Home and Abroad Research Internships
SRAS’s Home and Abroad Research Interships combine intensive language study with a generous scholarship and a resume-building internship. This flexible program will support and nurture your interests, whether they be in economics, translation, history, pop culture, language, or art.
The scholarship will apply $5000 to semester-long programs in Bishkek.* You will begin your intensive internship from home and continue it while abroad. Complete a full semester abroad, and you can continue for an optional second semester or a summer session, with an additional $5000 applied to any semester-long course or $1000 applied to any summer session of more than 8 weeks. This award cannot be applied to summer-only programs.
Fall
Apply by May 15
Finalist Evaluation Dates: May 16 – May 30
Program dates: June 1 – December 18
Internship from Home Begins: June 1
Program Abroad Begins: September 5
Spring
Apply by Oct 7
Finalist Evaluation Dates: Oct 8 – Oct 21
Program dates: Nov 1 – May 17
Internship from Home Begins: November 1
Program Abroad Begins: February 1
Available Tracks:
- Art (Museum Science and Art History)
- Business (Political Economy, Marketing, Business News)
- Environment (Policy, History, Demographics)
- Humanities (History, Languages, Literature, Music, Religion, Theatre)
- Security and International Relations
- Translation (News articles, political texts, literary)
Assignments will be formulated based on the track you have chosen, your resume and specific interests, current events, and the needs of the SRAS Family of Sites. You will focus on your tracks but also write on a variety of topics. Every internship is individual and we work with each student to develop topics and projects that result in a synergy between our projects and the student’s strengths.
At Home. Your internship begins at home, shortly after program acceptance. You can expect to complete work approximately equal to that of an upper level 3-credit university class over the course of about three months. You must successfully complete the “Home” assignments before leaving for the “Abroad” portion of the program.
Abroad. Once abroad, tasks will be slightly more specialized to help you take advantage of resources on the ground and may include museum reviews, interviews, travel writing, updating SRAS guides in addition to continued research, writing, and other tasks based on your track, interests, and the needs of our projects.
Submit an application for a qualifying semester-long SRAS program. As part of that application you will be able to note your intent to apply for the Home and Abroad Scholar program, at which point the supplemental application will appear on your application portal. You will additionally need to submit:
- Two examples of your academic writing. These must be in English. We prefer writings of relevance to the geographic area you will be traveling to or the subjects you most wish to write on. However, any examples that you feel best showcases your skills in research and analysis will be accepted.
- Resume or CV
- Professional reference, which can be from a volunteer, internship, or employment experience.
- Translation applicants will additionally complete language and translation testing.
Students applying to Home and Abroad are not required to pay the $250 deposit until after acceptance. The deposit will be due no later than two weeks after acceptance.
Are all programs in all listed locations applicable?
Every SRAS semester-long program in Bishkek can be taken with Home and Abroad. Home and Abroad may not be paired with an additional internship or with any other SRAS scholarship or grant (but may be paired with other grants and scholarships from outside of SRAS).
What about other locations?
Irkutsk, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Moscow programs are currently closed. Those locations have been included in this program previously but are not available due to current sanctions.
What if I am not currently a student anywhere?
Not a problem.
What is the total cost of this program?
Students pay a $50 application fee upon applying. Students who are financially dependent on receiving this award are not required to pay the $500 deposit until after grant acceptance decisions are announced. The deposit will be due immediately upon acceptance. The remaining amount shall be the cost of the chosen program minus the $5000 scholarship and minus the deposit. Those students who chose to attend an optional second semester will pay the cost of their chosen program minus the $5000 scholarship ($1000 for those applying the scholarship to full summer sessions). The scholarship may only be applied to program costs.
Can this be applied to summer?
Only after you’ve completed a full spring session abroad. Summer is only available as a continuation.
Can this be combined with other scholarships?
The Home and Abroad award cannot be combined with any other SRAS award. You may still apply awards granted from outside SRAS.
What about the optional second semester?
Students should indicate their intent to take the optional second semester in their initial application. The second semester may be taken in a location other than the first location, but still must be an available Home and Abroad location. If the location of the second semester differs, the student will need to leave Russia and return on a new visa. Total cost for the second semester is the cost of the chosen program minus $5000. The scholarship may only be applied to program costs. All semester-length programs in all listed locations are applicable.
What sort of applicant are you looking for?
Applicants must possess native or near-native English skills and strong writing and research skills. Applicants will be well-organized, motivated, have his/her own laptop, and be able check email once per day. Applicants must be able to work independently and creatively. Applicants must be intellectually curious and ready to explore a variety of topics. Applicants will be adventurous and eager to explore a new land and culture and to excite others about doing so as well.
How many recommendations do I need?
In addition to the recommendation from a professor uploaded as part of your base program application, you will need to have a second, separate recommendation (a professional recommendation) submitted as part of the HA application that will focus on your ability to work hard, work creatively, and work independently.
Do the papers need to be about specific topics?
We prefer papers on topics related to your chosen track and/or geographic destination. However, we will accept any examples that you consider to be outstanding examples of your writing.
What if I am not a US citizen?
Not a problem so long as you have native or near-native English skills. For more on eligibility issues, please see our main FAQ page.