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7-Week SSP & 2-Week Pre-College Program are still accepting applications until April 10, or earlier if all course waitlists are full. 4-Week SSP Application is closed.

Harvard Summer Program in Tbilisi, Georgia

  • Date

    June 9, 2024 to August 3, 2024

  • Apply By

    January 25, 2024

  • Cost

    $10,650

  • Housing

    Hotel

Tbilisi, Georgia

Advance your Russian-language skills while exploring Georgian and Russian culture, history, literature, and film.

Program Director:

Veronika Egorova

About the Program

The Harvard Summer Program in Tbilisi provides you with a hands-on experience living and studying in the capital of the Republic of Georgia, along with a full course in intermediate Russian language meeting daily. Additional lectures with regional experts on Russian and Georgian culture, literature, film, history, and politics. These program elements will provide a larger context for Georgia-US relations, as well as Georgia-Russia relations and will make use of Tbilisi as a laboratory, including meetings with writers, politicians, and NGOs. Topics will be brought to life in excursions and trips within Tbilisi and throughout Georgia. Pre-departure introduction to the Georgian language and alphabet for participants. Language classes, along with many excursions, events, museum tours, etc., will be conducted in Russian.

You will also travel extensively within Georgia—to Adjara (Shekvetili & Batumi), Kaheti (Signagi), Svaneti and Kartli (Kazbegi) — to gain a deeper understanding of the Georgian nation and its regional context.

Program Structure

Your studies include intermediate-Russian language courses every weekday along with additional excursions, museum visits, and lectures on Russian and Georgian culture, history, literature, and film.

RUSS S-BG counts as one full-year course (8 credits) of degree credit and also counts as two 4-credit courses towards the language citation.

RUSS S-BG Study Abroad in Tbilisi, Georgia: Intermediate Russian

Veronika Egorova, PhD, Senior Preceptor in Slavic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
8 credits
UN, GR Limited enrollment.

The Harvard Summer Program in Tbilisi, Georgia, provides students with a full course in intermediate-level Russian language instruction. Language study tracks the content of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Russian B-level courses (equivalent to Russian Ba-Bb or Bab), preparing students to continue in Advanced Russian/Third-Year (Russian 101-103); the program includes 140 hours of language instruction. Our unique situation in Tbilisi also allows us to explore Georgian culture, history, literature, and film, including Georgia’s cultural and political relationship with Russia. The ancient capital city of Tbilisi, which is rapidly developing itself for the twenty-first century, offers a distinctive and fascinating site for urban studies and a guiding theme for Russian-language learning. We undertake small-group fieldwork projects that allow us greater contact with the city and its residents and opportunities to use Russian in real-world situations.

Prerequisite: One year of college-level Russian or placement into the course through an exam or consultation with the instructor.

Where You'll Live and Study

Tbilisi is an ideal city to immerse yourself in the Russian language and study Georgia’s complex, diverse history, cultures, and artistic legacy.

Accommodations

You stay in double rooms at a small hotel convenient to the historical center of Tbilisi and to the Georgia Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film State University, where classes will be held. The hotel is also a short walk from the museum and arts district and offers numerous shopping and restaurant opportunities nearby. All hotel rooms and the classrooms have air conditioning. Wifi is available at both the hotel and the university.

Daily breakfast and dinner will be provided at the hotel’s restaurant. You are responsible for lunches except for special program events. Georgian cuisine is a highlight of this program, and you have ample opportunity to explore Tbilisi’s restaurants and cafes, which feature truly amazing food at very reasonable prices.

Application

To apply, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have completed at least one year of college or be a first-year student
  • Be in good academic standing

Students enrolled at any accredited university are welcome to apply. See the How to Apply page for more information.

The Summer 2024 application is now closed. All admissions decisions will be released on March 1.

Each program has unique requirements included in the online application. Beginning your application early is the best way to ensure that you have sufficient time to review and complete the application requirements by the deadline.

You may apply to no more than two programs; if applying to two programs, you will be asked to rank your two applications in order of preference (first and second choice). Any applications submitted in excess of the maximum of two will be automatically withdrawn. You will be notified of your admissions status in each program in early March.

A complete online application includes:

  • Basic personal information
  • A statement of interest
  • Your most recent transcript
  • Program-specific requirements (if applicable; may include letters of recommendation, etc.)

Interviews may be requested at the discretion of the program.

Be sure to read about the funding options available for Harvard Summer School Study Abroad programs.

If you have questions about the application, please contact the Harvard Summer School Study Abroad Office by email at summerabroad@summer.harvard.edu.

Cost & Expenses

Additional Information