Quick Facts

• The Academic Year, Semester and Summer programs provide approximately 20 hours per week of in-class instruction in Russian, grammar, phonetics, conversation and cultural studies.
• The program offers 4 sites: Moscow International University, the Russian State Pedagogical University (Herzen Institute) in St. Petersburg, and the KORA Center for Russian Language in Vladimir. In Fall 2014, American Councils also launched RLASP at Kazakh National University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
• The program features homestays, weekly excursions, travel to other regions of Russia, conversation partners, and a wide range of opportunities to pursue internships, volunteering, hobbies, and personal interests in a Russian context.

Location Details

In the years since the collapse of the USSR, Moscow has grown into a multiethnic and multinational metropolis. Elements of its Soviet past remain, but the city has moved fully into the capitalist present, embracing western economic and cultural norms to a much greater degree than much of the rest of Russia. Today, Moscow remains the country's political and economic capital, and rivals St. Petersburg in both arts and culture.

Home to approximately 1.5 million people, Almaty is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Central Asia. Approximately 51 percent of the city’s population are Kazakh, and 33 percent are Russian; the remaining 20 percent of the city’s residents includes Koreans, Tatars, Uyghuyrs, and Ukrainians. While there is a growing national interest in speaking and learning Kazakh, Russian remains the country’s lingua franca; all official information, as well a street names, road signs, and public announcements are produced in both Russian and Kazakh.

A young city by Russian standards, St. Petersburg celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2003, just one year after a national census put its population at around five million residents. Since its near demolition and depopulation during WWII, St. Petersburg has been painstakingly rebuilt to reflect the glory of the former capital and both its current status as the cultural center of Russia and its historical origins as the window to Europe.

While a small city by Russian standards at 360,000 residents, Vladimir boasts cultural clout as a one-time Russian capital and an important member of the historical Golden Ring. Located 125 miles to the east of Moscow, Vladimir is both far enough from the country’s epicenter to maintain its sense of traditional Russian hospitality and close enough to eschew any sense of isolation.

 

Visa Information

U.S. citizens will require a visa* in order to participate in this program. Limited information about the visa application process may be provided by the ASU Study Abroad Office and/or your host institution, but it is your sole responsibility to research, apply, and secure a visa. Failure to obtain a visa may result in your inability to participate and, ultimately, your withdrawal from the program, subject to the terms of the Study Abroad Withdrawal Policy. 

Consult this page for additional information regarding visas. If you need assistance securing a U.S. Passport, visit the ASU U.S. Passport Acceptance Office in Tempe.

PLEASE NOTE: Visa requirements for non U.S. citizens may differ from those for U.S. citizens; students who are not U.S. citizens are advised to contact their International Coordinator and begin independently researching the visa requirements for their nationality as soon as possible.

*At the time of writing. This information is subject to change without notice; students should independently confirm this requirement with the relevant consulate/embassy.

Academic Program & Courses

American Councils semester, academic year, and summer programs maximize linguistic and cultural immersion into Russian society. All programs feature approximately twenty hours per week of in-class instruction; roughly sixteen hours of which are dedicated to Russian-language study. Students are placed according to proficiency level in groups of three-to-five for language classes. Core Russian language classes include Russian Conversation, Phonetics, Russian Grammar, and Lexical Studies. Area studies offerings include (but are not limited to) Studies in Mass Media, Russian Literature, Russian History and Politics, and Contemporary Russian Society; all area studies and literature courses are taught in Russian.

All courses are conducted by host university faculty with extensive experience in teaching Russian as a foreign language to American students. Faculty at our partner universities also attend regular development seminars sponsored by American Councils and led by U.S. experts in Russian-language pedagogy. Recent seminars have addressed American academic culture, the American idea of a liberal arts education, student-centered learning, and communicative teaching strategies.

Honors Program 

Academic year and semester students with GPAs of 3.3 or higher, advanced language skills, and outstanding recommendations may be nominated by the selection committee to be honors students. As honors students, program participants may substitute regular courses at their Russian host university for the American Councils area studies offerings. The selection committee must nominate all honors students. 
 

Access a list of courses other ASU students have taken and view current course equivalencies.

Program Housing

Program participants may live in a university dormitory or with a Russian host family. The majority of American Councils participants choose the host-family option. All host families provide private rooms, telephone access, and keys for their American guests. Host families also provide two meals per day. Living with a host family immerses program participants in everyday Russian life, while offering some of the comforts of home. Host families also expose participants to authentic, contemporary language and culture in informal, social settings.

All host families are screened, selected, and monitored by American Councils home-stay coordinators and resident directors. Students may change their housing arrangements during the program, although these adjustments require some time to be completed.

Video courtesy of American Councils

Accessibility Information

Individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation in one of more of this program’s locations very different from what you find in the United States. Depending on the program, there may be a great deal of walking or the regular use of public transportation. The Study Abroad Office cannot guarantee access to public transportation, buildings, or public sites on this program.

Although ASU cannot guarantee the accessibility of all program sites, students with disabilities can and do study abroad. Upon request, the ASU Study Abroad Office can provide information about the availability of accommodations and accessible facilities on the specific program and can help you determine whether this program can meet your accommodation needs.

Cost Information

Be sure to reference the Academic Year Cost Sheet, Fall Semester Cost Sheet, Spring Semester Cost Sheet, or Summer Cost Sheet for information on any additional estimated expenses.

The program may allow for time which can be spent in non-program activities. Participants may wish to travel, sightsee or participate in activities or events in which they have a personal interest. Please note that the participant is fully responsible for making arrangements and for all costs of transportation, lodging, food and additional expenses that may be associated with any non-Program activities.

*The actual amount of the Medical Insurance Fee charged to each student depends on the program duration. 

Funding Your Study Abroad Program

Studying abroad is an investment in your future, which requires careful planning and management. However, the personal, academic, and professional rewards that you will gain from this experience will last a lifetime. You should carefully consider costs, budgets and financing when selecting and preparing for your experience abroad. If you have questions at any step of the process, we encourage you to reach out to your International Coordinator for guidance.

Steps to Financing Your Study Abroad Program

1. Review the Considering Costs Table for a general overview and cost comparison of popular programs.
2. Be sure to reference the Academic Year Cost Sheet, Fall Semester Cost Sheet, Spring Semester Cost Sheet, or Summer Cost Sheet to find a breakdown of program expenses.
3. Attend a Financing Your Study Abroad Workshop.
4. Consider your Financial Aid options.
5. Search and Apply for Scholarships and Grants.
6. Exhaust your options by exploring Additional Funding Resources including our Community-Based Funding Guide.
7. View our  Financing Your Study Abroad Program Handbook for more information, including Payment Information.

Unique Funding Opportunities for This Program

• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

Photos

Links to Additional Resources

• ASU Study Abroad on Facebook
• U.S. Department of State
• ASU U.S. Passport Acceptance Office
• STA Travel Airfare Deposit Program*

*The ASU Study Abroad Office does not officially endorse, administer or monitor the content of these links.