08.01.2010
Common Questions about SRAS ProgramsTable of Contents:
If you have additional questions, please Contact SRAS I. GENERAL QUESTIONS (back to top) Why Russia?
For more reasons to study Russian, see this Russian Life article, this list of reasons from professionals and government authorities, or this list of interviews with students and professionals who have worked or are working in Russia already. Who is eligible to apply for SRAS programs?
Except in cases where specific programs list specific requirements, anyone who is over 18 years of age and who has already earned a high school diploma may apply for our courses. Applicants need NOT already be a student at a university or college. SRAS does not discriminate based on age, sex, race or any other factor. How can I best integrate study abroad into my long-term education?
We recommend a summer introduction to Russia after your first year of college study, followed by a semester or year of intensive study abroad during your third year, with Russian language, history, and culture classes taken at your home university in between. This schedule not only provides intensive vocabulary development at the appropriate stages of your Russian language career, but also provides you with experiences that will shape your studies ahead. II. PLANNING AND DOCUMENTATION (back to top) What are the application deadlines?
Unless otherwise noted in the program description, the application deadlines are as follows:
Summer session: March 1
Fall session: May 1
Spring session: October 15
Other periods: At least three months prior to studies. In some cases, late fees may apply.
If you are applying for an internship or customized programs, we recommend applying as early as possible. How do I apply?
Go to the top right hand corner of our homepage and click "Login." The entire process is self-guiding and online for your convenience. Once you have completed the online form, you will receive an email from SRAS about the status of your application, usually within three to five business days. You should submit the application fee ($40) and deposit ($250) immediately. The application fee is not refundable. The deposit is refundable if you are not accepted or if you withdraw your application before acceptance. See section three of this page for more about our refund policy.
What if I've missed the deadline?
SRAS can accept late applications for most programs. You should contact an SRAS representative as soon as possible to discuss your options. Late fees may apply. Do credits transfer?
All SRAS programs are eligible to receive academic credit from your home institution. However, the decision of whether or not to award that credit is solely at the discretion of your home institution and its particular rules. You should contact your academic advisor at home to find out what requirements and restrictions your home institution has. All official certificates and transcripts are issued by the host university in Russia and supported by documentation from SRAS. It is strongly recommended that you obtain prior approval for credit from your home university before beginning your studies abroad. How are SRAS programs structured?
SRAS programs are based on a core curriculum for intensive Russian language study. While the final curriculum is influenced by each group (level, interests) and teacher, a summary of three levels of study is provided here: Beginning level; Intermediate level; Advanced level. If you take a course other than RSL, additional classes are available or required. See the individual program pages for specific information about each course. Can I contact former SRAS students?
Yes. Upon request, we will be happy to forward you a list of references to contact either by phone or by email. You can also click here to see what students have to say about SRAS. Can I study in more than one location?
Most SRAS programs will allow study in more than one university, so long as you spend a full semester at each university. Students should be aware, however, that changing universities requires changing visas, which requires a trip outside of Russia to collect the new visa from a consulate. While student visas can be renewed in Russia, new visas, which must be issued if you change your host-university, can only be received at a consultant outside of Russia according to Russian legislation. When will I know my class schedule?
Shortly after you arrive in Russia, you will be tested for your Russian language level. Groups are based on your test results and thus the final group and teacher assignments can only be made afterwards. While SRAS does offer testing and assessment on its site, its partner universities require that their own written tests be taken in person in Russia. Generally, language courses begin on the second or third business day after you arrive (to allow for testing and for you to sleep off some jet-lag). Courses tend to be held between 9am and 3pm, but your final schedule will depend on your group placement, course selection, and special requests you may make. What about books and class materials?
Books are assigned after you are placed in your class and can differ based on your assigned teacher and determined level. Class books are generally comparatively cheap in Russia, although students should come prepared to spend up to fifty dollars per semester. Who will be in my classes?
RS-100/200/300 (Russian language courses including those for RSL programs and FSA programs) are taught through each university's program for foreigners and will likely contain students from non-SRAS programs as well. These courses typically contain five to ten students, but occasionally have as many as fifteen or as little as two, depending on that year's enrolment and other factors. Feature Study Abroad (FSA) subject courses are often SRAS-specific courses. In order to present complex material that is normally covered in multiple courses, the university faculty cooperates with SRAS to offer special intensive courses, often in English, to individuals and small groups. Class size typically ranges from one to five but can be more. Most FSA courses advertised as being in Russian-only are regular Russian university courses that SRAS students may join if they have particularly advanced Russian skills. In this case, your classmates will be mostly Russians. Class size can vary greatly. When will I get my transcript?
If you need one, you may receive your certificate and/or transcript a few days before your departure from Russia. HOWEVER, you must inform SRAS before arriving in Russia and inform the host university upon arrival that you will need a certificate and/or transcript. You must additionally remind your host university two weeks before your departure from that university. If students do not complete all three steps indicated here, SRAS cannot guarantee the timely issuance of transcripts and/or certificates. We will make every attempt to help students retrieve documentation after they have left Russia, but processing and shipping costs will apply. III. COSTS AND FUNDING (back to top) Are scholarships or financial aid available for study in Russia?
Yes. Click here for more information. When do I need to pay?
Besides paying the application visa and deposit upon application (see section one, above), you will need to pay the visa processing fees within two weeks after acceptance unless otherwise indicated online on your Enrollment Status Page (opened after you register on our site). Full payment of program fees must be made four weeks prior to departure. Deferrals are only granted for those amounts guaranteed by loans or scholarships. What expenses do I need to budget for?
Besides the tuition as outlined on the program page, you additionally need to budget for airfare to and from Russia. You will also need to budget for food, entertainment, incidentals, etc. Are refunds possible?
After you have applied for your SRAS program, SRAS immediately begins the process of arranging your visa, housing, tuition, and other program components as listed and needed. As all of these things take time, they must be arranged and paid for well in advance to make sure that students will be able to easily and safely enter Russia and begin their program. Once funds are committed, they are non-refundable. Based on this fact, our refund policy is as follows: Application fees are not refundable.
Deposits are refundable only before you receive your acceptance letter. The only exception to this rule is if you make it very clear upon applying that your ability to participate in the program is entirely dependent upon funding (such as FLAS awards, Gilman Scholarships, etc.) for which you have applied. Upon presentation of a letter of denial of funding from that source, we can refund the deposit, less any costs that may have been incurred up until that point. This policy is necessary to make sure that you will have a visa with which to enter Russia. Visa processing is not fast or inexpensive and your deposit is spent beginning the process. Read more about Russian visas and visa processing. Tuition (less deposit) is fully refundable if we are notified in writing at least 30 days before your departure date. Internship fees are also refundable at this point, minus a penalty fee of $250 (this is in addition to the $250 non-refundable deposit).
If we are notified 20-30 days prior, a full refund less the greater of either the deposit + visa fee or 20% of the total program cost can be given.
If 10-20 days, a full refund less the greater of either the deposit + visa fee or 35% of total program cost. If 1-9 days a full refund less the greater of either the deposit + visa fee or 50% of total program cost.
No refund can be given after your arrival in Russia.
IV. RUSSIAN EDUCATION (back to top) What is an academic hour?
As is the case in many countries, Russian universities run on academic hours. An academic hour in Russia, depending on the specific host institution, is usually either 40 or 45 minutes, the time in between used to get to another classroom and for you and the teachers to have a mental break. In most language programs, when groups are small and there is no need to change classrooms, academic hours are often done in "pairs" with only a short 5 minute break between. This "compactness" of your schedule can often be confusing and you might think you are studying for less hours than you are. Questions of academic credit nearly always assume academic hours. What is an academic year in Russia?
The academic year, with slight variations from university to university, runs from September 1 until approximately June 30. As with any university, the first week is a lot of paperwork, testing, and settling in and the last month can be mainly exams. It is possible to shorten your semesters to fit the US academic schedule for most programs. Degree students and UPC students should follow the Russian academic calendar. The semester break is usually in January for students following this calendar. There are several 1-2 days holidays during the year, mainly in November, January, and May. What are the language departments like?
Russia has a long history of teaching the Russian language to foreigners. An active program (initiated by the Soviet Union) of recruiting students internationally meant intensive language training was necessary, as few students knew even the Cyrillic alphabet. Students needed to enter degree studies after a one-year preparatory course, able to compete with their native Russian classmates. A methodology for intensive Russian language training was developed and continues today. Professional teachers of Russian have studied the teaching of Russian to foreigners as either degree study or as a component of their philology or other language studies. Departments of Russian for Foreigners exist in most major universities. The size of the department - sometimes it is just a small division - depends on the number of foreign students normally enrolled. In large cities, at least one university will have an extensive center, where students undergo preparatory courses. Large universities with a strong humanities base will also offer Russian language study within the philology (or similar) faculty. What if I want to enrol in a degree program?
Students entering degree studies must pass a language exam called the Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL). This exam is given at the end of the preparatory courses, or by arrangement upon arrival at the university. Any student can arrange to take this exam at select universities. There is a fee for arranging the testing, which involves written and oral sections. Practice tests can be found on our site. Where can I find out more about the Russian education system?
See this short developmental history written by SRAS Program Director Renee Stillings.
Contact SRAS with any additional questions you may have. V. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (back to top) How quickly can I learn Russian?
Of course, the answer for this differs from student to student. The figures usually cited in answer to this question are those used by the US Department of State or the US Department of Defense. These are figures based on average class time needed for students to reach an acceptable professional proficiency in the target language. a. The US Department of State uses a three-tier category system as outlined in the chart below. Language "Categories" | Class hours to achieve goal | Category I: Languages closely cognate with English. French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish, Dutch, Norwegian, Afrikaans, etc. | 575-600 | Category II: Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English. Albanian, Amharic, Azerbaijani, Bulgarian, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Khmer, Latvian, Nepali, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Zulu. | 1100 | Category III: Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers to learn to speak and/or read: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean | 2200 |
b. The Department of Defense (DoD) divides the languages they teach into four groups as follows: Group I: Languages included: Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish Group II: Bulgarian, Dari, Farsi, German, Greek, Hindi-Urdu, Indonesian, Malay Group III: Amharic, Bengali, Burmese, Czech, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Cambodian, Lao, Nepali, Filipino, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Sinhala, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese Group VI: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean. While each language has its own curriculum and requirements from the military, a Russian course taken from the Defense Language Institute (which is directly connected with the Department of Defense), will run about 1600 classroom (academic) hours to completion for a professional grasp deemed appropriate to DoD work. The chart below shows the number of hours needed to achieve a "basic professional knowledge" of a language. Note that this information is taken from old DLI information and is not included in new DLI information (each language is now listed with its own prerequisites and curriculum), but the numbers still seem to hold roughly true in most cases. Information on the Groups | | Group | I | II | III | VI | | Hours needed to reach Level-2 Proficiency* | 480 | 720 | 720 | 1320 | | Speaking proficiency level expected of a student with superior language aptitude, after 720 hours of instruction | 3 | 2+/3 | 2/2+ | 1+ |
So what does that mean?
It means that if you study for eight classroom hours a day and studied five days a week, you would have a working knowledge of Russian in about four and half months (one semester). Note that this does not mean that you would be fluent, but simply able to comprehend and express basic day-to-day phrases and thoughts. Advanced skills (able to negotiate and express complex ideas eloquently) can be obtained after several more months of intense study. Study abroad can greatly speed this process by providing more opportunity for practice (more "classroom hours" provided in real situations on the street, in shops, etc.). However, it can really only do this if you avoid speaking English and use your time abroad to seek out Russian friends who will let you practice with them and correct you when you make major mistakes. It should also be noted that the estimates above assume that the student is serious, attends and participates in class, and studies diligently outside of class. It is safe to say that students with some background in Russian can advance faster than those who come without basic skills and need to spend much of their time trying to "survive" in a foreign land without the language. *What exactly is level two?
As defined by the Defense Language Institute (again, by old information - the new information breaks down proficiencies by several skills such as speaking, reading, and writing): "Able to satisfy routine social demands and limited work requirements. Can handle routine work-related interactions that are limited in scope. In more complex and sophisticated work-related tasks, language usage generally disturbs the native speaker. Can handle with confidence, but not with facility, most normal, high-frequency social conversational situations including extensive, but casual conversations about current events, as well as work, family, and autobiographical information. The individual can get the gist of most everyday conversations but has some difficulty understanding native speakers in situations that require specialized or sophisticated knowledge. The individual's utterances are minimally cohesive. Linguistic structure is usually not very elaborate and not thoroughly controlled; errors are frequent. Vocabulary use is appropriate for high-frequency utterances, but unusual or imprecise elsewhere. While these interactions will vary widely from individual to individual, the individual can typically ask and answer predictable questions in the workplace and give straightforward instructions to subordinates. Additionally, the individual can participate in personal and accommodation-type interactions with elaboration and facility; that is, can give and understand complicated, detailed, and extensive directions and make non-routine changes in travel and accommodation arrangements. Simple structures and basic grammatical relations are typically controlled; however, there are areas of weakness. In the commonly taught languages, these may be simple markings such as plurals, articles, linking words, and negatives or more complex structures such as tense/aspect usage, case morphology, passive constructions, word order, and embedding."
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