Old city of Tallinn, Estonia
To apply, download and fill out a preliminary application form and email it to Ksana Blank and Yuri Leving by March 15th.
Intensive Russian Language course
Beginner's Russian (Princeton credits for RUS 101 & 102)
Intermediate Russian (Princeton credits for RUS 105 & 107)
8 weeks
10 June – 2 August, 2024
What you get: Two months of full linguistic and cultural immersion, equivalent of RUS 101-102 or RUS 105-107 (transfer credit), at the Tallinn University.
Academic aspect:
The program covers two semesters of Intermediate Russian. Princeton students receive a transfer credit (RUS 105-107).
All the teachers are native speakers of Russian. The university is centrally located in Tallinn
Dates: The program starts on June 10 and ends on August 2; classes meet on Mondays-Fridays.
Visa: Not required
Special services:
Transfer to/from Tallinn airport
Accommodation with the Russian-speaking host families
Tallinn university’s local office logistical support
Excursions:
Guided tour in Tallinn Old Town
Day trip to Tartu and Estonian National Museum
Visit to KGB Museum with a guide
Visit to KUMU Art Museum and more…
Selected cultural activities led by the Princeton faculty
Program Fee:
$5,000*
* This is an estimated total cost per student for a group of 7 people. The price may vary in case of a smaller group and dollar to euro exchange rate.
The program fee covers tuition, a home stay with half-board (lunch and supper), and excursions. Students are expected to cover the cost of their plane tickets (around $1500). Estimated personal expenses (such as lunch, toiletries, local transportation, and phone): $20 per day.
Students on financial aid may apply to the Dean’s Fund for Summer Study Abroad through SAFE to help cover the costs (apply to the opportunity titled “Dean’s Fund for summer study abroad and language learning”). The 2nd Round of Dean's Fund applications opens on February 13 and closes on March 15; award decisions are communicated by March 31
Why Tallinn?
Estonia is one of three countries commonly known as the Baltic States.
Almost one third of Estonia's population are native Russians.
Why Estonia?
It is part of the European Union.
Casual and relaxing atmosphere of contemporary campus of Tallinn University.
Estonian and European cuisine is famous for its refined and delicate taste.
Is it really beautiful?
Picturesque European town with old traditions and vibrant cultural life
To apply, fill out a preliminary application form and email it to Ksana Blank and Yuri Leving by March 15th.
Questions?
Please contact:
Student Participant Testimonials from Summer 2023:
“Tallinn’s location is excellent, and we had a lot of fun traveling to other places such as Riga, Helsinki, and Stockholm.
My host family was great in terms of introducing me to their culture and living habits.”
-- Astor Lu
“I have immensely enjoyed my time in Tallinn, so much so that I wonder how I’ll reintegrate back to the US. My impression of Tallinn is very high. It is a practical, welcoming city that I readily accepted as home. Public transportation is incredible. Trams and buses run very consistently within the city, and for a cheap price. Flying from Stockholm to Tallinn cost a mere 28 euros per person.
Culturally, Tallinn has a surprisingly high percentage of native Russian speakers. Tallinn is very European (particularly in the touristy Old Town), and incredibly clean.
The homestay agreement was fantastic, and a significantly better alternative than the student hostels.
I wholeheartedly endorse this program for any peers interested.”
-- William Aepli
“I had a fantastic time in Tallinn!
The academic program offered to us by Tallinn University was helpful in terms of providing us with a variety of ways to practice and enrich our knowledge of spoken Russian. The teachers were outstanding, and they did a fantastic job keeping me engaged and helping me learn. I liked the structure of having one teacher focus on grammar/speaking four days a week and the other on reading.
My host Nina was extremely kind and welcoming, and she made Tallinn feel like a second home. She helped me practice Russian every single day, even reviewing my homework with me. I was always well fed and comfortable in the apartment.
I would definitely recommend this program to my peers studying Russian. I sincerely feel that it is a wonderful opportunity to explore Eastern Europe while making significant strides in the journey toward Russian language fluency.”
-- Nicholas Vickery
“My favorite part was definitely the geographical proximity to other countries. My group and I usually tried to go somewhere new and interesting during the weekend and its location allowed us to visit Helsinki twice, Riga with Professor Leving, and even Stockholm. I found the program very useful because I was forced to speak every day for three hours and listen to nonstop Russian. Our teachers were very patient and helped nurture my skills.
The cultural component led by Professor Leving was amazing. The walking tours were greatly informative and allowed me to have a deeper connection with every place we saw, and it gave me important historic and cultural context.
I am incredibly glad I was able to participate in this educational experience.”
-- Donaji Mendieta-Silva
