In the Russian education system, preparatory schools for applicants from all over the world are departments within universities that offer courses on certain subjects. These are usually paid programs for a year mainly to learn Russian. If you choose an intensive program with 4-6 hours of lessons per day, you can learn basic Russian fairly quickly. This skill will allow you to apply for undergraduate and graduate programs in Russian. Their cost is lower than those taught in English and the range of subjects is much wider. In addition to the Russian language, preparatory departments also teach specialty subjects - history, mathematics, biology and others required to pass entrance exams. The specifics of the programs may differ – different programs will help you prepare for a bachelor's or master's degree.