Description
Study Russian in Riga, Latvia. The program includes:
- Nine weeks of intensive Russian courses (3rd-year or 4th-year level) in Riga, Latvia.
- Course on Contemporary Russian history, politics, and economics. Final paper in Russian based on research in Russian-language media.
- Homestays with native Russian-speaking families, including breakfast and dinner.
- Partial LANGUAGE PLEDGE: only Russian with homestay families, teachers, staff and student helpers of host institution, and program director; except to resolve administrative issues or in case of emergency.
- Cultural program in and around Riga and the Baltics.
- Riga old city
- Cēsis castle and canoeing in Gauja National Park
- Open-air Ethnographic Museum and Soviet-era nuclear bunker
- Art Nouveau Riga
- Three-day trip to Vilnius, Lithuania
- Roundtable with students
- Break during the local midsummer holiday of Ligo
- Excursions highlight the multicultural heritage of the area, as well as the Soviet experience. Exact excursions are subject to change. All are led in Russian.
Location
Riga, Latvia
Dates
June 2, 2025 – Aug. 2, 2025
Host Institution
Baltic Center for Educational and Academic Development
Accommodations
All students stay in individual homestays with Russian-speaking families.
Courses
Third-Year:
- RUSS 3691: Advanced Intensive Russian
- RUSS 3692: Advanced Reading and Composition: Current Affairs, Business, Science and Technology
- RUSS 3695: Contemporary Russia
Total Credits: 9
Fourth-Year:
- RUSS 4692: Advanced Intensive Russian II
- RUSS 4693: Advanced Intensive Russian III
- RUSS 3695: Contemporary Russia
Total Credits: 9
All courses offer Georgia Tech credit.
Prerequisites
At least two prior years of Russian language courses. The Intermediate Russian in Riga program is available for students completing first-year Russian.
Cost
- Program fee: $7,000. The program fee includes individual homestays, daily breakfasts and dinners, group transportation, excursions, health insurance, cultural events, and books.
- Early Bird Scholarship: Participants who apply by Jan. 10, 2025, will receive a $750 scholarship, reducing the program fee to $6,250.
- The program fee does not include the non-refundable application deposit ($500), 9 credit hours of tuition (out-of-state students pay in-state tuition), international airline tickets, local ground transportation, lunches, and some meals during travel.
Application and Payment Deadlines
- Apply via Atlas by Feb. 1.
- If you are a non-Georgia Tech (Transient/Special) student, you are required to submit TWO separate applications to the Office of International Education.
- A $500 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of application and is applied to the overall program fee.
- The first half of the program fee is due Feb. 15 and the balance is due March 15. Payments are withdrawn directly from the student's OSCAR accounts on the deadline.
Fee Payment Information: Please adhere to the deadlines stated for the program. Please observe the information in Payment Options to ensure that your payments are processed at the Bursar’s Office on time. Fees will be charged to your Oscar account on the due dates. Make sure you make all necessary payments on time in order to avoid a hold on your account. Students expecting financial aid must submit a letter from the Financial Aid Office stating the allocation and date of payments expected. Tuition and student fees are due according to the Registrar’s schedule for summer tuition.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Students are encouraged to apply for GT financial aid. HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships apply.
Other scholarships to apply for:
- George International Study Abroad Scholarship and GT Alumni Scholarship (open to all, $2,500-$3,000 toward any GT study abroad program; single application through OIE)
- Project Global Officer (ROTC cadets and midshipmen; covers all expenses, including stipend)
- Campoamor Scholarship (open to all, approx. $500, numerous scholarships given; administered by the School of Modern Languages)
Cancellation Policy
Students who cancel their participation in the program after being accepted will be subject to the following non-negotiable fee schedule:
- Students canceling before Jan. 15 will lose their $500 deposit.
- Students canceling after Jan. 15 must pay 25% of the program fee.
- Students canceling after Feb. 15 must pay 50% of the program fee.
- Students canceling after March 15 must pay 100% of the program fee.
Program descriptions and fees are subject to final approval by educational units and the Office of International Education. Georgia Tech reserves the right to alter or cancel this program due to low enrollment, unavailability of a professor to teach a planned course, or other unforeseen circumstances. Once Georgia Tech has made payments to service providers, or if Georgia Tech cancels the program before departure or while the program is in progress for reasons beyond its control, such as political unrest or danger to participants' safety, only those fees that Georgia Tech is able to have refunded by service providers will be returned to participants.
Informational Meetings
TBA