American Councils for International Education American Council for teachers of Russian (ACTR) American Council for Collaboration in Education and Language Study (ACCELS) Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, the American Councils for International Education, and the United States Information Agency, administered by ACTR/ACCELS.   FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT (FSA) UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM PARTNERS in EDUCATION (PiE) EXCHANGE PROGRAM AWARDS for TEACHERS of ENGLISH and AMERICAN STUDIES  FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT FUTURE LEADERS PROGRAM (FSA FLEX)   With offices in: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

CLICK PICTURE FOR LIST OF SCHOOLS...

NMR Visits: New Millennium Ride visited ACTR/ACCELS offices in - Ekaterinburg (26 August 1999),  Nizhni Novgorod (13 September 1999), and St. Petersburg (8 October 1999).  John Appling, Director of the Nizhni Novgorod office, deserves a special commendation for meeting with NMR and taking the time to explain the various programs offered to Russian students and teachers, as well as Americans searching for ways to participate in the adventure of education with Russians. Contact: John Appling Director ACTR/ACCELS 12 Sovietskaya Str. Suite 818 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia 603002 Tel/Fax:  (8312) 34-54-81 Email:  actr@nnov.sitek.net  Contacts in other regions throughout Russia: Moscow (095) 956-7815 Nizhni-Novgorod (8312) 77-54-81 Novosibirsk (3832) 34-42-93 Samara (8462) 42-45-76 Vladivostok (4232) 22-37-98 Volgograd (8442) 33-56-19

John Appling outside the ACTR/ACCELS Office, Nizhny Novgorod

Participants will attend a pre-departure orientation session in the NIS as well as a pre-academic program in the U.S. prior to the beginning of the academic year.  During the academic year, participants will complete a volunteer community service and internship project.  Upon completion of the academic year, the participants will attend and end-of-year workshop.

Finalists are selected through an open, merit-based competition on the basis of academic excellence, knowledge of English and the field of specialization, and need and preparedness for study in the U.S.

The Programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national and ethnic origin, handicap, or disability.

1.    Undergraduate Program at Four-Year Colleges and Universities
Applicants to this program must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students in the second or third year of study (third-year students must be currently enrolled in 5-year programs at their home universities), in good academic standing, in accredited (recognized by the national Ministry of Education) universities or institutes in one of the countries listed above.  Students who will be entering the fourth year of study in a four-year undergraduate degree program are not eligible.

Fields of study include:
• Agriculture/Environmental Management • American Studies
• Business • Economics
• Journalism/Communication • Education (methodology)
• Political Science • Sociology

Students will live in dormitories.

2.    Undergraduate Program at Two-Year Community Colleges
Applicants must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students in the first year of study, in good academic standing, in accredited (recognized by the national Ministry of Education) universities or institutes in one of the countries listed above.

Fields of study include:
• Agriculture/Environmental Management
• American Studies
• Business
• Computer Science
• Economics
• Journalism/Communication
• Political Science
• Sociology

Students will live with American host families.

In order to be eligible for either program, applicants must:
•  Be a citizen of one of the countries listed above;
•  Be between the ages of 17 and 23;
•  Reside and study in one of the twelve participating countries at the time of application and during the selection process
•  Have a strong command of written and spoken English;
• Be able to begin the academic exchange program for the year selected; no deferrals are allowed;
• Be able to receive and maintain a U.S. J-1 visa.

Applicants will not be eligible if they:
• Are spouses of U.S. citizens or spouses of citizens of countries other than the twelve participating countries;
• Are currently participating in academic, training, or research programs outside the twelve participating countries
•  Are currently studying outside the NIS;
• Have previously participated in a program sponsored or funded by the U.S. Government (USIA or other U.S. Government agency) during the past two years for a period of more than six weeks;
•  Have applied for immigrant visa to any country, or have requested political asylum in any country.  This included individuals who hold or have applied for a U.S. "green card," or who have applied to the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery;
• Are third-year students enrolled in a four-year university program (third-year students must be currently enrolled in 5-year programs at their home universities);
• Have applied independently to U.S. colleges or universities*.

* Each Program is a one-year, non-degree program with it a two-year home residency requirement.  The Programs emphasize cultural understanding rather than completion of academic certifications, and is not a good match for students seeking American university degrees.  Opportunities to conduct independent research will not be provided on this academic exchange.

FOR COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE MAKE CONTACT AS NOTED ABOVE.
 

PARTNERS in EDUCATION (PiE) EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Provides a program for sixty social studies educators and administrators from schools in 6 regions of Russia to participate in six-week community based training and leadership programs at U.S. school districts over the course of two school semesters.

The program will send approximately eight teachers, one school administrator, and an instructor from a pedagogical institute from each of the participating Russian regions to U.S. school districts.  The visiting participants will observe and contribute to their school's curriculum.  Participants will be offered home-stays; each one will be paired with a faculty mentor.  The program also includes a workshop in civics education.  In the following semester, U.S. educators will visit the schools of Russian participants.

Recruitment for the 2000-2001 PiE program will be limited to educators and administrators from the following regions:  Altai Krai, Kalmykia, Primorski Krai, Saratov Oblast, Tartarstan, Yaroslavl' Oblast.

There are three phases to the selection of candidates.  Once submitted, each application will be evaluated by a panel of US education specialists.  If selected for further participation, each candidate will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation.  The third phase consists of a brief interview and a standardized test of English.  The complete application packages will be forwarded to Washington, DC, where they will be evaluated and final selections will be made by a committee of US education experts.

Eligibility requirements:
• Citizen of Russia and resident of a participating region;
• Have graduated from a university, or pedagogical institute or a pedagogical university;
•  Have not traveled to the United States on a United States Government funded program for a substantial period of time in the past five years;
• Presently employed as a teacher or school administrator in an accredited secondary school (grades 5-11) or an instructor at a pedagogical institute in one of the regions listed above;
• Preference will be given to teachers and instructors who teach social studies courses such as history, sociology, geography, etc. or those who incorporate civic education themes into their classes;
• For teachers, two years or more of experience teaching at the secondary school level is required.  Administrators should have two years or more experience as an administrator at the secondary school level.  Pedagogical institute instructors should have two years or more experience teaching at a university or institute;
• Intend to continue teaching in a school (or pedagogical institute) in the same oblast (province) during the program year and the subsequent academic year.

FOR COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE MAKE CONTACT AS NOTED ABOVE.
 

AWARDS for TEACHERS of ENGLISH and AMERICAN STUDIES
The program provides awards for qualified secondary school teachers of English and American Studies.

Selection Process:
Once submitted to ACTR/ACCELS, your application will be evaluated by a nomination committee consisting of US and Russian education specialists.  If selected by the committee as one of the best teachers of English and American Studies in your region, your application will be entered into the regional competition.

If selected as a Regional Finalist, you will receive an award valued at up to $200 from a set list of teaching and professional development materials.  Your school will receive an award valued at up to $2,000 from a set list of equipment and teaching materials.  A school can receive only one set of awards per year, regardless of the number of its teachers chosen as Regional Finalists.  There will be no cash awards.

Regional Winners will advance to the national competition, where thirty national winners will be invited to participate in a seven-week professional development seminar in the United States.

Eligibility Requirements:
• Citizen of the Russian Federation;
• Presently employed as a teacher of English or American studies in a secondary school located in Russia (grades 5-11);
• Five years teaching experience at the secondary school level;
• Intend to continue teaching at a secondary school located in the Russian Federation during the program year and the subsequent academic year;
• Must not have spent more than one month in the U.S. on a U.S. Government funded program in the past five years;
•  Graduated from a university, pedagogical institute, or institute of teacher training; and,
• If an applicant is selected as a Regional Finalist (Round Two winner) in the TEA program three times in three consecutive years, he/she must wait one year before participating in the program a fourth time.

Candidates should submit their completed application packages to the nearest ACTR/ACCELS office.

FOR COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE MAKE CONTACT AS NOTED ABOVE.

FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT FUTURE LEADERS PROGRAM (FSA FLEX)
The FSA FLEX competition is conducted by American Councils (ACTR/ACCELS) and is fully funded by the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Finalists will pay only for the cost of obtaining an international passport, notarization of parental permission, and postage of documents to their nearest ACTR/ACCELS office.

Participants who are selected for the program will live in the US for the 2001-02 academic year with an American Family and will study in an American public high school. Currently there are 930 students studying in America under the auspices of this program.

This competition is limited to students who meet the following requirements.  Candidates must:
•  have been born between January 1, 1985 and July 15, 1986 inclusive. (for Russia: age limits vary according to country);
• not have spent more than three months in the US in the last 5 years;
• have an academic standing of good or better and be studying English;
• be enrolled in the 9th or 10th grade (for Russia: varies according to country);
• be eligible to receive a US visa;
• be currently enrolled in a secondary school;
• be a citizen of Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan,
Georgia, Kazakhstan or Moldova

Testing for the program takes place in all the largest cities of the former Soviet Union, 150 cities during the 1999-2000
recruitment season, including 57 in Russia alone. In total, there are 3 rounds of testing. Round 1 consists of a
15-minute general test of English (16 questions). In order to take part in Round 1 one must meet the program criteria
above and have the following on the day of the testing:
• one's birth certificate;
• 1 recent photograph 3x4;
• a pen.

Those who receive the highest scores on the first round test are invited to take part in Round 2 on the following day.
Round 2 consists of a 3-hour written examination of English and three short essays in English on topics provided by the
ACTR staff.

The results of Round 2 are known about 6 weeks after the inital testing. Those who pass to Round 3 will be contacted
by the nearest ACTR office. Round 3 consists of an interview, another in-class writing excercise, and an 11-page
application . Finalists are selected by an independent panel in Washington DC, who take into consideration all the
materials from both Round 2 and Round 3. Final results of the competition will be available in April 2001. Those who are
selected as finalists will go to the US in summer 2001 and return in June/July of 2002.

FOR COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE MAKE CONTACT AS NOTED ABOVE.
 

EBB and John Appling in the stairwell of John's apartment: "ETD = 5 minutes"