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AC Russian Language and Area Studies Program

A horse-drawn carriage moving down a snowy, tree-lined path towards the ornate Catherine Palace.
A frozen river lined on both sides by yellow and tan buildings.

This program is currently suspended. We will continue to evaluate circumstances for future durations.

Russia, St. Petersburg

In partnership with the UW-Madison, American Councils for International Education (ACTR), a non-profit educational association and academic exchange organization, offers the opportunity to study the Russian language and area studies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, and Almaty, Kazakhstan. The programs, which are designed to maximize linguistic and cultural immersion into Russian society, emphasize the development of practical speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills as well as offering courses on contemporary Russian society and culture.

Students can experience the profound economic and political changes taking place in Russia firsthand. The largest of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia reaches from Europe to Asia. In Moscow, the capital city, discover the 850 year history of the city. St. Petersburg is largely regarded as Russia's cultural center. Vladimir, a city with 360,000 inhabitants, located south of Moscow, has all the amenities of a small city.

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):
    Fourth 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

Residence Hall, 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)

Spring 2026-27 - [Suspended] TBD Cost Details

Future durations will be posted at a later date.

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Participate in one of three language program options in one of four cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, or Almaty.

Moscow International University, located in central Moscow, prepares specialists in economics, finance, management, ecology, sociology, and foreign languages. American Councils places students in the MIU's Department of Russian as a Foreign Language.

Herzen University, located in central St. Petersburg, is one of the leading education institutions in all of Russia. American Councils enrolls students in the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language.

Vladimir's KORA Center for Russian Language Study is located in the historic "Golden Ring" of communities that have played a significant role in Russian history. The program offers undergraduate-level language programs, combined language training, and subject-area coursework in cooperation with a specialized "KORA" language training facility.

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) hosts the 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, there are two more specific, tailored programs that run concurrently with RLASP:

The Business Russian Language and Internship (BRLI) program combines a specially-designed curriculum for business Russian and a ten to twenty hour per week internship with a U.S. or Russian business in Moscow or St. Petersburg. Students will attend classes at partner universities, and take part in an internship on some afternoons and one full day per week. This program requires prior knowledge of the Russian language (typically six semesters, although four may be sufficient). All internship placements are subject to availability.

The Individualized Russian Language Program for Heritage Speakers 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