FAQs

The selection committee of the Monterey Symposium considers applications from MA and PhD students and early-career postdoctoral researchers in the fields of Russian and Eurasian Studies. Applications from recent graduates of MA, JD, and PhD programs; young journalists, who specialize in Russia and Eurasia, as well as rising professionals in think tanks and research centers are also accepted. All applicants must have advanced Russian language skills.

The Monterey Symposium covers accommodations and travel to/ from the locations of the program, as well as travel between Symposium’s destinations. The Symposium pays for working dinners and lunches. Breakfasts are included in the cost of accommodations. A stipend for individual meals and transfers is disbursed to the selected fellows  before the launch of the program. Each fellow is responsible for purchasing an individual international travel insurance. 

The cultural program of the Monterey symposium is part of the curriculum. The fellows will learn about the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of the most important regional sites. The fellows will also have the opportunity to visit local Russian language archives and meet local experts.

The kind of transcripts to be included in the application package, depends on the phase of applicants’ studies. If you are completing or have completed your MA, then your MA and BA transcripts are required. If you are completing or have completed your PhD, then your MA and PhD transcripts are required. Official transcripts are required, however, in some cases, unofficial transcripts are accepted.

Recommendation letters should be emailed directly to Professor Anna Vassilieva at (avassili@middlebury.edu) AND to Willem de Mol van Otterloo (wdemolvanotterloo@middlebury.edu). The cover sheet of the application should include the names and email addresses of those, who would be providing recommendations for you, so that the letters can be tracked down in case of possible email malfunction.