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Home and Abroad Scholars
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SRAS’s Home and Abroad Scholars program combines intensive language study with a generous scholarship and a resume-building internship. Designed for maximum flexibility, this program will help support and nurture student interests in fields as diverse as journalism, economics, history, and art.
The scholarship will apply $5000 to a semester of Russian as a Second Language in select SRAS locations. Students begin their intensive internship from home and continue it while abroad. Students who complete a full semester abroad can elect to continue their studies for an optional second semester, with up to an additional $5000 applied to any SRAS program.
- Dates -
Fall
Apply by May 1
Finalist Evaluation Dates: May 6 - May 27
Program dates: June 1 - December 18
Internship from Home Begins: June 1
Program Abroad Begins: September 5
Spring
Apply by Oct 1
Finalist Evaluation Dates: Oct 7 - Oct 21
Program dates: Nov 1 - May 17
Internship from Home Begins: November 1
Program Abroad Begins: February 1
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 Frequently asked questions about our programs |
 Missed the deadline? Have a question? Contact Us. |
- The Application -
Applicants must possess native or near-native English skills and strong writing and research skills. Applicants will be well-organized, motivated, have his/her own laptop, and be able check email once per day. Applicants must be able to work independently and creatively. Applicants will be adventurous and eager to explore a new land and culture and to excite others about doing so as well.
- Choose a program track and location
The chosen track and location will determine the nature of internship assignments you will receive. More information on available tracks is available in "The Experience" below. - Apply using SRAS's online system.
- Russian as a Second Language will be chosen for "Program 1" in one of the available Home and Abroad locations listed on this page.
- Home and Abroad Scholars will be chosen for "Program 2." In the "additional notes" field, indicate:
- which track you are applying for (as listed below - e.g. "Art," "Translation," "Journalism," etc.).
- if you plan to take advantage of the second semester option (please provide details if so).
- Students open to being placed in multiple locations may use "Program 3" and "Program 4" to indicate this. Choose Russian as a Second Language and list 1-2 additional locations from those listed on this page.
- Complete the internship portion of the application, uploading a cover letter, resume, and a letter of recommendation from a current or prior employer.
- The cover letter must be only one paragraph long (1100 characters maximum, spaces not included) and must concisely state why the applicant wants to participate in this program. This may duplicate information found in the essay, which has no character limit.
- If the student does not have a past or current employer, a recommendation from any other person who has supervised the applicant in some capacity and can comment on the applicant's work ethic is acceptable; this can include volunteer work, assistantships, or other major undertakings. This recommendation must be submitted by someone other than that person who submits the academic recommendation for the applicant.
- Additionally submit two academic papers.
One paper must be longer than 10 pages in length. Submit these under "Application Materials"> "Application Files" within the online system. - Complete both TORFL tests under "testing."
- Check for additional requirements in the track option information below under "The Experience."
- Finalist Evaluation - Finalists chosen for the award will be given a trial period for the internship portion working on projects over the course of three weeks. Finalists who successfully pass the trial period will be offered positions on the Home and Abroad program. Others who complete the publishable work but who are not selected for the progam will recieve a $500 scholarship, good towards any SRAS program, or a $150 cash-out option upon the publication of the works.
Students applying to Home and Abroad are not required to pay the $250 deposit until after acceptance. The deposit will be due two weeks after acceptance or before. All questions about the Home and Abroad program may be addressed to Josh Wilson.
- The Experience -
Students will choose one of several tracks. Each track will have several things in common:
At Home. The Home and Abroad internship begins at home, shortly after program acceptance. Internships will involve research, writing, and other tasks. Students should expect to complete work approximately equal to that of an upper level 3-credit university class over the course of about three months. These assignments will be detailed in a document given to the student before program acceptance. Students must successfully complete the "Home" assignments before leaving for the "Abroad" portion of the program.
Abroad. Abroad, the student will continue researching, writing, and performing other tasks while attending SRAS's Russian as a Second Language program. These tasks are designed to be intensive, provide the student with a published portfolio of work, and to help improve the experiences of future SRAS students. Generally, this will include writing reviews of cultural events, writing short articles, and revising SRAS city and university guides. Other tasks will be given to focus the work on the student's chosen professional track (see below).
Optional Second Semester. Students who successfully complete the first two program portions as outlined above can elect to spend a second semester abroad with up to an additional $5000 applied to any SRAS program* in the locations listed on this page - including internships and our programs focusing on art, environment, international relations, history, business and many other subjects. Students continue writing short articles and contributing to SRAS materials but on a greatly reduced schedule. *$5000 is the maximum award for semester programs. Students seeking to use the award for summer programs will receive a maximum of $1000.
Available Tracks Include:
Art
Writing assignments: Students will write short histories of artists and/or art movements, reviews of art and museums, and resources about art-related institutions, organizations, history, or laws. Material will be primarily written for and published on museumstudiesabroad.ORG.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must have had at least two semesters of study in art history, studio art, or museum science. Previous Russian study is desirable, but not required for eligibility.
Business
Writing assignments: Depending on experience and interest, students may be asked to assist in marketing functions for SRAS or our partner companies. Students may be asked to write news synopses, analytical articles, or histories of economic events. Students may also write short histories about Russian regions or cities, culture-related subjects, book reviews, resource lists, etc.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must have had at least two semesters of study in business. Previous Russian study is desirable, but not required for eligibility.
Environment
Writing assignments: Students may be asked to write news synopses, analytical articles, or histories of environmental events. Students may also write short histories about Russian regions or cities, culture-related subjects, book reviews, resource lists, etc. Students with advanced Russian skills will be encouraged to explore local and international organizations working in environmental fields to learn and write about their activities.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must have had at least two semesters of study in environmental history, policy, or science. Previous Russian study is desirable, but not required for eligibility.
Humanities (any)
Humanities include, but are not limited to: History, Languages, Literature, Music, Religion, and Theatre.
Writing assignments: Students may write short histories about issues related to their chosen humanity, about Russian regions or cities, culture-related subjects, book reviews, resource lists, etc. Students with advanced language skills will be encouraged to explore local archives and libraries and write reviews of requirements needed to access them.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must indicate which humanity they are most interested in. Applicants must have had at least two semesters of study in that field. Previous Russian study is desirable, but not required for eligibility.
Journalism
Writing assignments: Students will write news synopses, analytical articles, or histories of related events. Students will be encouraged to conduct interviews with Russians and foreigners on various subjects. Students may write short histories about issues related to their chosen humanity, about Russian regions or cities, culture-related subjects, book reviews, resource lists, etc. Students with experience in video editing and documentary film are especially encouraged to apply.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must have had at least two semesters of study in journalism or work experience in journalism. Previous Russian study is desirable, but not required for eligibility.
Security and International Relations
Writing assignments: Students may be asked to write news synopses, analytical articles, or histories of related events. Students may also write short histories about Russian regions or cities, culture-related subjects, book reviews, resource lists, etc. Students with knowledge of issues such as cybersecurity and food security are especially encouraged to apply.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must have had at least two semesters of study in a related field. Previous Russian study is desirable, but not required for eligibility.
Translation
Writing assignments: Students translate approximately 20,000 characters of text from Russian to English per month on various subjects. Students may also write short histories about Russian regions or cities, culture-related subjects, book reviews, resource lists, etc.
Applicant Requirements: Applicants must complete a translation test and upload this with the rest of their documents to the application system. Applicants must have advanced Russian skills, strong writing skills in English, and research skills in English and Russian. Previous experience or education in translating is preferred, but not required.
- Additional Details -
What if I am not currently a student anywhere?
Not a problem. For more on eligibility issues, please see our main FAQ page.
What is the total cost of this program?
Students will pay the $50 application fee upon applying. The $250 deposit is due after acceptance and no later than two weeks after acceptance. The remaining amount shall be the cost of one semester of RSL minus the $5000 scholarship and minus the $250 deposit. Those students who chose to attend an optional second semester will pay the cost of their chosen program minus the $5000 scholarship. The scholarship may only be applied to program costs.
What about the optional second semester?
Students should indicate their intent to take the optional second semester in their initial application. The second semester may be taken in a location other than the first location, but still must be an available Home and Abroad location. If the location of the second semester differs, the student will need to leave Russia and return on a new visa. Total cost for the second semester is the cost of the chosen program minus $5000. The scholarship may only be applied to program costs. All programs in all listed locations are applicable except Russian Studies Abroad in Moscow (choose from any other Moscow-based program if you are interested in a second semester in Moscow).
What form should the recommendations take?
The recommendation from the professor should be completed according to our online form (part of the application process). The second should be a free-form letter but should cover three topics: the student's ability to work hard, work creatively, and work independently. We prefer that the person writing the recommendation letter email it directly to Josh Wilson.
Do the papers need to be about specific topics?
We prefer papers on topics related to Russia, the former USSR or its successor states, or related to your chosen track. However, we will accept any examples that the student considers to be outstanding examples of his/her writing.
Can this scholarship be applied to any other program besides RSL for the first semester?
No. The first semester of this program is available only in the locations indicated and only in conjunction with RSL. Because of the intensive internship schedule during the first semester, students will not be able to concurrently participate in additional internships or on programs with heavier academic loads. Students will be given the opportunity to join any SRAS-led travel events while abroad (those not included on standard RSL programs will be available at additional cost).
Can this program be applied to learning another language besides Russian?
No.
What if I am not a US citizen?
Not a problem so long as you have native or near-native English skills. For more on eligibility issues, please see our main FAQ page.