Currently, students from more than 50 countries are studying at Poltava State Medical University, including the United States, Britain, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Israel, China, Tunisia, Turkey, Kuwait, Eritrea, Morocco, Yemen, Egypt, UAE, Niger, Nigeria, Lithuania, Libya, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, India, Uganda, Uzbekistan and others. A significant number of them come from countries where internal armed conflicts continue, there are serious complications with neighboring countries and which have an unstable domestic political situation (Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon), which leaves its mark on personality and psychological state of students, the moral climate in the teams, the social situation in the city.

Given the above, extracurricular activities at the International Faculty of PSMU are conducted in several areas: 

• measures aimed at observance of the current legislation of Ukraine by foreign students and prevention of offences;
• measures aimed at adaptation of foreign citizens to the conditions of study and living in Ukraine, to acquaint them with the history and traditions of the Ukrainian people, promote mutual understanding between different national groups, the introduction of healthy lifestyles in the student environment;
• measures to promote student self-government. 

The issue of organization and improvement of extracurricular activities is systematically considered at the Academic Council of the University, meetings of the Rectorate, the Board of the International Faculty of PSMU .

The first area involves meetings of foreign students with representatives of law enforcement agencies are regularly held with the participation of the administration of the university in the person of the Rector, Deputy Rector for International Relations, Dean of the faculty. In particular, in connection with changes in the legislation of Ukraine on the status of foreign citizens, and the rules of their stay in Ukraine and movement through its territory, a meeting was held with the involvement of representatives of the migration service.

At the initiative of the Deputy Rector for International Relations and the Dean of the faculty, together with law enforcement agencies, a meeting was held with representatives of the community of foreign students to ensure the safety of foreign citizens in Ukraine, to prevent conflicts, including interethnic and religious ones, between foreign students and citizens of Ukraine.
On a monthly basis, the Deputy Rector for International Relations, the Dean of the faculty and the inspectors of the Passport Department take measures to monitor the compliance of foreign students with the requirements of the current legislation regarding the status of their stay in Ukraine, timely renewal of registration and compliance with the internal regulations of the university.

Meetings are regularly held between the administration of the university and foreign students, which are aimed at improving the measures taken against corruption and bribery. At these meetings, complaints and wishes addressed to the administration of the university through the operation of the “helpline” and “trust boxes” are considered, thanks to which students can contact the rector and administration of the university at any time.

Once a month, the administration of the Faculty meets with leaders of communities and student government to prevent offences that are the result of deviant behaviour by foreign students.

At each meeting of the PSMU rectorate, issues related to the education and lives of foreign students are considered.
The Dean’s Office of the International Faculty organizes activities aimed at improving the education of foreign students, in particular the organization of additional consultations on the main clinical and medical-biological disciplines, which are submitted to the licensed integrated KROK exam.

The second area involves activities of Dean’s Office administration and curators of university groups made according to the approved plan, as well as measures to comply with moral norms of behaviour in foreign socio-cultural space, foster friendly relations between different ethnic groups and promote a healthy lifestyle. In particular, since the beginning of the academic year, the following activities have been organized:

• on respect of the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Ukrainian people, traditions and history of the state (seminar);
• on the education of humanity from both a civil and moral point of view - respect for individual rights and freedoms, religious and ethnic tolerance, humanity, decency (round table);
• on interpersonal relations in a student group, features of behaviour in a conflict situation (round table);
•  on the consequences of alcohol and drug abuse, the harm of smoking (an open lecture).

Curators of university groups conduct tours to historical and literary museums of Poltava, acquaint students with the history of medicine in Poltava region, the organization of the Public health system and the provision of medical services to the population, including students. Tours to prominent historical places of Ukraine, in particular to the island of Khortytsia, to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, etc. are conducted once a year.

The thirds area involves measures taken by the administration of the university and the Dean’s Office of The International Faculty aimed at the development and support of student self-government. Since the beginning of the academic year, the operating centre «Student Dormitory" has been established and run in dormitories where foreign students live. The operating centre holds monthly meetings with the Dean of the faculty, Assistant Deans and curators of university groups on the rights and responsibilities of citizens of Ukraine and foreigners temporarily residing in its territory, provided by the Constitution of Ukraine and some articles of the Civil and Criminal Code, compliance of the dormitory rules and sanitary and hygienic norms.

According to the plan, once a month, meetings of the heads of university groups are held, which address the most pressing issues of foreign students, resulting in additional individual interviews with students who have difficulties in studying and encouragement of the most successful students.

Together with the student club of the university, the administration of the Dean’s Office promotes the development of students’ abilities by involving them in amateur art groups and sports sections. The result of this work was the participation of foreign students in the regional championships, where they became winners in four kinds of sports. Students take part in amateur art festivals held at the university and are involved in cultural events of the city.