Applications for the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES) graduate program must be received by February 1 for fall term admission.
In a typical year, most applicants are also looking for financial aid. Decisions on both admission and graduate employment are made by early March. REEES will notify all applicants in writing as to whether they have been accepted into the program and awarded graduate employment. Applicants may occasionally be placed on a waiting list for funding.
Applicants who have been offered funding are obliged to accept or reject the offer by April 15, in compliance with the Council of Graduate Schools’ resolution on funding deadlines. In the event that an applicant chooses not to accept an offer of funding, REEES will offer the funding to the next candidate on the waiting list.
For questions about the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies graduate program, contact our director of graduate studies.
On this page:
Application Materials
The Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies graduate application is primarily an online process. You may upload PDF copies of your statement of purpose and writing sample. Your recommenders may upload PDF copies of your recommendation letters. You are responsible for making sure your test scores are reported through Educational Testing Services and that your official transcripts are mailed both to the Office of Admissions (degree transcript only) and to the Department of Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (all college/university transcripts).
To apply for graduate study in Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies, you must first complete the online graduate application. It is important to review the procedures outlined below before you start your application.
Once you have completed your application, you will be connected with the REEES online application. The department’s application requires the following.
Writing Sample
Applicants are expected to submit a sample of their academic writing, such as a term paper or undergraduate thesis. This writing sample may be in either English or Russian. Applicants who have been away from the university for many years may feel that their undergraduate papers do not reflect their current intellectual level. If this is the case, you may either:
- Submit writing you have done in connection with your profession.
- Petition to waive the writing sample requirement and write a longer-than-normal statement of purpose to give us a sense of your skills.
Statement of Purpose
Every applicant must submit a single-spaced, 1-2 page statement of purpose in English. This statement should indicate your area of interest within REEES, your career goals, and any other relevant information to your application.
Three Letters of Recommendation
Letters should ideally speak to your academic qualifications and potential. University professors who know you well usually write the most effective recommendations. If, however, you have been out of school for some time, it may make sense to ask for letters from people who have seen your capabilities more recently (it's acceptable to submit less than three recommendations if this is the case). Letters may be in English, Russian, French, or German.
After you’ve completed entering information for each reference online, we will contact them and ask them to upload their recommendation. We encourage you to get in contact early in your application process to allow recommenders as much time as possible to upload their letters.
If you have paper copies of recommendation letters, you will still list all the information about your recommender in the online form and click the check-box for “Send by Mail.” Then, you can send the recommendations along in sealed envelopes (with the recommender’s signature across the seal) to us at:
REEES Graduate Program
5281 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-5281
Transcripts
Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year university by the time of admission. Applicants must submit an official transcript of all university-level courses that they have taken. International students must submit the final transcripts in both the original language and an official English translation. Transcripts sent from international institutions typically do not meet requirements to be sent electronically. Do not send original documents to us; original documents will not be returned, nor are they considered official documents.
You can send documents in one of the following ways:
- By mail to the Office of the Registrar at 5257 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403.
- Electronically through a secured provider such as National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, Scrip Safe, or another, to registrar@uoregon.edu directly from the institution. These are subject to review and verification of authenticity. We cannot accept PDF attachments sent via email.
- By notarization or apostille, a process we recommend to those who have only one copy of their university transcript. You can learn about this process in English or in Russian.
If you have not graduated at the time of application, please send transcripts showing the latest term completed. If you are accepted for admission, your official degree transcript must be sent as soon as you have graduated.
English Language Proficiency Requirements
All applicants for whom English is not a native/primary language must satisfy one of the following English language proficiency criteria to be eligible for admission:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition): Minimum score of 88
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test Score: Minimum score in the 7.0 overall band score
- Degree from English-speaking country (limited): A bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited US institution or the equivalent from Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. We are unable to accept certificates of English as a mode of instruction to satisfy this requirement.
Please note: We must receive your official scores via Educational Testing Services no later than February 1. We suggest you take the exam between December 21 and January 4, 4-6 weeks prior to the application deadline.
UO English Proficiency Guidelines
International Applicants
Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies invites applications from foreign citizens. International applicants should consult the International Student and Scholar Services for more information about requirements.
International students who have been offered admission are required to submit information to International Student and Scholar Services. Admitted graduate applicants will be contacted by ISSS and must report their financial resources.The University will often request supporting documentation. For example, students with fellowships from their home country’s government would submit a copy of the letter awarding the scholarship. The University of Oregon is obliged to verify international students’ ability to pay for their educational and living expenses before it can issue a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20), which is required in order for a student to apply for a visa.
International applicants who cannot pay for their expenses from their own resources should not be deterred from applying simply because they have to fill out these forms. Most international applicants, like most American applicants, will choose to apply for Graduate Employment (GE) to support their studies. If that is your intention, you should fill out the forms regarding your personal financial resources, but also indicate the fact that your application is contingent on receipt of a fellowship.
US Government regulations require that the University of Oregon verify the availability of sufficient financial support for non-immigrant students before a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019) can be issued. International students must submit supporting financial documents (e.g., Graduate Employment (GE) appointment contract, scholarship award letter) and/or bank statements with their applications. Students planning to be sponsored by an agency, government or other sponsors should have proof of financial support sent from the sponsoring agency (e.g., a letter from the sponsor and copies of the sponsor’s bank statement).
International students who are non-native speakers of English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The University of Oregon defines “non-native speakers of English” very broadly, with the effect that most international students from countries other than Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand are required to submit TOEFL scores.
International Student Application Procedures
Foreign Area Officers
REEES encourages applications from Army FAOs and is willing to make special accommodations to facilitate their study.
Ideally FAOs should try to submit their applications during the regular admissions cycle (by February 1), the fact that FAOs do not need to be considered for financial aid from the University makes REEES willing to consider their applications at other times.
We realize that FAOs sometimes have schedules that do not match the academic year. These students may for example need to enroll in the program in January rather than September. Because FAOs typically have outstanding Russian language skills and can continue their studies during the summer between their first and second years in the program, they should still be able to complete their program by June of the second academic year even if they begin a quarter late.
If you are an Army FAO, please indicate this clearly on your application and in your statement of purpose.
Apply to our Graduate Program
Ready to apply? Start your application on Slate, the centralized application portal for graduate admissions at the University of Oregon.