Open Doors Russian Scholarship 2026–27 offers an outstanding opportunity for talented international students and researchers to pursue higher education and academic careers at leading Russian universities.
Open Doors Russian Scholarship 2026–27
— Quick Overview
|
Feature |
Details |
|
Scholarship Name |
Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project |
|
Academic Year |
2026–27 |
|
Organizer |
Association of Global Universities |
|
Supported By |
Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia &
Rossotrudnichestvo |
|
Eligible Applicants |
Foreign citizens and stateless persons |
|
Tracks |
Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral and Postdoctoral |
|
Official Languages |
English and Russian |
|
Application Fee |
Free |
|
Registration Opens |
20 August 2026 |
|
Registration Deadline |
1 November 2026 |
|
First Stage |
20 August – 13 November 2026 |
|
Second Stage |
13 November – 21 December 2026 |
|
Third Stage |
22 December 2026 – 26 February 2027 |
|
Study Mode |
Online competition |
|
Tuition |
Funded for winners under the applicable quota |
What Is the Open Doors Russian
Scholarship?
The Open Doors is an international academic competition that
provides talented students and researchers with an opportunity to gain
admission to leading Russian universities through a streamlined selection
process.
The project has been held annually since 2017 and has
attracted hundreds of thousands of participants from around the world. More
than 618,000 participants from over 200 countries have taken part since the
project's launch, while more than 16,700 participants have become winners or
runners-up.
The competition covers a wide range of academic disciplines,
from engineering, computer science and medicine to economics, education,
linguistics, politics and artificial intelligence.
Open Doors Scholarship 2026–27
Registration
Registration for all four Open Doors tracks — Bachelor's,
Master's, Doctoral and Postdoctoral — begins on 20 August 2026. The final date
to register is 1 November 2026.
Applicants should not confuse the registration deadline with
the end of the First Stage. Registration closes on 1 November 2026, while the
First Stage continues until 13 November 2026.
During registration, applicants create their personal
participant account and provide information including their name, date of
birth, citizenship, email address, telephone number, selected track, subject
area and language of participation.
Who Can Apply for the Open Doors
Scholarship?
1. Bachelor's Track
·
Be between 16 and 23 years
old on the registration opening date.
·
Not already hold a
Bachelor's, Specialist or Master's degree.
·
Hold, or be expected to
obtain during the relevant academic year, a qualification equivalent to general
secondary education that permits admission to higher education in their
country.
2. Master's Track
·
Be between 20 and 33 years
old on the registration opening date.
·
Not hold a Specialist or
Master's degree.
·
Hold, or be expected to
obtain during the academic year, at least a Bachelor's degree or equivalent
higher education qualification.
3. Doctoral Track
·
Be between 22 and 35 years
old on the registration opening date.
·
Not have completed a
doctoral/PhD degree.
·
Hold, or be expected to
obtain, a Specialist or Master's degree.
4. Postdoctoral Track
·
Be between 24 and 39 years
old.
·
Hold a PhD, Candidate of
Sciences or Doctor of Sciences degree at the time of registration.
What Benefits Do Open Doors Winners Receive?
Benefits for Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral
Winners
·
Free tuition under the
applicable Education Quota for foreign citizens.
·
Study programs may be
available in English or Russian.
·
Russian-language
preparatory training may be available when additional language preparation is
required.
·
Opportunity to select
eligible universities and degree programs through the streamlined system.
·
International student and
campus experience.
·
Academic and administrative
support throughout the admission process.
Benefits for Postdoctoral Winners
·
A research position at an
organizing Russian university.
·
Opportunity to select an
eligible research project.
·
Opportunity to work with
internationally recognized scientists.
·
Access to modern research
facilities and equipment.
·
Continued support during
the research appointment.
Open Doors Scholarship Subject Areas
2026–27
·
Applied Mathematics and
Artificial Intelligence
·
Biology and Biotechnology
·
Business and Management
·
Chemistry and Materials
Science
·
Clinical Medicine and
Public Health
·
Computer and Data Science
·
Earth and Environmental
Sciences for Sustainability
·
Economics and Econometrics
·
Education and Psychology
·
Engineering and Technology
·
Physical Sciences and
Technology
·
Politics and International
Studies
·
Russian Language and
Culture
·
Urbanism and Civil
Engineering
Which Universities Participate in Open
Doors?
·
Far Eastern Federal
University
·
Bauman Moscow State
Technical University
·
Sechenov University
·
HSE University
·
ITMO University
·
Kazan Federal University
·
MGIMO University
·
Moscow Institute of Physics
and Technology
·
Moscow Polytechnic
University
·
Moscow State University of
Civil Engineering
·
Lobachevsky State
University of Nizhny Novgorod
·
National Research Nuclear
University MEPhI
·
Tomsk Polytechnic
University
·
Tomsk State University
·
Novosibirsk State
University
·
RUDN University
·
Peter the Great St.
Petersburg Polytechnic University
·
Saint Petersburg
Electrotechnical University “LETI”
·
Samara National Research
University
·
Siberian Federal University
·
Southern Federal University
·
University of Science and
Technology MISIS
·
University of Tyumen
·
Ural Federal University
How Many Stages Are There in the Open
Doors Competition?
Bachelor's and Master's Tracks
There are two stages. Stage 1 is a portfolio competition,
including the required entry and portfolio materials. Stage 2 is the final
completion of Open Doors tasks.
Doctoral Track
The Doctoral track has three stages: portfolio competition,
Open Doors tasks, and online interviews with prospective research supervisors
and/or Doctoral Track managers.
Postdoctoral Track
The Postdoctoral track has three stages: portfolio
competition, assessment of a video presentation of research achievements, and
online interviews with research project leaders.
Open Doors 2026–27 Important Dates
|
Date |
Event |
|
20 August 2026 |
Registration opens |
|
1 November 2026 |
Registration deadline |
|
13 November 2026 |
First Stage ends |
|
13 November – 21 December 2026 |
Second Stage |
|
21 December 2026 |
Second Stage results / Third Stage admissions |
|
22 December 2026 – 26 February 2027 |
Third Stage interviews |
How Does the Online Open Doors Test
Work?
The Open Doors competition is conducted online through the
official Open Doors IT platform. For Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral
candidates participating in the Second Stage, the competition is conducted
under proctored conditions.
Identity verification is performed using a webcam and the
passport submitted during registration. The participant's computer desktop and
webcam feed are recorded during the Second Stage.
The required internet connection speed for the Second Stage
is at least 1 Mbit/s. Participants can test the proctoring system before the
actual competition.
How Long Do Participants Have to
Complete Stage 2?
Participants receive 180 minutes for the Second Stage
session. After identity verification, participants have 175 minutes to complete
the written-response tasks. After the written portion, participants complete an
oral-response task, for which they have five minutes.
Once the allotted time expires, the system automatically
closes access to the tasks. Only answers submitted before the deadline are
considered.
Is
the Open Doors Scholarship Free to Apply?
Yes. There is no application or participation fee. The Open
Doors competition is conducted online, so eligible applicants from around the
world can participate without paying a competition registration fee.
Applicants should rely on the official Open Doors website
and published competition rules for application information.
What Happens After Winning the Open
Doors Competition?
Winning the competition is a major achievement, but
successful candidates must still complete the required admission procedures.
Winners and eligible runners-up must submit the required documents through the
relevant Russian Ministry information system and their participant accounts.
Bachelor's and Master's applicants select their language of
instruction, relevant field of study and eligible universities according to the
applicable procedure. Doctoral winners select an organizing university and,
where applicable, a prospective research supervisor. Postdoctoral winners
select an organizing university from among those whose research project leaders
have agreed to employ them.
What Is the Difference Between a Winner
and a Runner-Up?
In the Bachelor's and Master's tracks, winners and
runners-up are determined based on their ranking after the Final Stage. Winners
receive the relevant rights under the applicable quota. Runners-up may receive
the same rights if places remain available after winners have confirmed their
entitlement.
Participants who do not become winners or runners-up may
still receive the status of “participant who completed the Open Doors with high
achievements” if they meet the required performance threshold. Electronic Open
Doors certificates are issued to winners, runners-up and qualifying
high-achievement participants.
Can Open Doors Winners Receive
Additional Government Grant Support?
Under the current competition rules, eligible winners and
runners-up may also be able to apply for additional grant support from the
Government of the Russian Federation, subject to the applicable requirements.
This support is linked to obtaining the right to study within the relevant
quota and being prepared to undertake full-time study in Russian in the Russian
Federation.
Why Should International Students
Consider Open Doors?
The Open Doors project brings several advantages together:
no application fee, an online competition, multiple academic disciplines,
access to leading Russian universities and tuition-funded opportunities for
eligible winners.
For ambitious students and researchers, this combination
makes Open Doors a scholarship opportunity worth serious consideration.
Tips for Applicants Applying for Open
Doors 2026–27
Register Early: Create
your account as soon as registration opens on 20 August 2026.
Select Your Subject
Area Carefully: Choose a subject area that matches your academic
background, achievements and future goals.
Prepare a Strong
Portfolio: Collect academic records, certificates, awards, publications,
research achievements and other relevant evidence.
Write a Strong
Motivation Letter: Explain your academic interests, achievements, future
goals and reasons for choosing your field.
Prepare Your
Documents: Make sure your passport and educational documents are ready.
Documents not issued in English or Russian require the appropriate translation.
Check Your
Technology: Test your computer, webcam, microphone, internet connection and
required software.
Practice Time
Management: Stage 2 includes written and oral tasks under strict time
limits.
Read the Official
Rules: Review the current rules carefully before submitting your
application.
Open Doors Russian Scholarship 2026–27:
Final Thoughts
The Open Doors Russian Scholarship 2026–27 is a major
opportunity for international students and researchers who want to pursue
higher education or develop an academic career in Russia.
With four tracks — Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral and
Postdoctoral — and 14 interdisciplinary subject areas, the competition offers
opportunities across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines.
The key dates are: Registration opens 20 August 2026;
registration closes 1 November 2026; First Stage runs through 13 November 2026;
Second Stage runs from 13 November to 21 December 2026; and Third Stage interviews
run from 22 December 2026 to 26 February 2027.
Participation is free, and the competition is conducted
online. Eligible applicants should begin preparing their academic documents,
portfolio, motivation letter and technical setup well before the deadline.
Official Resources
Official
Open Doors Website:
Website Link
Official
Rules of Participation:
Link for Rules
For the latest announcements, eligibility requirements,
deadlines and admission procedures, applicants should always verify information
on the official Open Doors website.
Disclaimer: Scholarship
rules, participating universities, admission procedures and deadlines may be
updated by the organizers. Applicants should verify all requirements and
announcements on the official Open Doors website before submitting an
application.
If you want to prepare
scholarship documents:
|
1. Research Proposal and thesis writing |
|
2. Study Plan |
|
3. Statement of Purpose |
|
4. Motivational / Cover Letter and many
more. |
|
5. Documents Translations |
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