CLS Spark for Russian is hosted by the American Councils for International Education office in Chișinău, Moldova, and offers an interactive learning experience in a virtual environment.

Over the course of 8 weeks, students develop their Russian language skills across all four modalities (listening, speaking, reading, writing). The virtual institute includes ten hours per week of intensive live group instruction per week, including the formal academic program, cultural activities, and individual consultations with language instructors at the host institute.

As part of the program, students participate in cultural activities to deepen their understanding of Russian and Moldovan culture and history and to engage with experts, and other members of the host community. After Week 4 of the program, students begin to meet weekly with their peer language partners. The 30-minute language partner sessions allow students to practice their growing Russian skills and engage in cultural exchange and person-to-person diplomacy.

Over the course of just eight weeks, students can expect to cover the equivalent of one year of Russian language instruction at the university level and are eligible for academic credit.

CLS Spark alumni will receive automatic consideration as semifinalists if they meet eligibility requirements and apply to study the same language in the following summer’s overseas CLS program.