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CIEE Russian Area Studies Program in St. Petersburg, Russia
(Outgoing Program)
** Indicates rolling admission application process. Applicants will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.
With the ghosts of giants like Peter the Great, George Balanchine, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky everywhere, St. Petersburg is flush with cultural riches. Make Russia’s cultural capital your home, absorb what it means to be Russian today, and gain a solid understanding of the city’s complicated past. Come with little or no Russian language, and return with new skills, fresh perspective, and memories to last a lifetime.
Unique Experiences
LIVE IN A 300-YEAR-OLD CITY
where traditional and modern forces converge.
ADVANCE YOUR RUSSIAN LANGUAGE SKILLS
and explore Russian culture with support from the longest-running U.S. study abroad-Russia program.
SEE A BALLET OR OPERA
in the city where Mikhail Baryshnikov began his celebrated dance career.
Explore city highlights like the Hermitage Museum, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Russian Museum, Pushkin’s Apartment Museum, Baltika Brewery, and more.
Attend a concert, a hockey or soccer game, get a taste of Russian and Georgian cuisine with cooking classes.
Travel to Moscow for an overnight stay and take-in the grandeur of the ancient Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and unique historic metro stations.
Go on a second overnight trip to the Pskov region or Veliky Novgorod to see Russian life outside of St. Petersburg.
Take your pick of nonstop activities offered with Russian students - sports, cinema, board game, trivia ‘Pub Quiz’ and karaoke nights - you’ll never be bored!
Join our Russian Buddies - program volunteers for day-trips to Gatchina, Pushkin, and Pavlovsk, book club, and more.
Explore Russia on your own during Independent Russian Travel Week. Students have relaxed on the shores of the Black Sea, camped near Lake Baikal, visited the Olympic city of Sochi, and more. (Expenses not covered by program fee.)
Lend your voice to the CIEE choir, or audition for the world-class St. Petersburg State University choir or orchestra.
Projects
Meet up with a sobesednik - a conversation partner and peer who will help you adjust to St. Petersburg, practice Russian, and discover local lifestyle.
Volunteer regularly, and you’ll get back as much as you gain! Help organize donated clothing at a shelter, pitch in at the Hermitage Museum’s archeological department, support the SKA hockey club, and more.
Volunteer during Alternative Break program and get a different slice of Russian culture. Students lend a hand with community service in smaller Russian towns, such as Arkhangelsk, Kirov, and Tula.
Help organize a cultural event while you explore Russian history. Past events include Stilyagi, a project starring the retro-hipster style of the 1960s Soviet Union; Russian Rock of the 1980s; and a Russian imperial Spring Ball.
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Three-day orientation – an introduction to Russian culture, your academic program, and the city, plus practical information about living in your host city
Full-time program leadership and support in your host city
Field trips and cultural activities
Overnight excursions
Insurance and other travel benefits, with CIEE iNext
24/7 emergency on-site support
1 out of 3 CIEE students receives a scholarship - get yours!
GAIN Travel Grants - up to $2,000 toward travel costs guaranteed to all Pell-elgible students.
Gilman Go Global Grants - $2,500/semester and $1,000/summer, guaranteed to all Gilman applications.
Merit-Based Scholarships - $2,500/semester and $750/summer, awarded to students deomonstrating high academic achievement.
Minority Serving Institutions (MIS) Grant - $2,000/semester and $500/summer, guaranteed to all students attending MSIs.
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