ACLI Academic program

ACLI is a Stony Brook University International Academic Program. Students earn credit through Stony Brook University while studying in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Through ACLI, students have the option of pursuing up to 6 credits in four weeks, or up to 9 credits in six weeks.

Program Dates:

4 weeks/3-6 credits - July 6 - Aug 4.
6 week/3-9 credits - June 29 - Aug 10

ACLI/Russian Immersion brochure

Program Features include:

ACLI’s “Russian only” language pledge
Daily intensive language instruction at St. Petersburg State University
Home stays with Russian-speaking families
Cultural program

[ACLI was] truly one of the best experiences of my life. I can't imagine taking another program and I know I would not have received the same progress in a different one . . . The language pledge is SERIOUS and [is] why the program is so great.

My host family is phenomenal. They were more than willing to take me out and include me in their lives. I met many of their friends and was given an invaluable opportunity to speak Russian and converse with Russian youth about any topic, from current living conditions to nonsensical slang terms.

The language pledge is by far the strongest part of the program. As far as I know, the majority of the participants in my program held to it. It was fairly well drilled into our heads as required. I think this led us all to feel a bit guilty if we used 1 English word in a sentence and ultimately taught us how to explain a thought, even if we didn't know this word.

The home institutions of former ACLI (2010-2012) and Critical Languages Institute (2007-2009) students include: American University, Amherst College, Arizona State University, Barnard College, Bates College, Brigham Young University, Bryn Mawr College, Colgate University, Columbia University, Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, Indiana University, Iowa State University, Johns Hopkins University, NYU, Northwestern University, Portland State University, Rutgers University, Smith College, Stanford University, Stony Brook University, SUNY Geneseo, UC Davis, University of Chicago, University of Florida, University of Illinois, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, University of Pennsylvania, University of South Carolina, University of Washington, US Naval Academy, UT Austin, UVA, Vassar, and others.