Tourism in Russia is growing rapidly. Thousands of foreigners visit the country each year, and nearly all of them do safely. Many of them come away enchanted by the country and return at their next opportunity.
Still, it is impossible to guarantee someone's safety 100%. Even at home in our own beds there is a risk of injury, but the RSP makes student safety a top priority.
Just like here in the US or Canada, the big cities of Russia, where we will spend much of our time, are stimulating places to be. And there is no particular danger if you are careful and avoid known risks. Students are oriented to the do's and don'ts of life in Russia in order to minimize the risk of negative encounters.
Additionally, all travel during the program is evaluated in light of world and local events and subject to change if not doing so would cause an undue risk.
RSP tuition covers the cost of travel from a US gateway city (usually New York City) to Russia and back to the gateway city. RSP students fly in from across the country, meet in New York City, and travel as a group from the gateway city to Russia and back.
RSP students are responsible to get themselves from their home to the RSP gateway city and back home.
Upon acceptance into the program, that semester's travel information will be provided to each student sot they can make their individual travel plans.
All travel for the RSP is coordinated through a “gateway city” on the US East Coast. The gateway city is usually New York City, although it can change depending on pricing for departures from major cities. RSP students must get themselves to the gateway city at least 3-hours prior to their departure for Russia. The RSP students travel together to and from Russia.
Yes, you will need both a passport and a visa to enter Russia. The Washington, DC, office of the RSP will instruct you on the steps for getting a visa once you have been accepted into the program.
Russia has some very specific and detailed requirements for securing a visa. Once you have been accepted into the program, the RSP will provide you with all the necessary documentation and instructions to get your visa. The cost of the visa is included in your overall program price.
RSP students will be staying in a variety of accommodations during the program. Most of the semester is spent in Nizhni Novgorod at the state-sponsored university there. While in Nizhni, the students will be housed in a university dormitory along with other Russian students. At other points in the semester, the students will be staying with families and staying in hotels. A few nights will even be spent on the trains that travel between Russia’s major western cities.
RSP students stay with families for up to six weeks of the semester. This usually occurs during the time the students are in Nizhni Novgorod, and this is always a highlight of the RSP.
Generally speaking, at least some portion of your financial aid will apply. However, every school that participates in this program handles financial aid differently. Some of our member schools allow all of their financial aid to apply, and some don’t allow any financial aid to travel off campus. Many schools are somewhere in between those extremes.
Government aid, such as federal loans or grants by law must be applied to your tuition costs as long as you are enrolled in your home institution, even if you are not physically present on the campus (this is exactly what takes place in the RSP).
Institutional aid, such as academic, athletic, or musical scholarships are the “property” of your home institution. It is up to the individual school as to what restrictions to place on scholarships. Financial aid policy is NOT in any way determined by the RSP. It is exclusively the decision of your home institution. You should consult with your campus financial aid office to be certain of the policies for study abroad.
Being able to speak Russian is NOT a prerequisite for participation in the program. Obviously, having knowledge of the language is a tremendous advantage as you move about the country; but your academic evaluations will not be influenced by how much Russian you have when you arrive.
All RSP students are required to take a Russian-language course. There is also the option of taking up to six hours of Russian. The program can accept students with more advancement in the language as well.
Students will be expected to use the language they learn, and students may be evaluated on their level of “investment” in the learning and use of the language.
The program is set up for 16 credits. Student may choose from two “tracks.” The first emphasizes Russian language, giving six credits. The second track substitutes a unit on international relations and business. The remaining courses are common to both tracks.
The RSP is structured as follows:
Required
1. Russian Language study (4 hours)
2. History and Sociology of Religion (3 hours)
3. Russian Peoples, Cultures & Literature (4 hours)
4. Russia in Transition (3 hours)
Elective options:
1. Russian Language (2 hour intermediate course)
We use this phrase because, strictly speaking, the RSP does not grant you course credit; your university does. We recommend grades and credit hours based on guidelines set by CCCU, but your own school will determine what credit or grades you receive. You need to work out with your school what credit you will receive before coming to Russia, as well as whether you can take courses on a Pass / Fail system. Should your school allow you to take courses Pass / Fail, the RSP director will still assign you a grade for that course, which your school may then convert to Pass or Fail.
In practice, RSP credit will function just like your other credits. Though some schools have their own policies about grades & credits vis a vis off-campus study programs, most CCCU schools accept the recommended credit hours and grades for courses that they are able to transfer.
It is important to understand that the RSP preferentially enrolls CCCU students. The RSP was created specifically as a service to CCCU schools; however, with certain restrictions, other students may participate.
Non-CCCU students may participate in the RSP on a space-available basis. A $200 charge may also be placed on a non-CCCU student.
Non-CCCU students should keep in mind that they must make arrangements with their school to receive credit and financial aid for the RSP. Examples of non-CCCU schools that have accepted the RSP “recommended” credits are James Madison University and Cornell.
CCCU students who are not citizens of the United States or Canada are eligible and invited to attend the RSP; however, you’ll need to check to find out if there are particular visa restrictions applied to citizens of your country. (Most of the time, there are not, but you need to make sure.)
Students from countries other than the US and Canada regularly participate in the RSP and other CCCU international study programs.
Currently the RSP does not operate programs for students during the summer.
The RSP does not permit students to travel outside the country during the program. Doing so could complicate your visa status; and the RSP staff cannot monitor safety conditions in the surrounding nations.
Travel in Russia is permitted and encouraged. We want RSP students to take the fullest advantage their access to Russia during these four short months.
Students may make changes to their itinerary subject to the restrictions of the airline. Any fees or additional costs associated with the changed itinerary must be covered out of the student’s own finances and arranged directly with the airline.
Students may not shorten the semester by arriving late or leaving early, however.
RSP does not say firmly that you cannot have visitors while you are here. However, please note that the semester is intense and most of your time is taken up by classes, assignments, and trips. These are only the academic parts of the program; you will also be busy interacting with your Russian host family and friends while you are here. Another point is that having someone from “home” come visit might interrupt the process of adjusting and immersion that RSP encourages while you are in Russia.
We recommend that you plan to have visitors after the program ends. After the completion of 16 weeks living in Russia, you will not only have more time to dedicate to their visit, but you will be a much more knowledgeable tour guide with stronger language skills.
The final cost to you is determined by your home institution. Generally, the cost of the RSP is the same as, or nearly the same as, your home university’s costs for one semester of room, board, and tuition.
You will pay your home institution for your semester at the RSP. The only costs you will pay the CCCU directly are the application fee and your program confirmation deposit.
Russia is a land of weather extremes. It can be quite pleasant in the fall and spring. Generally, however, the weather will be cool or cold while the RSP is in session.
The winter months are often very cold and snowy. A variety of clothing will be necessary to be comfortable in the changing weather.
All the time. The program is designed to expose at every turn to Russian people, life and culture. Between living with Russian families, riding the buses to class, traveling on trains, attending Russian churches and going and doing the Moscow, Nizhni Novgorod and St. Petersburg, you will find it impossible to not to get up close and personal with Russia.
A typical day in Nizhni Novgorod means waking up in time to be down at the cafeteria around 8:00 or so for a big bowl of kasha and a cup of tea. Language class doesn't start until 9:30, so after breakfast is a good time to do homework, go back to sleep, take a shower - whatever needs to be done. Since we study Russian for THREE HOURS, there is a tea break from 11:15 to 11:30 - a much cherished time to drink tea, eat yummy crackers, and hang out with Russian students in the International Office. Lunch break is 12:30 to 2:00, when the afternoon lecture begins. Lecture usually goes from 2 to 4 and then - it's FREETIME! Dinner is served from 5:30 to 6:30, but besides that - we're free to explore the city, play games inside, go jogging, do homework, do laundry, sleep, have group devotions, write letters home, go to concerts, visit friends, have snowball fights - there are endless possibilities!
Of course this particular typical day changes on weekends, and when we live in host families.
For example - on Friday's there are no classes. Each student spends half of the day engaged in a service project. Saturdays are usually completely free, although occasionally we have a trip or museum tour planned. On Sundays we attend church services of our choice and enjoy a much needed day of rest.
When we live in host families, the class schedule and the service project are at the same times, but freetime is structured a little differently, because we have to consider our families' schedules, and the constraints of public transportation usually split us up into our respective host families about 8:30 or 9.
If it seems like there is a lot of freetime - it's all an illusion! There is so much homework to do and so many places to go and so many people to spend time with.
(by Sidney Dement, former RSP student)
