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How to Apply

Application for the Monterey Summer Symposium 2023 is Closed. 

The deadline for application was February 1, 2023. 

The program is open to students enrolled in or accepted to a master’s or PhD program, particularly those interested in careers in government, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. Applicants with a master’s degree, who plan to obtain a PhD and are currently employed in the field of international relations and Russian/Eurasian affairs, with a proven record of commitment to the field, and Western journalists, who work in a field and report from Eurasia and Caucasus, are welcome to apply. 

There is no tuition fee for the Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia.

Applicants must have advanced proficiency in Russian.

Applications should include the following:

  • Cover sheet*
  • CV
  • Statement of purpose (maximum 600 words)
  • Abstract of current research (maximum 200 words)
  • Details of Russian language proficiency (maximum 200 words)
  • Two letters of recommendation (please email directly to Professor Anna Vassilieva and Altynay Junusova)
  • Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended

All applications must be in English and should be submitted electronically to Professor Anna Vassilieva, MIRS director: avassili@middlebury.edu, and Altynay Junusova, Senior Operations Manager: ajunusova@middlebury.edu. In addition to the above application materials, selected candidates will participate in an online video interview with Professor Vassilieva.

*Please note that the cover sheet should list all documents submitted for consideration. This ensures that we are receiving a full application package and can follow up on pieces that may not have been delivered.  

For more information on the Monterey Summer Symposium 2023, please contact Professor Anna Vassilieva at avassili@middlebury.edu or Altynay Junusova at ajunusova@middlebury.edu.