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Exchange Programs

Academic Year Programs and Programs for Educators

The Future Leaders Secondary School Exchange Program (FLEX Program)

FLEX is an exchange program for secondary school students. Participants live in the United States for an academic year, studying at a public high school and living with an American host family.  They learn about the United States firsthand by taking part in school study, family life, extracurricular activities in their local communities.  They also share their own culture with their families, schools, and communities.

FLEX was created by the U.S. Congress in order to extend a hand of friendship from the people of the U.S. to the people of the countries of the former Soviet Union.  Now in its eighteenth year, the program has provided scholarships to more than 20,000 secondary school students in Eurasia.  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.

FLEX is open to all Russian secondary school students who:

  • are presently studying in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades
  • were born in the period between January 1, 1993 to July 15, 1995
  • speak English well (determined by an English proficiency test)
  • possess personal skills, qualities, attitude and motivation that enable them to succeed as exchange students
  • meet U.S. visa eligibility requirements.


FLEX is administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ ACCELS.  Representatives of ACTR/ACCELS will visit many regional (oblast) centers to conduct testing in the fall and winter of 2009.  All eligible students are invited to take part in the first of three rounds. Students who pass Round One (a short test of English) will be invited to Round Two, which consists of a comprehensive test in English and written essay.  Applicants who pass Round Two will receive application materials and will be invited to an interview.

Applicants can contact American Councils for International Education

American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS)
Vladivostok, 15a Okeanskiy Pr., 3rd Floor
Tel: (4232) 40-80-71, tel./fax: 40-82-13
E-mail: actrvlad@vlad.ru
Internet site: http://www.americancouncils.net


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.

Information about recruitment is available in September/October every year. The application deadline is in November/December. 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.   

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.

Application Deadline: 5:00 PM, Monday, November 2, 2009

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 our website:   http://www.irex.org/programs/muskie/muskie_info.asp

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 2010-2011 are:

    * Agricultural and Rural Development;
    * Communications/Journalism;
    * Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention;
    * Economic Development/Finance and Banking
    * Educational Administration, Planning and Policy;
    * HIV/AIDS Policy and Prevention;
    * Human Resource Management;
    * Law and Human Rights;
    * Natural Resources, Environmental Policy & Climate Change;
    * Public Health Policy and Management;
    * Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
    * Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (teacher training or curriculum development);
    * Technology Policy and Management;
    * Trafficking in Persons, Prevention and Policy; and
    * 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 progressive professional experience;
    * 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 195/computer-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;
    * 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 2010-2011 is August 15, 2009.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sample Program Plans, Personal Statements, and Sample Application

Additional information and program applications for 2010-2011 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

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 2009.

The 2009 Summer Program includes seven (7) Institutes for university faculty in the following thematic areas: American Civilization; American Politics and Political Thought; Contemporary American Literature; U.S. Foreign Policy; Journalism and Media; Religious Pluralism in the United States; and Secondary Education.

SUSI on American Civilization will provide a multinational group of 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values and institutions. The program examines some of the critical historical epochs, movements, issues and conflicts that have influenced the development of the U.S. nation and its people and includes a strong contemporary component, particularly current political, social, and economic issues and debates. The complexity and heterogeneous nature of American society is highlighted, as well as the institutions and values that have enabled the nation to accommodate that diversity.

SUSI 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 provide the participants insight into how intellectual and political movements have influenced modern American political institutions. The institute will provide 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. SUSI 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.

SUSI 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 with an emphasis on the post Cold War period. This institute will begin with a review of the historical development of U.S. foreign policy and cover significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have dominated U.S. foreign policy. In addition, the institute will explain the role of key players in the field of foreign policy, including the executive and legislative branches, the media, public opinion, think-tanks, non-governmental and international organizations and how these players debate, cooperate, influence policy, and are held accountable. Regional sessions, for the entire group, highlighting salient topics such as energy security and environmental policy in Europe; trade and human rights issues in Asia; foreign aid and humanitarian assistance in Africa; drug trafficking and immigration issues for the Western Hemisphere; and combating terrorism in the Near East and South Asia are among the relevant issues that might be explored. In addition, sessions focusing on current issues such nuclear disarmament, the Middle East peace process, or U.S. military actions would be appropriate.

SUSI 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 major topics in journalism, including the concept of a "free press," First Amendment rights, and the media's relationship to the public interest. The legal and ethical questions posed by journalism will be incorporated into every aspect of the institute. 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.

SUSI 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, drawing on fields such as history, political science, sociology, anthropology, law and others where appropriate, 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.

The Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary School Educators will provide two multinational groups of 30 secondary educators each (classroom teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, ministry of education officials, etc.) with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, education, and culture, past and present. The programs will be organized around a central theme or themes in U.S. civilization and will have a strong contemporary component. Through a combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, the programs will elucidate the history and evolution of U.S. educational institutions and values. The programs also serve to illuminate contemporary political, social, and economic debates in American society.

Application form

Recruitment for the year 2009 will last from December 1, 2008 to January 30, 2009. Please submit your application forms to the Academic Exchanges Office of the Embassy no later than January 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.