Riga is the capital city of Latvia and a thriving metropolis situated on the Baltic Sea. Owing partly to its history as a republic of the former Soviet Union, Latvia is home to a sizable Russian-speaking population. This concentration of Russian speakers in a city in Russia’s near abroad makes for an excellent location for students to carry out Russian- and Latvian-speaking internships and take in a beautiful slice of Europe. Latvia belongs to the Eurozone and as such offers visa-free travel. Its proximity to other major European capitals likewise makes for an attractive hub. Foreign language students attend classes twice a week at the Baltic Center that focus on developing advanced language proficiency and carry out internships in the target language that correspond with their various disciplines and professional interests. English language students can earn credit that counts towards their respective major.
Baltic States
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DATES
Winter 2022: 15-16 January – 9-13 April
Sp/Su 2022: 14-15 May – 6-10 August
Fall 2022: 10-11 Sept – 3-7 December
Students may remain in the Schengen Treaty Zone (most of Western Europe) for up to ninety days without a visa.
HOUSING
Students will live in an apartment and are responsible for providing their own meals. Accommodations include a refrigerator, dishwasher, and cooking and laundry facilities.
COURSES
Students are required to enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours per term or 12 credit hours per semester, 3 (term) or 6 (semester) of which can reflect the following language courses:
RUSS 321 – Third-year Grammar and Composition, Part 1 (3 credit hours)
RUSS 322 – Third-year Grammar and Composition, Part 2 (3 credit hours)
RUSS 421 – Fourth-year, Part 1 (3 credit hours)
RUSS 422 – Fourth-year, Part 2 (3 credit hours)
LATVI 305R – Language Skills Development (4 variable credit hours)
LATVI 321R – Advanced Grammar (3 credit hours)
LATVI 330 – Cultural History of Latvia (3 credit hours)
LATVI 350R – Advanced Language Study for Career Purposes (3 credit hours)
LATVI 490R – Special Studies in Second Language Acquisition (3 variable credit hours)
In addition, students are required to register for the following courses:
RUSS 399R – International Internship (3 credit hours)
IAS 380R – Proofs of Cultural Immersion (3 credit hours, semester only)
Students may choose from the following courses that count towards completing the European Studies Minor:
EUROP 336R – European Studies (.5-6 credits, semester only)
EUROP 490R – Senior Seminar in European Studies (3 credits)
Participants may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
COST
$5,600–6,100
Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate tuition (increased cost for graduate and non-Latter-day Saint students), Baltic Center tuition, housing, internship placement, and international health insurance coverage.
Does not include airfare, personal expenses, and meals.
Cost for accompanying spouses: $2,100-2,600
Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate tuition for 3 credits, internship placement, international health insurance coverage, housing, and visa support.
TRAVEL
Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program. Airfare reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.
BYU Travel
801-422-6293 | 280 HRCB | travel@byu.edu
PREPARATION
Students do not need prior experience in Latvian or Russian to do an internship in Riga. Students are required to participate in the prep course, IAS 369R, during the second block of fall semester for the winter program, and during the second block of winter semester for the summer and fall programs. Part-time BYU students and non-BYU students pay an additional $300 (approx.) tuition fee for enrolling in the required pre-departure class. Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of the program and have at least two blank pages.
Accompanying spouses need to be credit-bearing participants on the program. Spouses also will need to apply online and take the preparation course.
All participants are required to show proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination by the time the preparation course begins.
FUNDING SOURCES
Regular BYU tuition scholarships and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to international programs. Pell Grants may be applied to fall, winter, and sp-su semesters. Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application, and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB), will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship. Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants. Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships). Students majoring in the Humanities who complete the preparation course and register for 3 hours of RUSS 399R qualify for a College of Humanities program discount that ranges from $1500-2500, depending on one’s FAFSA score. Students minoring in the Humanities who fulfill the aforementioned requirements receive half support. Contact Dr. Brown for details.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Students must be adults 18 years of age or older.
Complete the online application at kennedy.byu.edu/apply. The application requires a $35 fee. Applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.
Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program.
The first payment is due upon acceptance. Please refer to the 2022 Payment Information document (see kennedy.byu.edu/isp-forms/ISPpayments2022.pdf).
Deadlines:
Winter: 15 October 2021
Sp-Su: 1 February 2022
Fall priority deadline: 1 February 2022
Fall final deadline: 1 August 2022
FACULTY
Tony Brown, professor of Russian, directs the internship program.
3113 JFSB
(801) 422-7012
tony_brown@byu.edu
INTERESTED STUDENTS SHOULD CONTACT
International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS
International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost. If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU financial account. ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.