Yuliya Snigir was born on June 2, 1983 in the town of Donskoy, Tula Oblast.

She graduated from Gymnasium No. 20 in the town of Donskoy and from the Faculty of Foreign Languages (English Department, major in English Philology) of Moscow State Pedagogical University. After completing her studies, Yuliya worked as an English teacher. While attending a casting for a clothing advertisement, she received advice from a photographer who noted her photogenic quality to try out for a modeling photo agency. Present at that casting was an assistant for actors of Valery Todorovsky, who suggested that Yuliya try out for one of the roles in the film "Stilyagi," whose shooting was soon to begin. Snigir did not make the cast, but she decided to go and study at a theater institute. She studied at the Shchukin Theater School, in R. Yu. Ovchinnikov's course. She became known after appearing in the music video for the song "Do skoroy vstrechi" by the group "Zveri"