SRAS has added a week-long trip to Uzbekistan to the summer session of our Central Asian Studies program. Students on this program will now have both the opportunity to experience rural, nomadic Kyrgyz life during a weeklong horse trek through the nearby mountains and also contrast this with the Uzbekistan’s ancient culture of great cities…. Read More
SRAS Blog
The Future in Science Fiction – New Course This Summer in Poland
Explore the thin line between reality and fiction in literature, film, and gaming. We will look at science fiction from the perspectives of sociology, security, and political science. We will consider science fiction as a predictor – and ponder upon futurology and foresight. Alongside a series of discussions and workshops, we will be working on… Read More
SRAS Supporting UCSD With Siberian Study Abroad Program
SRAS is proud to support a new program from University of California – San Diego (UCSD) that will take students to Irkutsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Olkhon Island, Balagansk, and Ulan Ude. This faculty led program is open to non-UCSD students. Students will enroll in UCSD’s Summer Session I (June 28-August 2) and receive credit for… Read More
Join SRAS at ASEEES and AATSEEL!
SRAS will be at: The ASEEES Conference in San Francisco in November 2019 The AATSEEL Conference in San Diego in February 2020 Each year we look forward to getting together with old friends and making new connections in the field. Let us know if you will be at either conference! The following are a few… Read More
Vladivostok: Russia’s Gateway to the East (SRAS Site Visit)
My last visit to Vladivostok was in 2013, not long after the city hosted the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) conference. Then, considerable investment was being made in infrastructure. The airport had been refurbished and a new bridge stretched to Russkiy Island, where a new campus for Far Eastern Federal University had been built. Then, I… Read More
New Visa Application Procedures for Applicants Under 21 Years of Age
The Russian embassy in Washington DC has announced new rules for those applying for Russian visas who are under 21 years of age. In addition to the regular materials and procedures, those under 21 will need to submit: Copy of birth certificate Copy of both parents’ passports (data pages) – If one or both parents’… Read More
SRAS Publishes Updated Materials
SRAS is pleased to announce the publication of our new materials, showing our lineup of 2020 programs for individual students and services for faculty led groups heading abroad. You may download these below. If you would like to request copies of these for your university/college department or study abroad office, you may use this form…. Read More
New Russian Law on Hostels: SRAS Advice to Travelers
Travelers to Russia and especially those planning to lead groups abroad should take note that Russia has recently passed new legislation that bans hostels in residentially-zoned buildings. Many Russian cities have seen a boom in recent years in hostels opened in former communal apartments as Russia’s tourism sector has developed. However, some long-term residents of… Read More
SRAS Students Participate in Student Conference in Russia
Every spring, Herzen State Pedagogical University hosts a conference where international students are challenged with articulating themselves using solely the Russian language for a five to ten minute presentation. Students can choose any topic relating to cross-cultural communication and then collect information through interviews, research, and observations. In addition to the oral presentation, students also… Read More
Visa News: Russian Visa Fees, Services Changed
We just received notification that the consulate fees have been increased, effective March 4. For single-entry this is a hike of $70, for double, only $16, and for the multi, it is actually lower now. It’s a good time to get your multiple-entry visa! It seems as well that there will no longer be any… Read More