The Language Flagship is a national effort to change the way Americans learn languages. Flagship offers pathways for students of all academic majors and language levels to pursue advanced-level language study in one of six languages: Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, or Russian.

The Russian Overseas Flagship, established in 2004, provides an immersive overseas experience for undergraduate students enrolled at one of eight US Flagship universities. The program helps participants develop superior proficiency in Russian, a critical language to US competitiveness and security.

There is both a domestic and an overseas component to the Russian Overseas Flagship. The domestic component supports students in reaching the language proficiency required for the overseas component in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The overseas component features formal language coursework, direct enrollment courses, individualized tutorials, conversation partners, bi-weekly excursions, including several overnight trips, and home stays with Russian-speaking families. Participants also benefit from extensive opportunities for professionally focused language development through internships with local organizations.

Participating Flagship universities include: Bryn Mawr College, Indiana University, Portland State University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Georgia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Virginia Tech.