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Study Abroad with CIEE in Australia Study in Australia
wollongong—arts + sciences

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bonaire—tropical marine ecology

Study Abroad with CIEE in China Study in China
shanghai—advanced chinese studies

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shanghai—business, language, + culture

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berlin—language + culture

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naples—liberal arts

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Study Abroad with CIEE in Peru Study in Peru
lima—language + culture

Study Abroad with CIEE in Sweden Study in Sweden
uppsala—arts + sciences

Study Abroad with CIEE in Taiwan Study in Taiwan
taipei—chinese language + culture

Study Abroad with CIEE in Vietnam Study in Vietnam
ho chi minh—language + culture

Is this program right for you?

This program is designed for students who have an interest in Russia. The program can accommodate different levels of language proficiency, especially beginning and intermediate Russian language students.

Program Snapshot

  • Improve your Russian language proficiency with intensive training
  • Live in 300-year old St. Petersburg and experience the relationship between traditional and modern elements influencing Russian society
  • Participate in optional volunteer projects organized through a well-developed network of contacts that facilitate integration into Russian society
  • Experience a rich cultural program including local and regional excursions, visits to museums and historical sites, and interaction with locals

Subject Areas

  • Art
  • Cultural Studies
  • Ethnic Studies
  • History
  • Russian Culture
  • Russian Language
  • Russian Studies

About St. Petersburg

Envisioned by Peter the Great as his “Window to the West,” French and Italian architects created a testimony to opulence with golden palaces, pastel-colored mansions, and landscaped parks, gardens, and canals. Having endured bombardment, famine, the horrors of Stalinist repression, and the city’s near total devastation in World War II, the people now cope with a new political and economic reality. Known as Leningrad from 1924 to 1991, the city of nearly five million is easily navigated by bus, trolley, and an efficient metro system.

Where You'll Study

St. Petersburg State University

Founded in the 18th century, St. Petersburg State University is one of Russia’s leading institutions of higher learning. The University’s 16 departments provide instruction for more than 20,000 students. The campus has expanded from its original site on the Neva River, and now includes over 400 buildings around the city center and the suburb of Peterhoff. CIEE students study at the University''s Smolny campus, in a quiet neighborhood on the east side of downtown St. Petersburg.

Thoughts From Abroad

As someone with a passion for studying Russian political science, sociology, and history, I find St. Petersburg to be the ideal location to immerse oneself in the complexities of the Russian question. You can ponder the fate of the Russian Revolution standing at your bus stop—opposite the Tauride Palace where Russia’s first parliament met and later where the Bolshevik party usurped power in 1918. Living in a homestay in St. Petersburg, you could easily have a breakfast conversation with your babushka waxing nostalgic about Brezhnev’s stagnation period and a dinner conversation with your host sister about her plans to travel abroad or buy a car. Now is the time to experience the amazing changes taking place in Russia, and our program allows students with minimal Russian to do so. The School of Political Science of St. Petersburg State University (Putin and Medvedev’s alma mater) is where the leaders of tomorrow’s Russia study, and you will have the chance to engage them in lively debates that will most likely challenge your own assumptions about Russia’s role in the international community.

— Jarlath McGuckin, Student Services Manager

Staff Bios

A full-time CIEE Resident Director supervises and administers this program. The Resident Director also assists students with academic, administrative, and day-to-day matters.

Administrative Director Irina Borisovna Shuliakovskaya is a long time St. Petersburg resident. She received her Masters Degree in Political Economy from Leningrad State University in 1986 and has many years of experience working in international education. Irina has been associated with CIEE programs in some capacity since the early 1990s; from 2002 to 2008, she was the Co-Curricular Coordinator and became the Administrative Director in 2008. Her knowledge of St. Petersburg is encyclopedic, and she is happy to share this knowledge with all CIEE students.

Student Services Manager Jarlath McGuckin graduated from the University of Rochester in 2002 with a degree in Russian and Political Science. In 2009 he received an M. A. in Russian Studies from the European University at St. Petersburg. In the spring of 2003, he began working for CIEE in the external relations department. Jarlath moved to Russia in the summer of 2006 to take on the role of Resident Coordinator. He is fluent in Russian and was a former participant in both the CIEE St. Petersburg and Prague programs. In his free time, Jarlath can be found practicing the Brazilian martial art of capoeira or performing with local bands in St. Petersburg.

Recommended Credit

semester: 17-18 semester/25.5-27 quarter hours

Eligibility Requirements

  • Overall GPA 2.75
  • 0–4 semesters of college-level Russian or equivalent
  • At least one semester of Russian is recommended, but motivated students with no previous Russian have been very successful in this program.
  • Program participants must apply for their visa in the U.S. Students planning independent international travel prior to the program must contact CIEE before applying.

Application Deadlines

Spring 201011/1/2009
Fall 20104/1/2010

Click here to check for deadline extensions.

Duration

Spring 201016 weeks
mid-January - mid-May
Fall 201016 weeks
late August - mid-December

CIEE Costs

CIEE program fees, inclusions, and estimated additional costs, are outlined below. Please note that CIEE reserves the right to adjust its fees in the event of significant change in exchange rates or other factors beyond its control. The actual cost of the programs may vary slightly for students from different institutions.

For comprehensive fee breakdowns and estimated additional costs, click the costs below:

  • Spring 2010 $12,100
    The CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and most meals, orientation, field trips, local excursions, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$8,332
    Visa Fee$194
    Housing and Most Meals$3,500
    Medical Insurance$74
    Total$12,100

    The CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and most meals, orientation, field trips, local excursions, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$1,450
    Personal Expenses$1,600
    Books and Supplies$100
    Local Transportation$250
    Additional Meals$600
    Total$4,000


  • Fall 2010 $12,300
    The CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and most meals, orientation, field trips, local excursions, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Visa Fee$194
    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$8,532
    Housing and Most Meals$3,500
    Medical Insurance$74
    Total$12,300

    The CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and most meals, orientation, field trips, local excursions, pre-departure advising, visa fees, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$1,650
    Personal Expenses$1,600
    Additional Meals$750
    Local Transportation$250
    Books and Supplies$100
    Total$4,350


Scholarship Information

For a complete list of scholarships available, please vist our Scholarships section.