Russian Studies Scholarships

Study Russian Language and Culture for In-Demand Jobs

Russia is one of the most interesting countries on the planet. It encompasses 1/8th of the world's surface, is home to over 100 nationalities, has the largest oil and natural gas deposits on Earth, covers 8 time zones, and has many different climates and terrain. It’s not surprising that Russian is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. There are many fields which need those who are able to speak it as a second language: education, journalism, law, and business are just a few of these fields. There are universities looking for students who are eager to learn about Russia’s culture and learn its language. They also offer scholarships to promote this specific field of study.

Scholarship Programs

Florida State University, Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics

The Ada Belle Winthrop-King Russian Summer Semester Scholarship provides a Florida State University undergraduate who is either majoring or minoring in Russian a chance to live in Russia to study its language and culture. This scholarship is worth $7000 and pays for transportation to and from Russia’s capital city of Moscow, tuition, room and board, and books. To be eligible for this award the student must have a GPA of at least 3.0 and must have already complete no less than two 3000-level courses.

University of Kentucky, Division of Russian and Eastern Studies

The Russian Studies Education Abroad scholarship is offered to any University of Kentucky student studying Russian or studying in a Russian-speaking country for either a semester or academic year. The scholarship provides a stipend to either help pay for an airline ticket or help ease program costs. The minimum amount awarded is $500 and is offered to students at any level of study.

Beloit College, Wisconsin, Center for Language Studies

U.S. citizens studying at either the undergraduate or graduate levels at Beloit College who have met the prerequisites to enrol in either third- or fourth-year Russian courses can apply for the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) Russian Scholarship, worth $2,500. In addition to the application form, a personal essay, official transcripts, and letters of recommendation must be submitted by those wishing to be considered for this source of funding.

Miami University, Ohio

Miami University has a number of scholarships dedicated to international exchanges. Whether you are an American students looking to travel abroad, or an international student looking to study in America, Miami University provides you the opportunity to study outside of your native country. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 to be considered for these scholarships, and the deadline to apply for spring study abroad scholarships is November 1.

The College of St. Scholastica, Minnesota

The College of St. Scholastica offers a 50% tuition scholarship to international students with financial need.  This is a discount of close to $14,000! The only requirement is that the student maintain a 3.0 GPA. There are also ten special scholarships that are available for students who still can’t afford an education in the States

International students of who are 100% Polish are eligible to apply for full scholarships from the Wasie Foundation. Interested persons must first apply and be accepted to St. Scholastica. After acceptance to the College, the candidate can then apply for the Wasie scholarship through the College.

National Flagship Language Program Fellowship

The National Flagship Language Program Fellowship (NFLP) developed because of the growing need for Americans proficient in another language. Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, and Korean are a few of the languages they are looking to train students in. The purpose of this program is to train participants to become completely fluent on a professional working basis. NFLP Fellowships are two-year awards which provide funding for all expenses directly incurred as a result of the program, e.g., tuition, living expenses, travel costs, and health insurance.

After learning another language in a foreign country, one requirement is that those who participated in the program serve one year in the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, State, or the Intelligence Community. The government’s hope is that you will use the newly learned language to help support America and its ventures.

Portland State University, Friends of Russian Culture Scholarship

Portland State University offers the Friends of Russian Culture Scholarship to PSU students with a GPA of 2.75 or above, or graduating high school students with a GPA of at least 3.0 or above. The mission of this scholarship is to advance the study of Russian culture and heritage. To enter, you must type a small essay – around 250 words in either Russian or English. In addition, interested persons will submit an official transcript, and a letter of recommendation from an instructor.