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AC Russian Language and Area Studies Program

Six students stand on a grassy mountain, and there are many other grassy mountains in the background.
Students are walking through grass to reach a small hut with a metal roof in front of a turquoise body of water. They are near the base of several tree-covered mountains.

Talk to a representative for this program at the Study Abroad Fair.

Kazakhstan, Almaty

American Councils for International Education (AC), a non-profit educational association and academic exchange organization, offers the opportunity to study Russian language and area studies in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP) is designed to maximize linguistic and cultural immersion in Russian, emphasize the development of practical speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills as well as offering courses on contemporary Russian society and culture. You will be working closely with UW and American Councils on this program.

Almaty, the beautiful former capital of Kazakhstan, is located near the mountains and is the country's largest city and cultural center. The Almaty program is a great option for students who would like to study Russian language and culture in an immersive setting but are unable to travel to the Russian Federation due to funding or other restrictions. 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.

Russian Flagship students participating in this program are eligible to apply for Language Flagship scholarship funds. As part of their cultural and linguistic preparation for the Russian Overseas Flagship capstone program in Almaty Kazakhstan, Russian Flagship students are strongly encouraged to choose the RLASP homestay option.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to providing quality study abroad and domestic study away programs for every UW-Madison student. We work strategically to identify, address, and remove barriers that may prevent participation and to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students. Our staff actively engages with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and prioritizes the continuous development of our knowledge and cultural competence. We also recognize the importance of increasing access to study abroad for historically underrepresented student populations. We are committed to diversity and inclusion so that every student can engage with and understand their identity through a new lens and continue to develop and make progress on their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Sustainability

We recognize that the future of study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programming requires a Commitment to Sustainability. We are devoted to examining, developing, and improving sustainability in all our endeavors, aligning with campus priorities and following through with UW-Madison's climate action and Resilience Commitment. Join our efforts and learn more about how to study abroad sustainably.

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Eligibility

  • 2.7 cumulative GPA

  • Junior, Senior, Graduate Student
  • 3.0 cumulative GPA in all Russian language courses
  • Language Prerequisite(s):
    4th Semester Russian
  • Open to UW-Madison degree-seeking students only
  • Good academic and disciplinary standing
  • At the time of application and the semester prior to participation, UW-Madison students must be currently enrolled. Transfer Students to UW-Madison need to be currently enrolled at their home institution

Advising Location

Program Structure

Provider

Subjects

Russian language and culture

Classroom Language

Russian

Housing

Local Hosts

Program Duration

Academic Year: Late August - Mid-May

Fall: Late August - Mid-December

Spring: Late January - Mid-May

Summer: Mid-June - Mid-August

Application Deadline(s)

Summer 2026 2/6/2026 Cost Details
Fall 2026-27 3/6/2026 Cost Details
Year 2026-27 3/6/2026 Cost Details
Spring 2026-27 10/2/2026 Cost Details
Summer 2027 2/5/2027 Cost Details
Fall 2027-28 3/5/2027 Cost Details
Year 2027-28 3/5/2027 Cost Details

Future durations will be posted at a later date.

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Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) hosts the American Councils program in Almaty. 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.

Most students enroll in the Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP), which provides approximately 20 hours per week of in-class instruction in Russian grammar, phonetics, conversation, and cultural studies. However, the Russian Heritage Speakers Program is intended to address the specific needs of students who speak Russian at home or with relatives, or who grew up speaking Russian and wish to strengthen their Russian skills. Program participants work with American Councils staff and host university faculty to develop a tutorial program serving their unique needs as language learners.

Learn more about RLASP at the American Councils program page.

Course Equivalents

Use the links below to see a list of courses that past students have taken on this program and the UW equivalents. Note: This list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses, departments or equivalents. Courses may not be available the semester you are abroad. You will receive instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance. View Course Equivalents