Indiana University - Bloomington

Department: Central Eurasian Studies—great department. CEUS is the only place in the US to study all the Central Asian languages. Unfortunately, the department and grad student population university-wide is underfunded. Most students in this department end up with $10,000 to $60,000 in student loans at the end of an MA. Great well funded summer language program (SWSEEL).

The University: Great ascetic environment for grad study. Lots of drunk Hoosier undergrads, but they're mostly harmless. The university's out-of-state tuition is too high. Good facilities and access to everything you need, but grad school here leaves you feeling like you didn't have time to actually enjoy what the university has to offer. The nature of funding issues leaves most grad students feeling like the university doesn't care about them at all.

Ultimately, its the best available for the study of Central Asia / Inner Asia. If you can get funding elsewhere, you might want to consider just coming here for summer language instruction (which is funded much better than the academic year).

Oh, and University Apartments are a great living option (all bills included in rent)… but there's plenty of reasonably-priced housing options in Bloomington.