The Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project 2027 offers tuition-free study and research opportunities at participating universities in Russia. It is available to eligible international applicants pursuing Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, and Postdoctoral opportunities.
If you want to study abroad through a program that covers your tuition fees, this scholarship may be suitable for you. The application portal opens on August 20, 2026, and closes on November 1, 2026.
Bachelor’s and Master’s winners will be announced by December 21, 2026, while Doctoral and Postdoctoral winners are scheduled to be announced on February 26, 2027.
Who Organizes the Open Doors Scholarship Project?
The competition is organized by the Global Universities Association. It is open to foreign citizens and stateless persons through four academic tracks:
- Bachelor’s
- Master’s
- Doctoral
- Postdoctoral
The Russian Scholarship Project is an international academic competition that allows eligible foreign applicants to compete for opportunities to study or conduct research in Russia.
Depending on the academic level, the competition may include:
- Portfolio assessment
- Motivation letter
- Entry test
- Subject-specific online tasks
- Research presentation
- Interviews with prospective supervisors or research project leaders
The entire competition is conducted online through the Open Doors platform.
How Does the Open Doors Scholarship Program Work?
Unlike a typical scholarship application, the Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project operates as an international academic competition.
Applicants register online, choose an academic track and subject area, create a portfolio, complete the required competition stages, and compete for winner status.
Successful Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral participants may receive the right to study in Russia under the government quota, with tuition funded by the federal budget.
Steps on How It Works
1. Register online
Create an account on the official Open Doors platform. For the 2026–2027 competition, registration runs from August 20 to November 1, 2026. Participation is free.
2. Choose your academic track
There are four tracks:
- Bachelor’s
- Master’s
- Doctoral
- Postdoctoral
Your previous education and, for some tracks, your age will determine which route you can apply through.
3. Choose a subject area
Select the academic field that matches your intended course of study or research.
Open Doors currently offers 14 subject areas, including Computer and Data Science, Engineering and Technology, Economics, Education and Psychology, Medicine, and Russian Language and Culture.
4. Build your portfolio
The first stage is a portfolio competition. Depending on your chosen track, you may need to provide details of your achievements, complete an entry test, write a motivation letter, and upload supporting documents.
5. Complete the next competition stage
The process differs by academic level:
| Track | Competition process |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s | Portfolio → final online assessment |
| Master’s | Portfolio → final online assessment |
| Doctoral | Portfolio → online assessment → supervisor or track-manager interviews |
| Postdoctoral | Portfolio → research-results video → research-project interviews |
For Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral applicants, the second-stage assessment is conducted online using identity verification and proctoring.
6. Become a winner or runner-up
Bachelor’s and Master’s winners are determined by their final-stage scores within their chosen subject areas.
Doctoral winners must also secure suitable research supervision or receive a program recommendation following the interview stage.
7. Use the award to study in Russia
For Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral winners, the main benefit is the right to study under Russia’s government quota, with tuition funded by the federal budget.
Winners can then complete the required admission and quota documentation before selecting eligible universities and programs.
The outcome is different for Postdoctoral winners. Instead of receiving a conventional degree scholarship, they are offered a research position at an organizing Russian university.
Is the Open Doors Scholarship Fully Funded?
The Open Doors award is a tuition-free study program.
The official rules state that winners of the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral tracks receive the right to study in Russia under the quota for foreign citizens, with tuition funded by the federal budget.
What is covered?
For eligible Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral winners, the main benefits include:
- Tuition funded by the Russian federal budget
- Access to eligible degree programs at participating universities
- Government-funded preparatory Russian-language study, where required for eligible winners
The official FAQ also confirms that tuition is covered by the Russian government.
What is not covered?
The award does not clearly cover:
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation
- Insurance
- Personal expenses
Participants are therefore responsible for costs that are not included in the tuition fees paid by the government.
Who Can Apply?
The Open Doors competition is intended for foreign citizens and stateless persons.
Applicants can apply through one of four tracks:
- Bachelor’s
- Master’s
- Doctoral
- Postdoctoral
Eligibility requirements differ significantly between the tracks. Applicants should therefore check the rules for their chosen academic level instead of using the Bachelor’s requirements to determine eligibility for a Master’s or Doctoral application.
What Documents Do You Need?
The exact portfolio requirements depend on your chosen track and subject area.
Applicants should generally prepare:
- Passport
- Academic certificates
- Academic transcripts
- Evidence of academic achievements
- Evidence of professional or research achievements, where relevant
- Motivation letter
- Supporting documents for listed achievements
- Research information for Doctoral and Postdoctoral applicants
- Language certificates, if available
The current rules require applicants to submit a scanned copy of the passport they intend to use for identification in Russia. The personal information entered in the applicant’s account must match the details shown on the passport.
Do not upload a document simply because another scholarship website lists it as a requirement. Follow the document instructions provided in your official Open Doors account.
Open Doors Subject Areas
Applicants must select a subject area when registering.
The current Open Doors project lists 14 subject areas:
- 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
Your chosen subject area is important because the competition tasks and academic expectations are linked to that field.
Can You Select More Than One Subject Area?
Yes. According to the official FAQ, there is no fixed limit to the number of subject areas in which a participant can compete.
However, you must submit a separate motivation letter for each selected subject area. You should also consider the possibility that second-stage sessions for different subject areas may take place on the same day.
If you become a winner or runner-up in multiple subject areas, you will eventually need to choose one subject area and one degree program for the relevant scholarship route.
Open Doors Competition Stages
The competition process is not the same for every applicant.
Bachelor’s and Master’s
These tracks have two stages:
Stage 1: Portfolio competition
Stage 2: Final online assessment
Second-stage tasks are completed under online proctoring. Participants are given 180 minutes to complete the relevant tasks.
Doctoral
The Doctoral track has three stages:
Stage 1: Portfolio
Stage 2: Online subject-specific tasks
Stage 3: Interviews with prospective research supervisors and/or Doctoral track managers
The third stage is especially important because Doctoral applicants must demonstrate that their proposed research is a suitable match for the available programs and supervisors.
Postdoctoral
The Postdoctoral track also has three stages:
Stage 1: Portfolio
Stage 2: Video presentation of research achievements
Stage 3: Interviews with research project leaders
This structure reflects the research-focused nature of the Postdoctoral opportunity.
Open Doors 2027 Important Dates
The current competition schedule includes several important dates:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | August 20, 2026 |
| First stage | August 20–November 13, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | November 1, 2026 |
| First-stage results | November 13, 2026 |
| Second-stage period | November 13–December 21, 2026 |
| Second-stage registration deadline | November 16, 2026 |
| Postdoctoral video deadline | December 6, 2026 |
| Bachelor’s and Master’s winners announced | December 21, 2026 |
| Doctoral and Postdoctoral third stage | December 22, 2026–February 26, 2027 |
| Third-stage registration deadline | January 10, 2027 |
| Doctoral and Postdoctoral winners announced | February 26, 2027 |
Applicants should pay attention to every stage of the competition. For example, qualifying for the second stage does not remove the requirement to register separately for a second-stage session before the stated deadline.
What to Do After You Win
Winning the Open Doors competition is not necessarily the final administrative step.
Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral winners receive the right to study in Russia under the government quota, subject to the applicable admission rules and enrollment process.
Bachelor’s and Master’s winners
Winners must complete the required documentation for study under the quota. They will then select the relevant academic field and preferred universities according to the applicable procedure.
The current rules allow Bachelor’s and Master’s winners to list up to six higher education institutions in order of preference when completing the relevant quota application.
Doctoral winners
Doctoral winners select an eligible organizing university and, where applicable, a prospective research supervisor.
The choice of university is therefore closely connected to the availability of a suitable program and research supervisor.
Postdoctoral winners
Postdoctoral winners select an organizing university where a research project leader has agreed to work with them.
This arrangement is closer to a research position than a conventional undergraduate or Master’s scholarship.
Does Open Doors Pay a Monthly Stipend?
The Open Doors project confirms that a monthly stipend may be available, but the amount varies by university.
Applicants should therefore avoid relying on a single universal stipend amount unless it has been verified for their chosen university and program.
The official FAQ advises participants to contact or consult their preferred university for detailed information about the available stipend.
Do You Need IELTS or TOEFL?
The Open Doors competition does not require applicants to submit a language certificate simply to participate.
According to the official FAQ, applicants do not need to prove their Russian or English proficiency through certificates during the competition. However, uploading documents that demonstrate language proficiency may improve an applicant’s portfolio score.
There is an important distinction after winning. A university may assess your language skills or require proof of proficiency in your chosen language of instruction during the admission process.
Therefore:
Competition participation: No mandatory IELTS or TOEFL certificate is stated.
University admission: Language proficiency may need to be assessed or confirmed.
Open Doors Scholarship for African Students
African students can participate if they meet the eligibility requirements for their chosen track.
The competition is not restricted to applicants from a small list of named countries. The official rules define eligible participants as foreign citizens and stateless persons, subject to the requirements of each academic track.
Applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and other African countries should evaluate their eligibility based on:
- Age
- Previous education
- Chosen track
- Subject area
- Required documents
- Competition rules
Applicants should not assume that nationality alone determines their eligibility.
Official Open Doors Scholarship Sources
For current eligibility requirements, subject areas, deadlines, competition instructions, and access to the application portal, use the official Open Doors website.
Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project — Official Website
Application Deadline
The application deadline for Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project 2027 – Full-Tuition Study in Russia is November 1, 2026.
Applicants should submit all required materials before this date and verify any last-minute changes through the official scholarship source.
Deadline verification: Check the official scholarship source for the latest country-, program-, university- or round-specific deadline.
StudyFinder Scholarship Details
Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project 2027 – Full-Tuition Study in Russia
Review the key scholarship information below, including eligibility-related requirements, funding, study details, deadline, and application information.
| Currency | Other |
|---|---|
| Scholarship Availability | International Students |
| Application Deadline | November 1, 2026 |
| Scholarship Status | Open |
Use the official application link to check the provider's latest requirements and submit your application.
