Consulate General of the United States Vladivostok, Russia

• The Future Leaders Secondary School Exchange Program (FLEX Program)
• The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
• Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program
• Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
• Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes for Scholars
• Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes for Secondary School Educators
• Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes for Student Leaders on Global Environmental Issues

The Future Leaders Secondary School Exchange Program (FLEX Program)

FLEX Program brings Russian high school students to the United States to live with American host families, attend high school and experience community life for an academic year. The program is fully funded by the U.S. government and is administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. Recruitment is through an open competition organized by American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS) in conjunction with the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. Successful applicants have adequate English language proficiency, a satisfactory academic record, and the personal skills, qualities, attitude, and motivation to enable them to succeed as exchange students. Recruitment for academic year 2013-2014 is conducted in September – November 2012. It is open to all Russian students who:

• are presently studying in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades
• are learning English
• were born in the period between 01 January 1996 and through 15 July 1998
• possess personal skills, qualities, attitude and motivation that enable them to succeed as exchange students
• are eligible to receive a U.S. visa.

Please visit American Council's website to view the testing schedule for various cities in Russia, and for additional information about the program.

Applicants who live in the Russian Far East can contact American Councils for International Education:

Vladivostok, 15a Okeanskiy Pr., 3rd Floor
Tel: (4232) 40-80-71, tel./fax: 2 40-82-13
E-mail: actrvlad@vlad.ru

The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD)

Formerly known as the Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program, the Global UGRAD Program provides opportunities for outstanding students to study at U.S. universities and colleges. Over the past  years, more than 2,000 students from Eurasia and Central Asia have taken part in this program.
The Global UGRAD Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, and administered by IREX.  The Global UGRAD program in Eurasia and Central Asia is open to first-, second- and third-year undergraduate students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan for non-degree study in the United States for one academic year.

All fellows will attend classes full-time for one year and perform a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service in their host community their first semester and will complete a part-time internship their second semester. Students in their first year at the time of application will be enrolled in two-year community colleges and will live with host families or in dormitories. Students in their second or third year at the time of application will attend four-year colleges and universities and live in dormitories.

The fellowship provides J-1 visa support, round-trip travel from fellow’s home cities to host institution in the United States, accident and sickness insurance, tuition and mandatory university fees, room and board (housing and meals), small incidentals allowance, limited allowance for books, and a variety of alumni networking and training opportunities.

Fields of study for the Global UGRAD Program include accounting, agriculture, anthropology, biology, business, chemistry, computer science, criminal justice, economics, education, engineering, environmental management, geology, hospitality management, international relations, journalism and mass communication, law, physics, political science, psychology, sociology, urban planning, and U.S. studies.  Other fields will be considered.

The deadline for submitting applications for the academic year 2013-2014 is January 14, 2012. Applications for the Global UGRAD Program can be obtained and submitted by contacting IREX field offices and representatives in Eurasia and Central Asia. Applications can also be downloaded from www.irex.org or www.irex.ru/programs/ugrad/applications/  
 

Contact:

IREX
Tel: (495) 234-01-44, fax: (495) 956-09-77
E-mail: ugrad@irex.ru
http://www.irex.ru

Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program

The Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program (Muskie) is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, and administered by IREX. Muskie provides opportunities for Master’s level study in the United States to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.  Participants are selected through an open, merit-based competition.  

Fellows will:

• Enroll in fulltime academic coursework for up to two years.
• Create and implement a project during the first academic year that benefits the local community.
• Take part in internships following academic coursework.

The fellowship is fully funded and provides:

• J-1 Visa Support
• Round-trip travel from fellow’s home city in Eurasia to host institution in the United States;
• Monthly stipend;
• Accident and sickness coverage;
• Tuition and mandatory university fees;
• Limited allowance for books;
• Pre-academic English language training (if necessary)
• Alumni networking and training opportunities.

The deadline for submitting applications for academic year 2012-2013 has passed. Until further notice, the program will not be recruiting candidates for academic year 2013-2014.

Applications for the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program can be obtained and submitted by contacting IREX field offices and representatives in Eurasia or by going to the website: http://www.irex.ru/programs/muskie/

Contact:

IREX/Russia
Khokhlovsky per., 13, bld. 1, 109028 Moscow
Tel.: (495) 234-0144, 956-0978
E-mail: muskieprogram@irex.ru
http://www.irex.ru

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program

The program provides mid-career professionals an opportunity to pursue graduate-level academic course work with professional development activities. While the Program does not offer a degree, it does provide broad professional enrichment through a combination of activities tailored to each Fellow's interest. Humphrey Fellowships are limited to one academic year, preceded, if appropriate, by a period of English-language training.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the potential for leadership and a commitment to service, either in the public or private sector. Because Humphrey Fellows design their own programs and establish their own professional affiliations, they must be self-motivated and able to easily adapt to a new environment. It is important that candidates have considerable initiative if they are to benefit from the program. Prospective fellows should have a minimum of five years of professional experience prior to the program deadline in September and should be interested in policies pertaining to their fields of specialization.

The Humphrey Program is a Fulbright Exchange Activity and its funding is provided by the United States Congress through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. In Russia, the Public Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy administers the program. Russian candidates compete with candidates from about one hundred other countries for selection. The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board, appointed by the President to oversee and supervise the educational exchanges of the Fulbright Program, has overall responsibility for the final selection of Humphrey Fellows.

Fields for 2013-2014 are:

• Agricultural and Rural Development;
• Communications/Journalism;
• Substance Abuse Education, Prevention and Treatment;
• Economic Development/Finance and Banking
• Educational Administration, Planning and Policy;
• Higher Education Administration;
• HIV/AIDS Policy and Prevention;
• Human Resource Management;
• Law and Human Rights;
• Natural Resources and Environmental Policy / Climate Change;
• Public Health Policy and Management;
• Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
• Teaching of English as a Foreign Language;
• Technology Policy and Management;
• Trafficking in Persons, Policy and Prevention;
• Urban and Regional Planning

Eligibility requirements for this competitive program:

• Russian citizenship;
• a first university degree (Bachelor's degree) as a minimum;
• at least FIVE YEARS of full-time professional experience (prior to August 2012);
• good potential for leadership in one's field;
• a commitment to public service in a wide variety of fields;
• good English language proficiency (TOEFL scores no lower than 525/paper-based and 71/internet-based)

Applications must include academic transcripts and English language translations of all non-English documents.

Who is ineligible to apply?

• Recent graduates (even if they have significant positions);
• faculty members with no management responsibilities (except in the fields of Sustainable Abuse education, Prevention and Treatment and Teaching of English as a Second Language);
• individuals with recent U.S. or third country experience (more than 6 months within the last 5 years);
• individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.

DO NOT apply if you want to pursue an advanced academic degree in the U.S. (this is a NON-DEGREE program) or if you want to attend a specific U.S. university. Universities are selected competitively to host Fellows in groups by profession.

Deadline for submitting applications to the U.S. Embassy for academic year 2013-2014 is August 15, 2012.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sample Program Plans (PDF - 860 KB), Personal Statements (PDF - 657 KB), and Application form (PDF - 162 KB)

Additional information and program applications  are available at the American Embassy, Public Affairs Section, Bolshoy Devyatinskiy per., 8, 121099, Moscow, tel: (495) 728-5365, 728-5242 e-mail: USGExchanges@gmail.com. More details are available at the Humphrey Program website, www.humphreyfellowship.org

The TOEFL test registration is available on www.toefl.org. For all TOEFL-related questions, please contact  ACTR Testing Center in Moscow (495) 247-2321, St. Petersburg (812) 571-4593, and Vladivostok (4232) 40 82 13, actrvlad@vlad.ru.

The Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes for Scholars

Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes (SUSI) are sponsored by the State Department's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Summer Institutes are six-week academic programs for multinational groups of university faculty from outside the United States. Institutes are held at university campuses throughout the U.S. and focus on a particular theme or topic in American studies. 18-30 foreign educators participate in each Institute.

The purpose of these institutes is to strengthen curricula and improve the quality of teaching about the United States in academic institutions overseas. Each program includes two components: an intensive, four-week academic seminar and a study tour of up to two weeks designed to reinforce the academic content of the seminar.

The U.S. Summer Institutes is a highly competitive program and the U.S. Embassy will nominate only one candidate per institute. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department pays all costs.

Participants should be highly-motivated and experienced university faculty and professionals from institutions of higher learning, with little or no recent study experience in the United States. Additional, they should be affiliated with institutions seeking to introduce aspects of U.S. studies into the curriculum, develop new courses in the subject field of the institute, or enhance and update existing courses on the United States. In this respect, while the nominee's scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration in determining suitability for acceptance, how participation in the institute will enhance course offerings in the U.S. studies at the nominee's home institution is equally or even more important. First consideration will be given to younger and mid-career faculty, and to persons who are likely to be comfortable with campus life, including campus-style accommodations, and an active program schedule. All participants must be proficient in written and spoken English, with good English comprehension skills.

Participants are expected to attend all institute working sessions and non-optional organized activities and to complete assigned readings. Family members and/or friends may not accompany participants on any part of the program. The institute is very intensive and there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program. The institutes will take place at various colleges and universities throughout the United States over the course of six weeks beginning in June 2013.

The 2013 Summer Program includes six (6) Institutes for university faculty in the following thematic areas: Institute on American Politics and Political Thought; Institute on Contemporary American Literature; Institute on Journalism and Media; Institute on Religious Pluralism in the United States; Institute on U.S. Culture and Society; Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy.

The Institute on American Politics and Political Thought will provide a multinational group of 18 foreign university faculty with a deeper understanding of U.S. political institutions and major currents in American political thought. The institute will offer an overview of political thought during the founding period (constitutional foundations), and the development and current functioning of the American presidency, Congress, and the federal judiciary. The examination of political institutions will include the electoral system, political parties and interest groups, the civil service system, media and think tanks, and the welfare/regulatory state. The institute will address modern political and cultural issues in the United States (including but not limited to civil rights, women's rights, immigration, etc.) and the significance of public discourse in the formulation of public policy. Pending ECA grant approval, the institute will be hosted by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

The Institute on Contemporary American Literature will provide a multinational group of up to 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an examination of contemporary American literature. Its purpose is twofold: to explore contemporary American writers and writing in a variety of genres; and to suggest how the themes explored in those works reflect larger currents within contemporary American society and culture. The program will explore the diversity of the American literary landscape, examining how major contemporary writers, schools and movements reflect the traditions of the American literary canon. At the same time, the program will expose participants to writers who represent a departure from that tradition, and who are establishing new directions for American literature. Pending ECA grant approval, the institute will be hosted by the University of Louisville.

The Institute on Journalism and Media will provide a multinational group of 18 journalism faculty and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of the role of journalism and the media in U.S. society. It will examine the rights and responsibilities of the media in a democratic society, including editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, international journalism, and media business models. The institute will cover strategies for teaching students of journalism the basics of the tradecraft: researching, reporting, writing, and editing. The program will also highlight technology's impact on journalism, addressing the influence of the internet, the globalization of the news media, the growth of satellite television and radio networks, and other advances in media that are transforming the profession.

The Institute on Religious Pluralism in the United States will provide a multinational group of up to 18 foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an examination of religious pluralism in the United States and its intersection with American democracy. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach and drawing on fields such as history, political science, sociology, anthropology, law and others, the program will explore both the historical and contemporary relationship between church and state in the United States. Participants will examine the following aspects of religious pluralism in the United States: the ways in which religious thought and practice have influenced, and been influenced by, the development of American-style democracy; the intersections of religion and politics in the United States in such areas as elections, public policy, and foreign policy; and the sociology and demography of religion in the United States today, including a survey of the diversity of contemporary religious beliefs and its impact on American politics. Pending ECA grant approval, the institute will be hosted by the University of California at Santa Barbara.

The Institute on U.S. Culture and Society will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly-motivated foreign university faculty and other specialists with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The Institute will examine the ethnic, racial, economic, political, and religious contexts in which various cultures have manifested themselves in U.S. society, and the ways in which these cultures have influenced both social movements and historical epochs throughout U.S. history. The program will draw from a diverse disciplinary base, and will itself provide a model of how a foreign university might approach the study of U.S. culture and society.

The Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy will provide a multinational group of 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper understanding of how U.S. foreign policy is formulated and implemented. The Institute will include a historical review of significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have shaped U.S. foreign policy. The Institute will explain the role of key players in U.S. foreign policy including the executive and legislative branches of government, the media, the U.S. public, think-tanks, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions.

The deadline for submitting applications for one of these programs is December 20, 2012.

Please submit your application forms to the Academic Exchanges Office of the Embassy no later than November 30. Applications need to be sent by e-mail to USGExchanges@gmail.com. For any questions, please call the Academic Exchanges Office at (495) 728-5000, ext. 4885, (495) 728-5242 or e-mail lazarevaja@state.gov.

Application Form (MS WORD - 24 KB) 

Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes for Secondary School Educators

Study of the U.S. Summer Institutes (SUSI) are sponsored by the State Department's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Summer Institutes are six-week academic programs for multinational groups of educators from outside the United States. Institutes are held at university campuses throughout the U.S. and focus on a particular theme or topic in American studies. 18-30 foreign educators participate in each Institute.

The purpose of these institutes is to strengthen curricula and improve the quality of teaching about the United States in academic institutions overseas. Each program includes two components: an intensive, four-week academic seminar and a study tour of up to two weeks designed to reinforce the academic content of the seminar.

The U.S. Summer Institutes is a highly competitive program and the U.S. Embassy will nominate only one candidate per institute. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department pays all costs.

The Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators (Teachers) will provide a multinational group of 30 experienced secondary school teachers with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, education, and culture – past and present. The focus of the Institute will be on providing materials for participants to develop high school level curricula about the United States. To this end, the Institute may be organized around a central theme or themes in U.S. civilization. Through a combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary approaches, program content will elucidate the history and evolution of U.S. institutions and values, broadly defined. The program will also serve to illuminate contemporary political, social, and economic debates in American society.

The Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators (Administrators) will provide a multinational group of 30 experienced administrators (including teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, ministry of education officials, and others) with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, education, and culture - past and present. The program's theme, "Exploring Access and Equity in U.S. Education and Society" will focus on education, immigration, and civic engagement within U.S. society and culture. The Institute will include an intellectually rigorous academic residency component, meetings with regional educators and
prominent community leaders, guided independent research, visits to topically relevant sites, a two-week study tour, and the completion of a research project.

Candidates should be mid-career, highly-motivated and experienced secondary school educators. Ideal candidates are secondary school teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook
writers, ministry of education officials, secondary school administrators, or other related professionals with responsibility for secondary education. Ideal candidates for Secondary Educator Institutes are individuals who are seeking to introduce or enhance aspects of U.S. studies into their curricula or to offer specialized seminars/workshops for education professionals in U.S. studies or related fields. While the nominee's scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration, the potential impact and multiplier effect of the Institute is equally important. Ideal candidates will have little or no prior experience in the United States.

Participants are expected to attend all institute working sessions and non-optional organized activities and to complete assigned readings. Family members and/or friends may not accompany participants on any part of the program. The institute is very intensive and there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program.

The deadline for submitting applications for one of these programs is December 20, 2012.

Please submit your application forms to the Academic Exchanges Office of the Embassy no later than December 20. Applications need to be sent by e-mail to USGExchanges@gmail.com. For any questions, please call the Academic Exchanges Office at (495) 728-5000, ext. 4885, (495) 728-5242 or e-mail lazarevaja@state.gov.

Please find Program APPLICATION here (MS WORD, 24KB)

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders on Global Environmental Issues

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders on Global Environmental Issues are intensive academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. The Institutes will consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, site visits, leadership activities, and volunteer opportunities. The Institutes will include an academic residency component of approximately four weeks and a domestic study tour of approximately one week. During the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to engage in educational and cultural activities outside of the classroom.

The four week academic residency will explore the role that environmental policy has played in the economic and political development of the United States. The Institute will use experiential learning techniques to expose participants to current themes in the field, including natural resource management, sustainable development/sustainable agricultural practices, food security, ecotourism, energy generation (new and traditional forms), and water management and treatment. The issues will be explored from numerous angles: local grassroots activism and civic initiatives, market-oriented approaches, and federal government policies and regulation. Finally, the Institute will explore environmental issues in the context of a globalized society, and draw comparisons between the United States and the participants' home countries. Students will also have the opportunity to leave the classroom to meet with community leaders, and representatives of non-profit organizations. The academic residency will be complemented by an educational tour that will take participants to another area of the U.S. where they will meet with local, state, private, and nonprofit organizations working in the field. The Institute will then conclude with a 3 day program in Washington, D.C.

The Department of State will cover all participant costs, including: program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence.

The participants are expected to be highly motivated first through third year undergraduate students from colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education, who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Their fields of study can vary, and may include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, business, and other professional fields.

Candidates nominated for this program will:

• be proficient in English;
• have a strong interest in the environment;
• be between 18 and 25 years of age;
• demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university and community activities;
• indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States;
• have a sustained high level of academic achievement, as indicated by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations;
• demonstrate commitment to community and extracurricular university activities;
• have little or no prior study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their home country;
• be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service, and educational travel; and,
• be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to make adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home country.

Completed applications may be sent by e-mail: USGExchanges@gmail.com

Application deadline: December 20, 2012

For any questions, please call the Academic Exchanges Office at (495) 728-5000, ext. 4885, (495) 728-5242 or e-mail lazarevaja@state.gov.

Program Application (MS Word, 65 KB)