Study Abroad
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We, the faculty of the Russian section of the Department of German and Russian, are deeply concerned about developments in Russia and Ukraine, and we also understand that they gravely affect our students who have been planning to study abroad. Alternative programs for advanced language study are available in other Russian-speaking countries. Please contact the Russian faculty for more information. |
Experience the excitement of being immersed in Russian culture through a study abroad! Notre Dame students have chosen to study in Russian-speaking areas throughout Eurasia, including the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, and Latvia in the European Union. A wide variety of geographic options allows students flexibility to pursue Russian regardless of their location preferences. Programs are available during the summer (5-9 weeks) or for an entire semester or academic year, and most provide the option of either staying in a dormitory or living with a host family. Credits earned for coursework taken in approved programs may be applied toward the Russian major or minor at Notre Dame. The programs below focus on language coursework but also include rich cultural and intellectual offerings, including excursions to places of historic interest and to cultural events such as plays, concerts, films, and lectures. Those with questions or concerns about particular study abroad locations may contact Professor Emily Wang.
Programs and locations
“I studied abroad in St. Petersburg for a semester. It’s such an interesting city with all kinds of amazing museums, affordable theater/ballet/opera tickets, churches, and other stuff. Also definitely a unique study-abroad experience being in Russia!"
Semester and Summer
American Councils for International Education (ACIE) has been sending students to study in Russia and Russian speaking countries since 1976 and their offerings are considered Notre Dame facilitated programs.
Locations: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladimir, Russia; Almaty, Kazakhstan
ACIE programs:
- Russian Language and Area Studies,
- Business Russian Language and Internship
- Russian Heritage Speakers
School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS) has established programs across Russia, from St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland to Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean. They are also excellent at customizing a program to fit your interests.
Locations: St. Petersburg, Moscow, Irkutsk, and Vladivostok, Russia; Kiev, Ukraine; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
SRAS programs: numerous, including:
- Russian as a Second Language
- Language and Environment
- Central Asian Studies
The University of Arizona has hosted students from over 110 colleges and universities since 1971.
Locations: Moscow, Russia; Astana, Kazakhstan
University of Arizona Programs:
- Russian Language and Eurasian Studies
- Russian Language in Moscow
“I studied in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the second half of my junior year. It was the most transformative experience of my life. My confidence grew by leaps and bounds, I became more outspoken and sure of myself, and I was truly a different person when I returned from my semester abroad. While I don’t use Russian in my daily life right now, the confidence it gave me influenced all aspects of my life.”
Daugavpils University (“Learn Russian in the EU”)
Daugavpils University offers full immersion in the most Russian-speaking city of the European Union. Students can take advantage of the generous visa policies that the European Union offers to citizens of the United States, Canada, and many other countries.
Location: Daugavpils, Latvia (European Union)
Daugavpils programs include
Russian Language and Literature and Culture
Russian Language and East European Studies
Russian Language and Political Science
Russian Language and Natural Sciences (STEM)
Summer Only
Arizona State University offers a variety of intensive Russian-language programs.
Programs: intensive first- through sixth-year Russian
Funding Opportunities
American Councils, the School of Russian and Asian Studies, and the Melikan Center at Arizona State University offer financial assistance on a competitive basis. Consult each program website for details. In addition, here are other possible sources of support.
Winter Intersession, Semester, and Academic Year
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university.
Boren Scholarships for International Study provide a maximum amount of $12,500 for a semester, or $25,000 for a full academic year. Boren Scholarships entail a service requirement; award recipients must spend at least one year working for a government organization related to national security within three years of graduation.
Summer
Summer Language Abroad (SLA) Grants for undergraduate and graduate students majoring or minoring in the College of Arts and Letters who have had at least one year of instruction in a foreign language are offered through the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures (CSLC). Study programs must be at least six weeks long; maximum award is $5,500.
The Pushkin Grant for Advanced Language Training in Russian is offered by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies. This prestigious grant, in the amount of $8,000, is awarded to one student who plans to spend at least eight weeks in an intensive summer language program in Russia. At least two years of prior instruction in Russian are required.
The Critical Language Scholarship Program provides full funding, including travel expenses, for U.S. citizens to participate in intensive summer language programs in Nizhny Novgorod or Vladimir, Russia, or Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Participants will be expected to apply their critical language skills in their professional careers.
Boren Scholarships for International Study, which provide a maximum of $8000 for the summer, are available only to science, engineering, and mathematics students. This award entails a service requirement; award recipients must spend at least one year working for a government organization related to national security within three years of graduation.
The Gilman International Scholarship Program supports a limited number of summer awards for students who are receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of study abroad.
Opportunities for ROTC Students
The U.S. Military and study-abroad providers advise against ROTC students studying in Russia; however, there are excellent opportunities to participate in programs located in Russian-speaking areas of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan). Of the organizations noted above, American Councils hosts a program in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the School of Russian and Asian Studies and Arizona State University have centers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Of special note for ROTC students is Project GO (Global Officer). This Department of Defense initiative, which aims at improving the language skills, regional expertise, and intercultural communication skills of future military officers, offers scholarships to a variety of semester and summer study-abroad programs.
“I studied in Narva, Estonia through Project GO... after that summer, I was eager to learn as much as I could about Russian culture, history, and language. I went from only thinking about Russian when I was in class or doing homework to reading Russian literature and political science articles about Russia in my free time. Studying abroad truly helped me find the passion which is now driving my career.”