You don't feel ready about going abroad in a linguistic and a cultural sense.

The idea of arriving abroad and suddenly having to use Russian more, while relying less on English, makes you feel slightly (or very!) anxious.

No matter how much research you do, you're not really sure what to expect before you go abroad.

You know that practical language help, relevant cultural insights and a supportive guide would greatly benefit you.

First Steppe is designed to help you feel more linguistically, culturally and mentally prepared before you go...

When you arrive in a new country, you are not just studying Russian, you're trying to live through it. Trying to work out how things work, how people communicate, what feels right, how to avoid getting scammed and how to handle simple everyday tasks without second-guessing yourself are very mentally taxing.

For many students (my previous self included), this is a lot harder than expected.

This is not because you are lazy or incapable. It is because the Russian you are assessed on at university is not the same as the Russian you need in real life. You may have spent months or years studying grammar, translation, and set texts, but still feel unsure when it comes to everyday interactions, practical decisions, and the cultural side of life abroad.

Without some preparation for that transition, the first few weeks can become more stressful than they need to be. Students often spend that time feeling disoriented, avoiding speaking, and trying to work everything out on the spot.

This is completely common, but it can slow down your confidence, your speaking, and your ability to settle in.

That’s not a failure.

In fact, it’s very common!

However, it can delay or even prevent the real progress in your Russian that usually starts once you feel secure in the basics.

This short course is designed to make that early stage easier.

Instead of arriving and hoping you will somehow figure it all out under pressure, you begin with a clearer sense of what to expect, how to respond, and how to handle the first practical situations that come up.

Rather than trying to prepare for everything at once, First Steppe focuses on the first stage of the experience: understanding where you are going, what to expect when you arrive, and how to handle the early situations that often feel most overwhelming.

The aim is not to make you fluent before you leave (what even is fluency anyway?).

It is to give you a stronger foundation for the transition abroad, so that you are not relying on guesswork in the moments that matter first.

Over two months, you will begin building three things:

• Practical Russian for the first situations you are likely to face

• Cultural understanding that helps everyday life make more sense

• Confidence to arrive feeling more prepared, not just hopeful

By the end of First Steppe, you should feel clearer on what to expect, better equipped for arrival and orientation, and more ready to start using your Russian in real life.

If you enjoy the learning style and want to keep building on that foundation, you will also have the option to continue into the full Steppe with Confidence programme.

You’ll likely find this programme a good fit if:

• You have already studied some Russian, but still feel unsure about using it in everyday situations

• You want to feel more prepared for the first stage of your year abroad

• You are looking for practical preparation, not just more grammar explanations

• You want a clearer idea of what to expect when you arrive and begin settling in

• You would benefit from a manageable, lower-commitment starting point

• You like the idea of building confidence step by step, rather than being thrown in at the deep end

However, you do need:

• a basic foundation in Russian (solid A1 or low A2)

• the willingness to practise regularly

• openness to guidance, feedback, and trying things out.

You don't need to be fully confident yet, but a combination of these three put you in an excellent for more effective progress.

This programme is not for:

• complete beginners (A0)

• heritage speakers (unless they also struggle with speaking and/or lack confidence)

• those who want a short crash course

• those who want to just “get fluent” (i.e. high C1 or C2) before they go abroad.

This short course is especially useful if you want to:

• prepare well for arrival and orientation

• reduce the stress of the first few weeks abroad

• see whether this style of learning works for you before committing to the full programme

• Weekly video lessons - Each week, you watch a 20-50 minute video covering cultural context and language input for situations you’re very likely to encounter. The first two weeks have longer videos which cover more culture to give you time to use the grammar revision sources, and the next 5 weeks contain videos which combine language input and culturally important insights.

• Targeted homework that builds real fluency - Instead of endless worksheets from the Terence Wade workbook, you will complete short, focused tasks to develop your comprehension and fluency.

• Weekly live small-group speaking sessions - Weekly 90-minute online sessions in a small groups of no more than four students.

• Module recap sessions with a native speaker - At the end of the course, you join a recap session led by a native speaker to revisit key language and test your understanding in real interaction.

• A supportive student and alumni community - You become part of an online community of current and former Steppe with Confidence students to broaden your network, support each other and future students.

All of this at £28 per week.†

DATES & COHORTS

Start dates for First Steppe coincide with the same dates as Steppe with Confidence:

1. Free call with Matt

• This is a free initial call with Matt (in English, but we can switch to Russian if you'd like 😉)

• We will discuss:

  • your year abroad plans

  • where you're at with your Russian

  • whether the course is your next step. There is no pressure to decide there and then 

• You can book this call (for free) through the "Apply now" page on the website, or through the "Apply Now" button at the bottom of this page

2. Confirm your place. 

• If you decide that either programme is right for you, you’ll send me a confirmation message or email.

3. Contract & deposit. I’ll then send you:

• A contract to sign (so we’re both clear on expectations and protected), and

• A link to pay your deposit and secure your place on the course.

3. Choose your payment option. At this stage, you’ll choose one of the following:

• Pay in full: £329.70

OR

• A 3-month payment plan: £109.90 per month (0% interest).

  • †This works out to £28 per week.

4. Payment plan details (if applicable)

• A deposit of £109.90 is required before the course starts in order to secure your place.

• You will then receive the monthly direct debit option of £109.90, which will then run for 2 months after the initial payment, totalling to £329.70 (via www.gocardless.com)

5. External funding / Bursaries (if relevant)

• If you’re receiving full or partial funding from an external source (e.g. your university or another third party), please let me know before signing the contract so everything can be arranged correctly and you’re not overbilled.

6. Get started on the content for the intro week

• You will be given access to the learning platform

• There will be an additional folder of grammar topics I assume you’ve already covered at university. Browse these as much as you need to in the first two weeks of the course (or from when you sign up) so that you're up to scratch before the language teaching begins.

7. Confirm your weekly lesson availability

• Timeslot options for your weekly live sessions will be released to you once you’ve been accepted onto the course. They will either fall on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

8. Transfer to the full course (optional)

• If you enjoy the course and want to continue building on this foundation, you’ll be able to transfer into the full Steppe with Confidence programme afterwards.

• Importantly, the cost of First Steppe will be deducted from the total cost of Steppe with Confidence - meaning you won't pay a penny more than those who sign up to Steppe with Confidence straight away.

If First Steppe sounds like the support you have been looking for, the next step is to fill in a short application form so we can check that this programme is the right fit for you.

Once you submit the form, I will read your answers and invite you to that free 30-minute call. 

Most applicants are nervous before this call. Remember, the call is not a Russian test! 

The discussion is exactly for those who are unsure as to whether they should take the course or not; it’s a conversation between you and me to see if it’s your right call.

There is no pressure to decide on the spot, and you can ask questions you might have pertaining to the course and more generic year abroad advice.