The Russian and East European Center at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, will host the Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) for 2002 and 2003.

BALSSI provides an opportunity for interested students and scholars to increase their knowledge and understanding of the languages, culture, and history of the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Language courses will be geared toward beginning students, but more advanced students can enroll and will get individualized program of study.

BALSSI was founded in 1994 and is at present partially funded by a consortium of several American universities: University of California-Los Angeles, the University of Illinois, Indiana University, the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas-Austin, the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin, and the SSRC Summer Language Institute Grant. BALSSI is hosted each summer by a different member of the supporting universities: the University of Washington in 1994 and 1995, the University of Illinois-Chicago during 1996 and 1997, Indiana University in 1998 and 1999, the University of Iowa in 2000 and 2001, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in 2002 and 2003.

A rich cultural program is planned, including, for example, a trip to the 11th Latvian Song Festival in Chicago <http://www.latviansongfest.org/>.  Other programs includes films, lectures and weekend trips to complement the formal instruction.

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Schedule

BALSSI 2001 takes place during the 8-week University of Illinois Summer Session II, which lasts from June 10 - August 2, 2002. The language classes meet for four hours every morning, Monday through Friday, for the duration of the institute. The Baltic History & Culture class will be taught in the afternoon, Monday through Friday, June 10 - July 5, 2002.

Tuition & fees

BALSSI participants qualify for UIUC in-state tuition and fees. 

Housing

On-campus housing will be available in Sherman Hall for $805 for the entire session.  Sherman Hall is conveniently located across the street the Russian and East European Center.  For more information on Sherman Hall, check www.housing.uiuc.edu

Meal plans will be available at the Illini Tower, located across the street from Sherman Hall, for $480.  For more information, check www.collegepark.org

Fellowships, including UIUC summer FLAS fellowships, are available for BALSSI participants. The deadline to be considered for FLAS fellowships was February 1, 2002. 

We now have additional full fellowships for qualified students. The fellowship covers a full stipend plus tuition and fee waivers. Applicants for the fellowships must be US citizens or permanent residents. To apply for the program and the fellowship, just complete the REEC BALSSI Information Sheet.  For full consideration, please apply by no later than May 22, 2002. 

CIC Fellowships: Students enrolled in member schools of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC - University of Chicago, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin-Madison) qualify for in-sate tuition and other fellowship opportunities.  Consult the CIC website for funding information: http://www.cic.uiuc.edu  CIC FLEP Fellowship deadline was Feb. 11.

For more information on fellowship opportunities, contact  Dianne Merridith at REEC.

To apply to BALSSI, you must first complete the REEC information sheet and upon acceptance, the University of Illinois Graduate College application. To request an application packet, contact:

Russian and East European Center

University of Illinois

104 International Studies Building
910 South Fifth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 333-1244; Fax: (217) 333-1582
reec@uiuc.edu

Or click here for the REEC BALSSI information sheet in .pdf format  

For the UIUC Grad College application: click here for the application online in .pdf format.

If you are an non-UI undergraduate, please contact the center for an application packet. 

For more information, contact Dianne Merridith at diannem@uiuc.edu

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COURSES

Language courses will be geared toward beginning students, but more advanced students can enroll and will get individualized program of study.

Estonian I (BALT 301) Estonian II (BALT 302)   Credit Hours: 6 hours; 1 1/2 units Time: 9am-1pm M-F Location: 1110 Foreign Languages Building Instructor: Piibi-Kai Kivik
	Latvian I (BALT 311) Latvian II (BALT 312) Credit Hours: 6 hours; 1 1/2 units Time: 9am-1pm M-F Location: 1112 Foreign Languages Building Instructor: Dzidra Rodins
Lithuanian I (BALT 321) Lithuanian II (BALT 322) Credit Hours: 6 hours; 1 1/2 units Time: 9am-1pm M-F Location: 1134 Foreign Languages Building Instructor: Dalia Cidzikaite
	Baltic History and Culture (BALT 315) Credit Hours: 3 hours; 3/4 unit Time: 2-4pm, M-F Dates: June 10 - July 5, 2002 Location: G32 Foreign Languages Building Instructor: Violeta Davoliute