Application and Admissions

Admission to the MA RUES is highly selective. An undergraduate degree from an appropriate college or university, or its international equivalent, is required. Students should have maintained at least a B grade average during the last two years of study. A score of 50th percentile on the Verbal and Quantitative components of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission.

Students intending to pursue Russian as their language are expected to have already completed four semesters of Russian or take two semesters of intensive Russian, one prior to entry and one following the first year. Students planning to pursue Czech, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, Bulgarian, or Macedonian are not required to have had prior study in the language.

Prospective students should apply to the Graduate School at UNC-CH. Normally admission is only granted for the Fall semester, with a deadline of January 1^st for completed applications. Under appropriate circumstances the program will recommend that admission be deferred until the following Spring semester. For exceptions to these rules, contact the Program Advisor. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.

Following are the required materials for the Graduate School application:

• Graduate School Application Form (on-line application is available)
• Non-refundable $73 Application Fee (applications will not be processed until fee is received)
• GRE examination scores
• Two official copies of transcripts--one to Graduate School and one to the Center (international applicants must provide a certified English translation)
• Financial certificate (international applicants)
• TOEFL examination scores (international applicants)

These required materials should be sent directly to the Program Advisor:

• Three current letters of reference (in English). Click here to download Recommendation Form (PDF format)
• A research paper or other substantial piece of writing
• Statement of purpose (1-2 page presentation of interests and reasons for graduate study)

Financial Aid

From the Graduate School:

Several funding opportunities exist for students. The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid at the Graduate School assists students in applying for need-based financial aid and offers directions to non-need-based loan programs.

The Graduate School has also compiled a "Fast Facts" information sheet with aid opportunities, which also available at its Web site. (Go check the Graduate School Funding Page.)

From the Center:

The Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies has a limited number of graduate assistantships.

From the Outside:

Students are also encouraged to apply for National Security Education Program (NSEP) Graduate International Fellowships, which directly support a student’s area and language study and are administered by the Academy for Educational Development.

In addition, students are eligible to apply for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships. FLAS awards are also available for summer language study.

Also go check the full list of other funding opportunities for graduate students.