Persian Language and Winter in Yerevan

Spend one or two weeks of winter break focused on intensive Persian language study in Yerevan. Small-group instruction develops practical communication while building skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Beginners can gain an introduction to Persian, while students with previous study work at an appropriate proficiency level.

Outside the classroom, experience Yerevan during the winter holiday season through cultural activities, food, museums, and exploration of the city. Programming also introduces Armenia’s historical and contemporary connections with Iran, providing a broader regional context for Persian language study.

Language in Context

Persian provides access to a broad linguistic and cultural space extending across Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and communities throughout the region. Yerevan offers a distinctive setting for beginning or continuing its study: Armenia shares a border with Iran and has longstanding historical, economic, and cultural connections with the Persian world.

Persian is not a primary language of everyday life in Yerevan, so intensive classroom instruction forms the core of the language experience. The surrounding cultural program uses Armenia as a vantage point for exploring how languages, cultures, and communities interact across borders.

If you are a current student, it is your responsibility to check the academic calendar of your home institution to ensure you do not miss class and/or have the necessary approvals in place for participation.

Past the deadline? Contact us to check if there is space.

Program Details

Students receive 20 hours of intensive Persian language instruction per week in small groups. Instruction develops speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills with an emphasis on active language use and practical communication.

No prior Persian is required. Beginners receive an intensive introduction to the language, while students with previous study are placed according to proficiency.

Partner School

ASPIRANTUM School of Languages and Cultures was founded in 2014 to provide intensive language instruction in Armenian, Persian, and Russian. Its programs emphasize intensive study in small groups with experienced language instructors.

The cultural program balances intensive language study with opportunities to experience Yerevan during the winter holiday season and explore Armenia’s connections with Iran and the Persian world. Activities will be scheduled around classes while leaving students time to explore independently.

Opportunities to Explore

Students in the two-week program will have the middle weekend entirely free for independent travel and exploration. Stay in Yerevan, head to the mountains for winter activities, or use the weekend to explore another destination in the region.

Weather

January in Yerevan is cold, with winter conditions and the possibility of snow. Students should bring a warm winter coat, appropriate footwear, and layers for both city exploration and outdoor activities.

Students stay in a centrally located hotel, with rooms reserved as a group for SRAS participants. Hotel accommodation provides a convenient base for classes, cultural activities, and independent exploration of Yerevan.

Students will be placed in shared rooms, with single-room upgrades available at additional cost, subject to availability.

Yerevan is a compact, walkable capital with a lively café and food culture, museums, markets, and easy access to Armenia’s historical sites and mountain landscapes. Winter brings a different rhythm to the city, with holiday decorations, seasonal traditions, and opportunities for winter recreation nearby.

Armenia’s long relationship with neighboring Iran also makes Yerevan an interesting base for Persian study. Historical ties, trade, cultural exchange, and movement across the Armenia-Iran border provide a regional dimension to the language experience.

Armenia Resources:

Persian Cultural Resources:

This program uses a short application and a simplified payment schedule. A $50 non-refundable application fee is due when you apply and is applied toward the total program cost. Once your participation is confirmed, a $450 non-refundable deposit is due within seven days to reserve your place. The remaining program balance is due 45 days before arrival.

Cancellation: If SRAS receives written cancellation at least 20 days before the program begins, 20% of the total program cost is refundable. For cancellations received fewer than 20 days before the program begins, no refund is guaranteed.

If SRAS is able to recover costs or fill a vacated place, we will endeavor to refund additional amounts where possible. Participants are encouraged to consider travel insurance that provides appropriate cancellation or interruption coverage.

Funding & Discounts:

SRAS Ambassadors awards may be applied toward eligible future SRAS programs and study tours.

Group Discount: Participants who bring two or more friends on a program of two weeks or longer may each receive a $150 discount. All participants must identify one another in their applications. The discount does not apply to participants already receiving special group pricing, including affiliate discounts.