Administered by American Councils for International Education in cooperation with the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) with private foundation support. 

About The Program

The four-week 2025 Summer Russian Language Teacher (SRLT) professional development program at Al Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) is designed to address the professional interests and needs of US teachers of Russian at the K-12 and college levels. Fifteen (15) teachers will be accepted and funded for participation in the 2025 program, which will consist of small group work, individual tutorials, and seminars based on a curriculum which emphasizes four-skill communication in contemporary Russian, clarity and confidence of teacher self-expression, and an expanded understanding of the diverse peoples and cultures that make up the Russian-speaking world today.

All aspects of the SRLT 2025 academic and cultural program including the homestay component are conducted in Russian and participants are expected to speak and use Russian only over the course of the entire program, except in emergencies. 

Eligibility

The program is intended for US teachers of Russian (current or under contract to teach in 2025-26) at the K-12, small college, or university teaching fellow/instructor level with limited or no recent background of study or professional development in Russia or a Russian-speaking country. Participants must be US citizens or permanent residents.

Fifteen finalists and two alternates will be selected for participation and support in the 2025 Program.

Fellowship Award  

Covers the cost of : 

• Tuition and fees at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

• Five graduate hours of academic credit through Bryn Mawr College

• International and domestic airfare

• Homestays in Almaty with two meals per day

• Cultural activities, including overnight excursions

• Visa (if applicable) 

• Pre-departure orientation in Washington DC

• Accident and health insurance

• Logistical support and 24/7 emergency contact 

• $300 for the purchase of teaching materials

Note: Participants will be responsible for incidental expenses and domestic travel from their home city to pre-departure orientation.

Deadline for Submission of Applications: February 15, 2025

Participant Notification:  Late March 2025

Program Dates: June 25 to July 27, 2025

Academics and Courses

Combining language and cultural study in both small-group seminars and individual tutorials, the 2025 SRLT program provides a total of 80 academic contact hours and five hours of graduate credit, as well as a rich experience of full immersion in the linguistic and cultural milieu of Almaty.

The academic program is overseen by Professor Eleonora Suleimenova (KazNU) and Professor Maria D. Lekic (American Councils and the University of Maryland, ret.) and will consist of the following components:  

• Russian Language Instruction (approximately 32 total hours)
  Participants will work in small groups of three to four with faculty counterparts at KazNU.   Russian-language coursework will be geared to each group’s proficiency level and will include a Speech Practicum, readings and discussions of a wide range of texts of cultural interest.    

• One-on-One Tutorial and the Teaching of Russian (32 total hours)
  Each participant will also work on a daily basis with an individual faculty tutor at KazNU to enhance their individual speaking, reading, listening and writing skills as well as discussing and sharing experiences as teachers of Russian. 

• Seminars on the Post-Soviet World and Cultures (approximately 16 total hours)
  KazNU will offer a series of seminars and field trips related to the diverse cultures and civilizations of the Russian-speaking world, beginning with an introduction to Kazakhstan and Central Asia and an overview of the changing role of Russian across the region. Depending on the interests of US participants, additional optional seminars may include discussions of contemporary Russian-language theater, the language of dance, and a masterclass on Central Asian cuisine.

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive the equivalent of five graduate credits from Bryn Mawr College:

• RUSS 515 Intensive Conversation Specialization   

• RUSS 525 Intensive Grammar Specialization

Location and Host Institution:

Founded in 1933, KazNU is one of Central Asia’s oldest and most prestigious universities, offering degrees to more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students in over 140 academic fields, including the humanities, social sciences, law, medicine, and engineering. The 2022 QS World University Rankings list KazNU as 150th among the world’s top higher education institutions.

Housing and Meals

Program participants reside with local host families. Living with a host family provides a valuable cultural experience to complement the academic program. Host families introduce participants to authentic, everyday life in the host country while also providing a supportive environment. Participants are often included in host family outings and events. While staying with a host family, participants are provided with a private room, two meals per day, and keys to the apartment or house. All host families are screened, selected, and monitored by American Councils staff. 

Support Services

All program participants are required to attend a pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C. Orientation sessions address health and safety, academic culture, host-family life, and other program elements. Lodging and meals will be provided. Upon arrival in the host country, participants attend an in-country orientation.

While overseas, participants have access to in-country program staff that provide around-the-clock emergency support. A full-time American resident director and KazNU coordinating team oversee the day-to-day operations of the instructional, cultural and homestay programs, assisting participants and coordinating activities with the host institution and faculty. During the program, the AC Study Abroad team in Washington, D.C. stays in close contact via email and telephone with in-country program staff.

Participants are enrolled in comprehensive overseas health, accident, and evacuation insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) for the duration of the program. CISI provides medical coverage of up to $250,000 per accident or illness. Enrollment in the CISI plan also provides full coverage for emergency medical evacuation.

All participants are provided with a single-entry visa to the host-country, if required.

Program Snapshot

Eligibility

• U.S. citizens or permanent residents

• In-service K-12 or university-level teachers of Russian language and culture, or graduate students 

• Priority will be granted to K-12, small college and university teaching fellows/instructors without prior experience or with limited experience studying or pursuing professional development in Russia or a Russian-speaking country  

Program Location

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Program Dates

June 25 to July 27, 2025

Application Deadline

February 15, 2025

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