Russian Heritage Program
In Summer 2025, the School of Russian will offer a 4-week in-person Russian Heritage Program.
The program is designed for heritage learners who grew up speaking Russian at home and seek to strengthen their reading, writing, and knowledge of grammar in rapidly paced classes and a 24/7 immersion environment.
Format
The 4-Week Russian Heritage Program will be on the Middlebury Campus in Vermont and start halfway through the 8-week program, joining the 8-week students and graduate students in the School of Russian.
Prior to arrival, students will be required to complete asynchronous online assignments to help them prepare for intensive course work on campus. Once on campus, Heritage Program students will be invited to participate fully in co-curricular activities and events of the School of Russian, from clubs and performances to guest speakers and films to dances and athletics.
Enrollment is limited to 15 students.
Eligibility
This program is for people who grew up speaking Russian at home throughout their childhood and teenage years, and as a result can engage in simple conversations in Russian with fairly developed listening comprehension skills. Such bilinguals may or may not be able to read or write in Russian. Please note that Russian-language heritage alone does not qualify an applicant for this program. If you have a parent or grandparents who speak Russian but are not able to speak the language yourself, you should apply to the 8-week Immersion Program.
Applicants are required to complete an assessment of their Russian language proficiency to demonstrate that they have the language skills and profile to benefit from this specialized program.
Our expectation is that applicants complete high school before attending the program. Applications from rising high school seniors who are heritage learners will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to schoolofrussian@middlebury.edu at the time of application.
Summer 2025 Dates and Fees
| Dates | July 17 - August 15 |
| Credits | 6 semester hours (2 Middlebury Units) |
| Tuition, Housing, and Food | $7,790 |
Funding
Scholarships covering up to 25% of tuition, housing and food will be awarded. No separate application is needed. We encourage you to apply for admission as early as possible, as scholarship funding is limited. Need-based financial aid is not available for this program.
Application and Proficiency Requirements
Applications are due by May 15 at the latest. We encourage you to apply as early as possible, as the program could fill before May 15. Follow the instructions for submitting your recommendation and transcript(s). On the application, select “Summer Language Immersion: Beginner Thru Advanced.” The Heritage Program will appear as a program option in the drop-down list. If you are asked to estimate your level of study during the summer (first to seventh semester of study), just make a reasonable guess. Your language proficiency will be evaluated as part of the admissions process.
Applicants who do not meet the proficiency requirements of the 4-Week Heritage Program will be referred to the 8-week Immersion Program. The 8-Week Program, with 7 levels of instruction, is the best fit for most types of learners, as it is designed to build a strong foundation in the language across the skills (from speaking and listening to reading and writing).
Contact
For more information, please contact the School of Russian:
