTo be confirmed
Maximum class sizeTo be confirmed
Tuition feeTo be confirmed — contact admissions
Entry requirementCompleted secondary education. No prior Russian is required — the program admits absolute beginners.
Certificate on completionTo be confirmed — ask an advisor what your target university recognises.

Recognition of a foundation year varies between universities and between countries. Before you enrol, confirm with an advisor that your specific target university accepts this pathway for your intended degree and intake year.

Common questions

I do not speak any Russian at all. Can I still apply?

Yes. The program is built for absolute beginners and the language teaching starts from the alphabet. Students with existing Russian are placed accordingly so nobody is held back or left behind.

Does the Foundation Year guarantee me a university place?

No. It prepares you to meet entry requirements and to cope once you arrive, but admission is always the university's decision. Any provider promising a guaranteed place should be treated with caution.

How is this different from the IMAT course?

Different destinations. The IMAT program prepares you for a single entrance exam for English-taught medicine in Italy. The Foundation Year is a full preparatory academic year, primarily for Russian-medium universities. An advisor will help you choose.

Can I combine this with English classes?

Yes. Many students add Academic English & IELTS, particularly if they may also apply to English-taught programs. Discuss the combined workload with an advisor first.

Ready to take the next step?

Speak with an academic advisor about your background and goals. We will tell you honestly whether this program is the right fit for you.

Apply for this Program See Admission Process