Scholarship FAQ

Do I have to speak Russian or another local language to get a scholarship?

Speaking the local language helps, but it’s not a requirement.

Do I have to be a folklore major or an ethnomusicologist?

No.  You don’t even have to be in academia.

So what kind of people are you looking for?

We’re looking for people who are excited about learning something about village folklore on an expedition and sharing it with Americans afterwards.  Scholars can do this.  So can artists, musicians, authors, journalists, film-makers, middle-school teachers, etc.  We consider them all.

There must be SOME restrictions.

You must be a US citizen or permanent resident, 18 or older, and a good team member. In addition, you must provide a physician’s statement that you have the physical, emotional and mental health to handle conditions in the field.

What does the scholarship cover?

The scholarship applies toward your expedition fee. This fee covers expenses from day one to the end of the expedition, including room, board & transport from the rendezvous point to the village and back. Your travel between the rendezvous point and your home, and any food and lodging before and after the expedition, are not covered.

If the expedition fee exceeds the scholarship amount, you are responsible for the difference.

What do I have to do in return?

We require that you share something from your expedition experience with your community. For K12 teachers this generally means a curriculum unit which we can share on our website. Open scholarship recipients may mount a public exhibit or make a public presentation of some kind, or provide us with a piece of work which describes or draws on your expedition experience– an essay, a paper, a movie, an article, a podcast, an artwork – anything we can post on our website and share with others.  Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in repayment of the scholarship in full.

Our Past Scholarship Recipients

See Also