American Councils Study & Research Abroad

Taiwan is so lovely and such a wonderful place, but this program is the complete opposite. The teacher was horrendous; she was so cruel, misogynistic, and unprofessional to so many students that the university had to step in to stop her, the resident director refused to call and ambulance for a girl going into anaphylactic shock and instead made her pay for her own uber to the hospital, the host families were not informed of what their roles were at all, the dorms were full of mold, and that's only some of the issues. I would strongly recommend to find another program to go to Taiwan with unless you want a miserable experience that makes you give up studying Chinese.

KISLP study abroad is a hidden gem of a foreign exchange program. It’s located in the small city of Cheongju at Chungbuk University and has an academic rigor well-suited to those who have already started on their Korean learning journey and wish to accelerate the language acquisition process. I'll go into more detail about specific aspects. Academic life: In my experience this program is best for those who are serious about improving their Korean. When they say Korean Intensive Summer Language Program they’re not lying about intensive! Class is for three hours straight every weekday and there is at least one hour worth of homework and another hour of study if you want to keep up. Through just one summer we go through two semesters of content. Don’t worry though, as long as you study what you need to, the teachers present the content in a very meticulous and methodical way that makes the information stick. There are equal parts vocabulary, speaking, writing, and listening, and I did not feel that any aspect of the language was being neglected in the classroom. Classes are taught in full Korean which was frustrating sometimes, but the textbooks have English explanations of things if needed. Also, you’re given language partners who you study with at least twice a week for an hour. Personally I studied around 2-3 hours each meeting time. Culture events: Every single week we had a cultural event such as Hanbok wearing and traditional tea ceremony, k-pop dance class, taekwondo, japchae cooking at a cooking school, and etc. They’re done in full Korean (but AC/Chungbuk staff will help with English when needed) and are about 2-3 hours in the afternoon. I appreciated the blend of traditional and modern Korean experiences and the new phrases and vocabulary we learned from them. It really brought excitement and diversity to the program experience considering we were in a classroom/studying/homework for several hours every day. Living situation: We were in student dormitories and used the student bathrooms, cafeterias, trash/recycling, etc. There weren’t Korean students living with us, the whole floor was just us Americans. There was air conditioning! However the laundry was frustrating. Win some lose some. The dorm food was not as good as the restaurants but still good! The kitchen staff are careful about allergies. My friend had an allergy and they printed out a daily menu for her and each time she came in explained what was OK/not OK to eat. Value of Cheongju: This program isn’t in Seoul like a lot of programs but rather in the small city of Cheongju. During my time, there were so many people I met who said I was the first foreigner they had ever talked to. At cafes, they always took my order in Korean. At stores, they spoke to me in Korean. Of course I was a foreigner but people didn’t approach me like I was a tourist. Though this program is not in Seoul, we do spend the last week fully in Seoul doing a bunch of activities so you’ll still get those classic Seoul experiences (lotte world, museums, namsan tower, famous markets, etc). In Seoul, everyone always spoke to me in English and it felt like I was a tourist more than a student. One time in Seoul I merely ordered a coffee in Korean and the employee was completely shocked—an experience I never had in Cheongju. I believe the program being in Cheongju enables you to get a more authentic Korean student experience than studying in a large tourist-filled city like Seoul. Community: The best part for me was the community I made there. You get 20 or so peers from all around the United States and are also paired with local students from Chungbuk university as language tutors, so you get a very large social circle. I made great relationships with both Americans and Koreans who I still keep in frequent contact with. Eating out, studying at cafes, karaoke late into the night, board game cafes, big soccer games, workout partners, trips to other cities, and etc—in Cheongju my life was very fulfilling thanks to all of the people the program acquainted me with!

Just got blessed by God through my mom and uncle for telling me about your program and making me apply I wasn't sure neither was I feeling lucky but I kept my hopes up till I see the end of it and I hope it really the best of my life

The American Council ERLP program that I participated in was an excellent program. The program offered me one on one instruction from Persian teachers. This personalized instruction allowed me to maintain my own pace of learning and allowed me to advance better than I had previously. The program personnel in both Tajikistan and Washington D.C. were top of the line and extremely helpful with any problems that arose. When I was forced to return to the United States due to the Covid-19 pandemic the program personnel worked with me to establish an online learning schedule so that I could finish my semester. The host family that I had were very generous and kind and provided me with everything I needed. The only drawback I found in the program was that I did not get a strong immersion into the language due to the fact that most people in the nation spoke Russian. Overall the American Council ERLP program was a well put together and successful program that I would definitely recommend to others.

I made enormous progress on my BCS skills despite the fact that, because of the pandemic, the program was 100% online. I started the summer session knowing absolutely no BCS, but in the span of two months, I learned enough to earn an Advanced Mid speaking score on my ACTFL-certified OPI exam. Then in the fall semester, I progressed to reading novels, watching movies and shows without subtitles, and analyzing the news. This wouldn't have been possible with the high level of support and quality of instruction provided by American Councils and both their DC and overseas staff. I can't wait to study again with them - hopefully in person someday!

I studied Uzbek with ERLP in Fall 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program took place virtually. I was on the part-time track, which meant that I studied the language for 6 hours per week. Each week, 2 additional hours were dedicated to conversation lessons and virtual cultural activities. The classes are very individualized -- I was the only student in my class. This one-on-one instruction greatly improved my Uzbek in just a short time period. I came in with zero knowledge of the language and placed at the intermediate-mid level by the end of the program. I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in learning Central Asian languages such as Uzbek and Tajiki.

In 2020, the Russian Area Studies and Language Program (RLASP) was held virtually, and despite the challenges of being stuck at home the program was a tremendous opportunity to continue developing my Russian language skills. The program perfectly centered on the right balance of rigor and fun, and I easily bonded with my professors and cohort despite learning virtually. RLASP allowed me to learn more about advanced grammar topics and new vocabulary, while continuing to work on more fundamental aspects like phonetics. The presence of courses in geography, history/politics, culture, and cinema allowed me use my Russian "in practice" while exploring more technical vocabulary. I would highly recommend the program to any learner of Russian, but especially intermediate students who are ready to make the jump to a more advanced level of understanding and proficiency in the language.

I quite enjoyed the 8 weeks I had spent in the American Councils RLASP learning about the Russian language and culture. I had never previously been a part of an intensive language program and as such I was quite excited and nervous to partake in this virtual-learning study abroad experience. Through this experience I was able to learn a vast amount pertaining to Russia’s language, culture, and people. I quite enjoyed learning more about the Russian language and its complexities such as verbs of motion and when to use imperfective and perfective forms of a verb. I also enjoyed learning about the beauty and complexity of Russian art and literature. One of my favorite classes was “Искусство и культура современной России” and I also enjoyed analyzing the cartoon "Бабочка". Overall, having partaken in the vigor and diversity of this program I developed new and better ways to express myself in Russian and really feel that my confidence when speaking Russian is boosted. Moreover, having been a part of this program and having learnt so much about the Russian language and culture, I have decided to also continue my studies of Russian at my university by enrolling in 4 additional courses which detailed aspects of Russian history and literature.

I quite enjoyed the 8 weeks I had spent with American Councils learning about the Russian language and culture. I had never previously been a part of an intensive language program and as such I was quite excited and nervous to partake in this virtual-learning study abroad experience. Through this experience I was able to learn a vast amount pertaining to Russia’s language, culture, and people. I quite enjoyed learning more about the Russian language and its complexities such as verbs of motion and when to use imperfective and perfective forms of a verb. I also enjoyed learning about the beauty and complexity of Russian art and literature. One of my favorite classes was “Искусство и культура современной России” and I also enjoyed analyzing the cartoon "Бабочка". Overall, having partaken in the vigor and diversity of this program I developed new and better ways to express myself in Russian and really feel that my confidence when speaking Russian is boosted. Moreover, having been a part of this program and having learnt so much about the Russian language and culture, I have decided to also continue my studies of Russian at my university by enrolling in 4 additional courses which detailed aspects of Russian history and literature.

I had a great experience with American Councils. They overhauled their entire program a matter of months to fit the needs of their students, and while I only took it as a refresher course since I was unable to go to Russia for the summer, I enjoyed my time with their instructors and the AC staff.

I studied abroad with RLASP in Moscow during the Spring 2020 Semester (so right during the time when covid took over). Before covid really hit, I definitely enjoyed all aspects of the program. Mind you, I was pretty much a beginner in Russian prior to leaving and I felt anxious about the academic workload. Most of my peers had over 3-4 semesters of Russian under their belt, so I definitely felt self-conscious about my ability to truly succeed. However, you take a placement test when you arrive and the professors split you up into groups and completely tailor the curriculum according to your needs. I could barely say anything beyond planned phrases prior to leaving the US but left having conversations about Russian poetry and film. Most professors are very patient and push you to do well and speak. The classes themselves are super interesting and, in my group, we more or less directed the conversation. If we wanted to talk about climate change or American politics one day in our Russian Internet class, we did just that. We also had weekly excursions to different museums and landmarks that were held in Russian. The difficulty varied depending on the excursion. I have no real complaints about housing. Most hosts were in the 70s-80s and pretty much kept to themselves most of the time, which was fine with me. However, if you want more "active" hosts, put that in your housing form. And be prepared to travel for at least an hour to get to school. I had to do a lot of walking and train transfers, but it was doable (albeit tiring). Try looking at all possible routes you could take before you start school. I only realized midway into the semester that one bus would take me all the way there (and it was only 3 minutes from my house). When covid hit, we all had to go back to the US and so we continued with an online format. While it took us about a week or two to work out the kinks, I ended getting a lot of out the online format, if not more, since my concentration was completely focused on lecture and I didn't have the opportunity to really drift off. While programs may be online for the next foreseeable semesters, don't worry about not progressing in your language abilities. In some ways, you might be benefit more from an online format than you would originally think. The American Councils staff and Resident Director are incredibly resourceful and are there to help, while also allowing you that independence. They won't hold your hand throughout the process since living in Russia can be a learning curve, but they will help you along the way when you need it.

Although my study abroad experience was virtual, American Councils adjusted its online language program to create a great and effective language learning experience. I was hesitant at first because I didn't know how they could create an "intensive language learning" experience with students all around the country, but through daily group meetings, one-on-one instruction, challenging homework assignments and weekly meetings with our language learning partners, I felt that my Chinese speaking skills have improved immensely. I communicated in Chinese everyday within the 8 weeks of the program and I felt that I’ve gained a lot of communication skills by speaking to my instructors, classmates and language partner throughout TISLP. Due to COVID-19 I was unable to travel to Taiwan for the program; however, I still felt like I witnessed some of Taiwanese culture and language through my language learning partner. I also got to see various night markets and national parks through my language partner as she showed me around Taiwan on LINE, a popular Taiwan communication app. TISLP, overall, has been a great experience.

My goal for 2020 was to learn Tajiki, a dialect of Persian spoken in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. I heard about ERLP when working with American Councils and decided to apply because of a colleague's recommendation. Because of the coronavirus, the program was conducted online. While I was completing the application, the staff at American Councils responded to my questions promptly and thoroughly. I was awarded a Title VIII scholarship. Every weekday, I had two hours of classes. Every Tuesday and Saturday, I had cultural activities. Each week, I talked with a conversation partner for two hours. The academics were incredible. My classes were small, just my teacher and myself. The teacher conducts the entire class in Tajiki. At the beginning of the program, my Tajiki was at a beginner's level; I knew a couple of phrases after living in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. After eight weeks, my Tajiki was at an intermediate level. American Councils did an incredible job, adapting to the new format. Problems were solved promptly. The staff was always in contact and listened to feedback.

I had my doubts that an 8-week online program would enable me to advance an entire year in my language studies, but it did!  I worked hard, though I still had time to relax and pursue some other interests over the summer.  The program was extremely well organized and implemented, and our classes were small—only 5 students, plus we had one-on-one sessions with a teacher daily.  The teachers and my language partner worked as hard as I did to help me improve.  Even though I wasn’t able to travel to Taiwan, my language partner showed me around Taiwan via video chat.  Being stuck at home was not how I anticipated spending the summer, so the chance to virtually experience some aspects of life in Taiwan made a huge difference.

I had a fantastic experience on the American Councils RLASP program even with the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic. This program gave me a solid foundation of academic instruction while leaving me the latitude and freedom to explore and interact with the environment and culture in which I was studying. The course of study was rigorous and fast paced but still gave me plenty of time to actually explore the city where I was studying (Moscow) and concentrate on developing my speech through interactions with locals. I am extremely grateful for their expertise in matching students to extracurricular activities such as internships which I found to be hugely valuable for developing career relevant skills as a researcher and introducing me to colleagues in the Russian historical profession and their approaches to the work of historians. My hat is off to the support staff both in Moscow and D.C. who did their best to keep us updated with timely information and bent over backwards to move the program into an effective online format when we were recalled to the U.S. during the middle of the Spring term. I would happily study with this program again.

Going to Moscow was the first time I ever went abroad, and to say I was nervous is an understatement. However, once I attended the pre-departure orientation in DC, I was immediately put at ease. American Councils was there for me every step of the way as I immersed myself in Russian culture and adapted to my new way of life. Jon, the resident director, was always available if we needed him, but encouraged us to explore and create our own unique memories and experiences. With that being said, I took advantage of everyday I had in Moscow. I made new friends, tried new foods, and attended cultural events and festivals. Moscow is such an amazing city with such a rich history, and somedays were so amazing that they felt like a dream. My favorite memory I have is ice skating on the Red Square at night with all of the New Years decorations up. It was honestly so surreal. American Councils provided us with the best instructors, excursions, conversation partners, and host families in order to help me and my peers reach our full potential. If you have any desire to study abroad in Russia, I would highly recommend applying for the RLASP program. I will never forget the people I met and the adventures I had in Moscow!

There's no better program for students to learn Indonesian than through the Indonesian Overseas Program at Universitas Negeri Malang. The teachers at the BIPA (Indonesian language program) program at UM are incredibly dedicated and excellent teachers, and made class not only incredibly productive, but also engaging and fun. I came to class every day excited to learn from them, and they were able to challenge me just enough to grow fast without making me feel overwhelmed, despite conducting all instruction in Indonesian from the first day (even though I spoke no Bahasa Indonesia before I started the program). Despite the many disruptions over the course of the semester because of COVID-19 and a few health issues I faced, my teachers worked with me to make my semester enriching, even when it transitioned online. Additionally, my language partner was one of the main reasons that my language skills developed so quickly -- she was *so* patient, especially the first few months when I couldn't talk about a lot of topics, and helped me feel more confident in my speaking abilities and feel at home in Indonesia. Malang is an amazing city and is the perfect balance between a bustling college-town, while way less hectic than Jakarta. The city is also less-hot than other cities in Indonesia and has incredible hiking opportunities. If you're interested in obtaining a high proficiency of Indonesian quickly, this is the best program to do that.

I studied abroad through American Councils in Fall 2019 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I am so glad that I decided to study abroad in Russia through American Councils. The language gain and cultural immersion aspect of this program sets it apart from other study abroad programs. I also really enjoyed living with a host family. This allowed me to live everyday life speaking Russian more than I ever could studying Russian in America. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in a full immersion Russian study abroad experience!

My experience interning on the Overseas Professional and Intercultural Training Program in Moscow, Russia, was an exciting and eventful one. This program was enjoyable in that you get to negotiate your hours with the company you intern for, get to go on excursions with students who are studying abroad on other programs through American Councils, and are guided through any feelings (both good and bad) that you may feel during your time abroad. I got to see much more of Moscow than I ever even expected. I worked at a start-up company called CINEMOOD, and our office was located very close to the heart of the city. I was also in Russia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was also exciting to see the city buzzing with energy. As a double major studying both Linguistics and Russian Studies, I was able to work with translating texts and files for our company. Overall though, I was more excited about being able to work in an environment where I could speak Russian every day. I've been studying the language for over 5 years, so getting the immersion and the practice allowed my language skills to skyrocket while still getting professional experience!

This past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern in Armenia through American Councils. I worked with Article 3 Human Rights Club, a non-profit organization in Yerevan, Armenia's capital. I gained a lot of valuable skills and experience as I researched, wrote, planned, and did video work for a project exploring the circumstances, effects, and continuation of Armenia's recent political revolution. This was a great career opportunity as I had been considering the human rights/non-profit field, and this experience really informed my choices since I was able to interact with many people in the sphere. In addition, the experience was amazing personally. I have been to Armenia before, but this time I got to explore the country more deeply by living in Yerevan for six weeks with a host family. My host family was very nice, and since I spoke a little of the language, the program gave me a major opportunity to improve my skills by placing me with a family that did not speak much English (others in my group got English-speaking host families, however). I was also able to take language classes through the program. They have scholarships to go to Armenia, but although my field did not qualify for the scholarship, I was able to get a grant from my university that made it possible to go to Armenia for a long time for very little money. In addition, the American Councils staff were very attentive and always checking in with us to see if we had any issues, or ways in which we could improve our experience. I went with a group of six other interns, and that was one of my favorite parts of the experience. We were all from different fields, backgrounds, and parts of the U.S., but we got along very well, and it was great to explore the country with friends. American Councils organized some excursions for us for free, and also helped us to plan ones outside of the program. Finally, this program also offers class credit for the internship experience and a small number of assignments outside of the internship. Overall, a really good experience that I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to go to abroad, but is also looking to build their resume and gain experience.

I'll always remember my time in Moscow as one of the most formative times of my life. I learned so much about Russian language and culture, from my classes, my host family, the cultural excursions, and just from experiencing the beautiful Russian summer. I gained so much confidence with the language and in myself. The academics were challenging, as was the adjustment to living in Russia, but I had plenty of time to explore after classes and on the weekends. Life in Moscow is fast-paced but navigable. There's always something happening, from concerts to festivals, especially in the summer, and the RLASP program let me experience that to the fullest. I miss Moscow and I miss the program. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

This is a fantastic program that I would recommend to others in an instant! Everything was great, and all aspects were well taken care of and arranged, but I still had enough freedom and "problem-solving" opportunities (just a given when living in a new country) that I felt that I grew from the experience. Overall, two big thumbs up!