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Middlebury School in Russia: Irkutsk (Outgoing Program) Featured:

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  • Locations: Irkutsk, Russia
  • Program Terms: Academic Year, Calendar Year, Fall, Spring
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: Middlebury Schools Abroad 
  • Dates / Deadlines
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Click here for a definition of this term Program Type: Middlebury Schools Abroad Program Sponsor: Middlebury Schools Abroad
Language of Instruction: Russian Click here for a definition of this term Language Prerequisite: 4 semesters of college-level instruction with a B average in language coursework
Click here for a definition of this term GPA (cumulative): 2.67 Click here for a definition of this term Minimum Language GPA: 3.0
Click here for a definition of this term Minimum Major GPA: 3.0 Internships Available: Yes
Excursions: Yes Housing Type: Homestay
Click here for a definition of this term Midd. Financial Aid: Yes Advisor: Susan Parsons
Subjects Offered: Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geology, History, International Studies, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Religion, Russian, Russian Literature, Sociology, Theater Studies Recommended Program: Yes
Program Description:
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If there is one thing that remains constant in Russia, it is rapid change. The mental snapshots that students take home from Russia are very different from those they bring with them. Language learning happens in the classroom.  Cultural insight happens in places like the home, theater, recital hall, cafeteria, and supermarket.

Irkutsk is a regional cultural center with spectacular natural attributes whose winters are among the sunniest of any major city in Russia. The life and history of the city are closely tied to Lake Baikal, known as the Pearl of Siberia, the world's deepest fresh-water lake. Baikal's 80 percent endemic species thrive in a vast body containing one-fifth of the world's fresh water. Students can learn about the lake's ecology while simultane­ously benefiting from the region's recreational opportunities. The city of 600,000 is host to multiple universities and is full of students who are active in all walks of Russian cultural life.  Irkutsk boasts several theaters and museums, and the plentiful social and cultural outlets should assuage any fears about Siberian isolation. Past students have taken advantage of Irkutsk's proximity to Mongolia and China, as well as to the Russian Far East, for travel during vacations or after the conclusion of the academic program.

Students take courses at the Middlebury center in Russian language, literature, culture, politics, and history, with particular focus on regional Siberian studies, while Irkutsk State University, Middlebury's host institution, offers mainstream courses in biology, geography, and geology that focus on Lake Baikal, in addition to a full range of liberal arts disciplines.

Dates / Deadlines:
Dates / Deadlines:
Term Year App Deadline Decision Date Start Date End Date
Spring 2020 10/01/2019 ** Rolling Admission 01/08/2020 05/19/2020
NOTE: Dates are approximate: Do not purchase a plane ticket until official program dates are available on the School in Russia calendar. Middlebury undergraduates must apply by February 1, 2019.

** Indicates rolling admission application process. Applicants who apply in the fall or winter will be notified on February 15th of the academic year preceeding study abroad. Applicants whose applicaitons are completed after February 15th (or anytime in the fall, if they are applying to study abroad during the following spring semester) will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline. Some Schools Abroad will fill before the deadline.