2027 Open Doors Scholarship in Russia | Fully Funded

The 2027 Open Doors Scholarship Program offers international students an opportunity to study in Russia with tuition fees covered by the Russian Federation.

The scholarship is available through the Open Doors International Olympiad, which allows talented foreign students to compete for the opportunity to pursue undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral opportunities at participating Russian universities.

Successful winners can receive admission without taking the standard entrance examinations and can select eligible Russian universities and study programmes based on their Olympiad subject.

Open Doors Scholarship 2027 Summary

• Host Country: Russia
• Program: Open Doors International Olympiad
• Study Levels: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral and Postdoctoral
• Eligible Countries: International students from all countries
• Scholarship Type: Fully funded / tuition-free
• Language: English or Russian, depending on the programme
• Deadline: November 1, 2026

About the Open Doors Scholarship

The Open Doors International Olympiad is designed to identify talented international students who want to continue their education in Russia.

The competition provides successful participants with a pathway to study at participating Russian universities without paying tuition fees.

Depending on the selected track, applicants can compete for opportunities at the Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral level. There is also a postdoctoral track for researchers interested in available research projects.

The programme uses a competitive selection process, giving applicants the opportunity to demonstrate their academic knowledge, skills and research potential.

Available Study Tracks

The 2027 Open Doors Olympiad includes four main tracks:

Bachelor’s Track

The undergraduate track is intended for prospective students seeking admission to eligible bachelor’s programmes in Russia.

Master’s Track

Applicants who have completed or are completing a Bachelor’s degree can compete for admission to eligible master’s programmes.

Doctoral Track

Applicants with a Master’s or Specialist degree can apply for the doctoral track, which is comparable to PhD-level study.

Doctoral-track winners may have the opportunity to select a prospective research supervisor and participate in an interview as part of the Olympiad process.

Postdoctoral Track

The postdoctoral track is intended for researchers. Successful participants may have the opportunity to join one of the available research projects and work as researchers in Russia.

Benefits of the Open Doors Scholarship 2027

Successful participants may receive:

• Tuition-free study at participating Russian universities.
• The opportunity to gain admission without standard entrance examinations.
• Access to eligible Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral programmes.
• The opportunity to choose from participating Russian universities.
• A simplified admission process through the Olympiad system.
• The opportunity for doctoral applicants to select a potential research supervisor.
• Research employment opportunities for eligible postdoctoral winners.

The language of instruction depends on the chosen university and programme and may be English or Russian.

Who Can Apply?

The competition is open to foreign citizens and stateless persons, including eligible compatriots living outside Russia.

For the Master’s track, applicants should have completed a Bachelor’s degree or be completing their Bachelor’s programme during the relevant Olympiad year.

For the Doctoral track, applicants should have a Master’s or Specialist degree, or be completing the required qualification during the Olympiad year.

Applicants should also be prepared to participate in the competition in one of the official Olympiad languages: English or Russian.

Open Doors Scholarship Selection Process

The Olympiad is conducted through several stages.

The first stage involves the assessment of participants’ portfolios. Applicants are evaluated based on the information and achievements included in their submissions.

Those who progress further participate in a second stage involving problem-solving tasks designed to assess their knowledge and abilities.

For the doctoral track, an additional stage involves selecting a prospective research supervisor and completing an interview.

Applicants should therefore prepare their academic portfolio carefully and familiarize themselves with the requirements of their chosen subject area before the competition stages begin.

How to Apply for the 2027 Open Doors Scholarship

Interested applicants can apply online through the official Open Doors Olympiad registration system.

To apply:

1. Visit the official Open Doors Olympiad website.
2. Click the Sign Up option to create an account.
3. Enter your required personal information and create your login details.
4. Access your personal account after completing registration.
5. Review the portfolio requirements and evaluation criteria.
6. Select the appropriate Olympiad track and subject.
7. Prepare and submit your portfolio according to the programme requirements.
8. Participate in the subsequent competition stages if selected.

Applicants should register only once during the competition year. Creating multiple accounts or registering more than once may lead to disqualification.

Important Deadline

The application deadline for the 2027 Open Doors Scholarship is November 1, 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to complete their registration and prepare their portfolios before the deadline rather than waiting until the final day.

APPLY HERE