Moscow (2013-16): Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program

There are minimal costs to participants, including:

• Visa costs, approximately $250
• UT Application Fee (UT-Austin students only) $75
• Affiliation Fee (UT-Austin students only) $600
• Health insurance coverage through the Study Abroad Office for the duration of travel ($19/week for a total of $190), plus the cost of any required pre-departure check-ups, tests, and inoculations
• International Student ID Card $28 
• Spending money for personal purchases, telecommunications and internet, etc.
• Independent travel, transportation, sightseeing or meals outside of group activities
• Transportation to/from Austin (plus accommodation, if necessary) 

All participants must partake in the following:

• Pre- and post-travel Russian language examinations to assess level of competency and progress.
• Participation in a pre-departure orientation at The University of Texas on Saturday, June 4, 2016 (10am - 4pm).
• Participation in a post-program Department of Education online survey. 
• Participation in career guidance activities in country and in the post-travel alumni network.
• Ten weeks of study in Moscow, Russia (Tentative Dates: June 6-August 13, 2016).
• All participants must travel to/from Moscow as a group with the Resident Director. The tentative departure date for Moscow is Sunday, June 5, 2016. The group will return to Austin on Saturday, August 13, 2016.   

In order to be eligible to participate in this program all participants must be:

• A citizen or permanent resident of the United States.    
• Classified as a full-time graduate student, or undergraduate "junior" or "senior" as of summer 2016 at ANY post-secondary four-year institution in Texas. All applicants must be enrolled as a student/graduate at a institution of higher education in the state of Texas for the Spring 2016 semester. Students must still be in a program of study and not have graduated prior to the start date of the program. Students from other universities across Texas are strongly encouraged to apply!   
• Students should have completed (or achieved) an Intermediate or Second-YearEquivalency in the Russian language by the start date of the program.
• A valid passport that does not expire before February 1, 2017.

If you are in any way eligible for Russian citizenship, you will not be granted a Russian visa and must enter Russia as a Russian citizen. Even if you are not eligible, but the Russian government believes you might be eligible, you may have to prove your ineligibility in order to obtain a Russian visa (i.e., if you have a Slavic sounding last name). This is especially important for those born in the former USSR, those who have a parent or parents who were citizens of the USSR and/or the Russian Federation, or those adopted from the former USSR or Russian Federation. If you are not sure about your status we strongly recommend you contact Invisa Logistics Services (the company you will apply to get your Russian visa from) in Houston at 832.582.7951 or via e-mail at info-houston@ils-usa.com.  

**PLEASE READ CAREFULLY**

For UT Students:

No University of Texas at Austin student, faculty, or staff can be required to travel to a Restricted Region (http://world.utexas.edu/risk/restrictedregions). Any participation in travel to a Restricted Region is strictly voluntary, and the participant assumes full responsibility for all risks associated with this travel.

For Non-UT Students:

As a condition of Participant’s involvement with or participation in the program activities, the Participant will release, waive, discharge, and agree to hold harmless The University of Texas at Austin from all liability arising out of or in conjunction with Participant’s involvement with and/or participation in the program activities of the Moscow-Texas Connections 2016 Study Abroad Program. Participants of all Moscow-Texas Connections 2016 Study Abroad programs must acknowledge that the country (Russia) in which the Moscow-Texas Connections 2016 Study Abroad program activities may take place in whole or in part, or any other country through which the Participant may travel when involved with and/or participating in the program activities, or while in route to or from the program activities, may have health and safety standards substantially below those enjoyed in the United States. Participant must further acknowledge the inherent hazardous and dangerous nature of the program of activities as well as the above referenced risks of participating in the program activities or in traveling to, through or from the county/countries in which the program activities will take place, and must agree to assume all risk of illness, injury, or death from Participant’s Travel to or from the program activities and participation therein.

**Please Note**: Students from Texas universities other than UT-Austin will receive a HSE certificate of completion at the end of the program, but they cannot be granted academic credit by UT-Austin. UT-Austin will not issue a transcript to any non-UT-Austin student participating in this program. There are no exceptions. Non-UT-Austin students will have to consult their university's study abroad office/registrar after program completion about receiving academic credit for this program. 

THE APPLICATION WINDOW FOR MTC '16 IS NOW CLOSED 

**Important** Before you begin the online application below click HERE to read about useful tips in preparing your personal statement and asking for letters of recommendation.

• A completed “Moscow-Texas Connections Application Form”. WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.  
• A Personal Statement (500 words or less) on how the "Moscow-Texas Connections" program, and proficiency in the Russian language specifically further the applicant's educational or professional goals.   
• A Letter of Reference from a professor assessing the applicant’s Russian language skills, explaining how the applicant might be a good fit for this program and use it to their professional advantage. (Letters should be signed, printed on official letterhead, and scanned into a .pdf file format). Letters of Reference must be sent directly to us from the professor via email, hand-delivery or regular mail. The e-mail address for your professor to submit the letter of reference is: MoscowTX.applications@gmail.com Please notify us as to who will be sending the letter of Reference. We will not accept a letter of reference from a professor submitted by an individual applicant.  
• A current Transcript from your academic institution. (Scanned copy, does not have to be official).
• A scanned COLOR copy of the information pages of your Passport. (This is the page with administrative data + the page with your photo on it)  If you do not have a passport we strongly recommend you apply for one as soon as possible. If you have a passport but it expires before February 1st, 2017 we strongly recommend you apply for renewal of your passport as soon as possible.   

Submit your personal statement, transcript and scanned copy of your passport (information page) in .pdf format (a total of 3 seperate .pdfs in ONE email to  with “Moscow-Texas Connections Application: YOUR FULL NAME” in the subject line. Include your full name in the file name. (For Example: Smith_Passport.pdf, Smith_Transcript.pdf etc.)