The Academic Program

The Academic Program

An opportunity for intellectually adventurous students to study with peers from 25 countries.
The Bard-AUCA study abroad program offers intellectually adventurous students a unique opportunity to study side by side, in English, with peers from 25 different countries at the region's most prestigious university.

A semester or academic year at AUCA offers unparalleled opportunities

Study alongside students from all over the world in academically rigorous classes. Explore this historically and culturally fascinating region through excursions, homestays, and independent travel. Choose from eight languages to study, including Kyrgyz and Russian, the two languages spoken in Bishkek.

Semester-Long Study Tracks

  • Beginning Russian Language Track
    The Beginning Russian Language Track focuses on developing students’ reading, conversation, oral comprehension, and writing skills. From the Cyrillic alphabet and Russian cursive to the foundations of grammar, syntax, and everyday idiomatic speech. Students will earn four Russian language credits. Remaining credits are earned in academic courses of their choice.
  • Intermediate and Advanced Russian Language Track
    The Intermediate/Advanced Russian Language Track is open to students with one year of college-level Russian. Students enroll in a minimum of nine Russian language credits, earning the remainder from academic courses of their choice; options include classes in Russian, Central Asian, and post-Soviet area studies.
  • Liberal Arts Track
    The Liberal Arts Track offers students the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of courses across AUCA’s current curriculum. Most courses are taught in English, and course offerings span disciplines including anthropology, sociology, psychology, mathematics, economics, international and comparative politics, environmental studies, and other fields related to the study of Central Asia. 

Academics Studies and Opportunities

There are three tracks of study available in the Bard Abroad Bishkek program: Beginning Russian Language; Intermediate and Advanced Russian Language, and Liberal Arts.

Academic Credit Load: The standard academic load at AUCA is 30 AUCA credits per semester, equivalent to 15 Bard credits. A typical AUCA course carries 6 AUCA credits (3 Bard credits), so students generally take approximately five courses during the semester. Students may choose to take a lighter or heavier academic load depending on their academic plans and requirements at their home institution, from 24 AUCA credits (12 Bard credits) up to 36 AUCA credits (18 Bard credits).

Language Studies

Language study is encouraged but not required. Russian, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Tajik, all identified as strategically important languages by the U.S. State Department, are the most commonly spoken languages in Central Asia. While Kyrgyz and Russian are the official languages of Kyrgyzstan, the country is host to substantial Uzbek and Tajik populations. Students of Russian will find the language widely spoken both at the university and throughout the city, providing ample opportunity for linguistic immersion. AUCA also offers courses in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Arabic, Chinese, and Turkish may be offered upon request for program participants.

Internship Opportunities

With over 100 NGOs operating in Bishkek, there are many opportunities for students to volunteer or intern with an organization working in an area related to their field of study or other interests. Many students choose to take advantage of these opportunities to gain practical skills, engage with civic life, and develop insight into Kyrgyzstan’s social, economic, political, and cultural institutions. 

On-campus internship options:

 Other organizations:

Explore Our Cultural Programs

Ala Archa National Park Burana Tower
Chingiz Aitmatov House-Museum National Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic
Overnight Trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan Lake Issyk-Kul
Exploring Kyrgyzstan’s History and Memory Gapar Aitiev Museum of Fine Arts
Bard Abroad in Bishkek includes a cultural program designed to complement student coursework.
Excursions both inside and outside the city expose students to a wide variety of Central Asian experiences. Listed at right are sample excursions from previous semesters.  

Ala Archa National Park

Ala-Archa National Park: Located just 40 km from Bishkek on the slopes of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, Ala-Archa National Park offers a spectacular introduction to the mountain landscapes of Kyrgyzstan. Rising from approximately 1,600 to 4,875 meters above sea level, the park features dramatic mountain views, alpine valleys, waterfalls, and fresh mountain air. Students spend a day exploring the park on a guided excursion, with opportunities to walk along scenic trails and experience the natural beauty of the Tian Shan mountains. (Day Trip)

Burana Tower

Located in the Chuy Valley of northern Kyrgyzstan, the Burana Tower is one of the few remaining structures of the ancient city of Balasagun, an important medieval center along the Silk Road. Students explore the archaeological site and surrounding landscape before climbing to the top of the tower for panoramic views of the Chuy Valley and the mountains beyond. The visit offers a glimpse into Kyrgyzstan’s history as a crossroads of cultures and civilizations along the historic Silk Road.

Chingiz Aitmatov House-Museum

Students visit the former home of Chingiz Aitmatov, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most celebrated writers and one of the best-known literary voices to emerge from the Soviet Union. Located in Chon-Aryk, about 8 km from Bishkek, the house served as Aitmatov’s residence for the last two decades of his life, beginning in 1986. The museum offers a personal glimpse into the writer’s life, work, and connection to Kyrgyzstan, whose landscapes, traditions, and stories inspired much of his internationally recognized literature. The visit provides students with an opportunity to learn about an important figure in Kyrgyz cultural history and to explore the close relationship between literature, place, and cultural identity.

National Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic

Located in the heart of Bishkek on Ala-Too Square, the National Historical Museum offers students an engaging introduction to the history and culture of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. Its extensive collection of approximately 90,000 objects spans from ancient archaeological cultures to the modern era and includes rock art, Bronze Age artifacts, Saka gold jewelry, ancient coins, traditional clothing and textiles, musical instruments, horse equipment, and objects from everyday life. The museum also explores Kyrgyzstan’s Soviet past and the development of the independent republic, giving students an opportunity to connect the region’s ancient heritage with its modern history and society.

Overnight Trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan

Students will travel from Bishkek to Almaty for a two-day cultural excursion exploring one of Central Asia’s major cities. The program includes visits to iconic landmarks such as the Medeu Skating Rink, Shymbulak Ski Resort, Panfilov Park, the Ascension Cathedral, Green Bazaar, and Kok Tobe, along with opportunities to experience Almaty’s historic center, cuisine, and vibrant urban culture. The overnight trip offers students a chance to explore the cultural and geographic connections between Kyrgyzstan and neighboring Kazakhstan. (Overnight trip in Fall)

Lake Issyk-Kul

Students travel to the spectacular shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, one of the world’s largest high-altitude lakes, surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains. The overnight excursion offers an opportunity to experience one of Kyrgyzstan’s most iconic landscapes, with breathtaking views of the lake and mountains, fresh mountain air, and the unique beauty of the region in spring. Away from the city, students can enjoy time outdoors with their classmates while discovering the natural landscapes and local communities of eastern Kyrgyzstan. (Overnight trip in Spring)

Exploring Kyrgyzstan’s History and Memory

Students visit several important historical sites that offer different perspectives on Kyrgyzstan’s past and cultural heritage. At the Ata-Beyit Memorial Complex, students learn about the 138 Kyrgyz intellectuals and public figures who were executed during Stalinist repressions in 1938 and explore how this tragic chapter of history is remembered in contemporary Kyrgyzstan. The visit also provides an introduction to the life and legacy of renowned Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, whose name is closely connected with the memorial. At the Frunze Museum, students explore the history of Mikhail Frunze, the Soviet military commander who spent his childhood and youth in what is now Bishkek—a city that was named Frunze from 1926 to 1991. Together, these sites offer students an opportunity to look beyond the region’s natural beauty and engage with the complex history, memory, and cultural identity of Kyrgyzstan.

Gapar Aitiev Museum of Fine Arts

Students visit Kyrgyzstan’s principal museum of fine arts, whose collection offers a fascinating window into the country’s artistic and cultural history. Founded in 1935, the museum has grown from its original collection of Russian art into an extensive collection of approximately 18,000 works, including Kyrgyz, Russian, and Soviet-era painting, graphics, sculpture, and traditional decorative and applied arts. Named after renowned Kyrgyz artist Gapar Aitiev, the museum brings together the artistic traditions and cultural influences that have shaped Kyrgyzstan over the past century. A visit offers students an opportunity to discover Kyrgyz artists and artistic traditions while also exploring the broader Russian and Soviet influences that have played an important role in the region’s cultural history.