Open Doors: Russian Scholarship Project “Global Universities” Association
Registration for the Open Doors international intellectual competition for international students and young researchers – until 01 November 2026.
Winners and runners-up will have the opportunity to study tuition-free at leading Russian universities under the Education Quota for foreign citizens in the Russian Federation and may also receive additional government grant support.
The 2026 Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project of the Global Universities Association is being organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
Held online, the Open Doors competition offers four academic tracks: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral (PhD), and Postdoctoral for early-career international researchers.
The Open Doors competition welcomes talented young international students and stateless persons, including compatriots residing abroad, who demonstrate strong academic potential and wish to pursue higher education or engage in research at Russian universities.
To take part in Open Doors, applicants must register on the official project website: https://od.globaluni.ru/. Eligibility requirements vary by academic track and include criteria related to age and educational background.
Open Doors offers 14 subject areas, covering approximately 80% of the major academic fields and specializations available at Russian universities. Together, these subject areas represent more than two-thirds of the fields included in the Open Doors International Science Map. Further information is available here: https://od.globaluni.ru/#a-subjects.
Participants may choose either Russian or English as their language of participation.
The Bachelor’s and Master’s tracks are organized in two stages. During the first stage, the portfolios of participants who have completed the automated entrance test and submitted their educational documents, together with a motivation letter, are evaluated. Those selected advance to the second stage, where they complete assignments under remote proctoring designed to ensure independent work.
Preparation materials for the Open Doors second stage are available here: https://od.globaluni.ru/#a-subjects.
The Doctoral (PhD) track comprises three stages. In addition to the first two stages, participants take part in online interviews with prospective research supervisors affiliated with the universities organizing the competition. Participants who successfully complete the interview stage choose a research supervisor who has agreed to supervise their work leading to the doctoral degree (Candidate of Sciences).
The Postdoctoral track is also conducted in three stages. During the first stage, participants compile a portfolio; during the second stage, they submit a video presentation outlining their academic achievements; and during the third stage, they take part in online interviews with supervisors of research projects aligned with their academic profile and research interests.
Additional information on the Open Doors subject areas is provided at: https://od.globaluni.ru/#a-subjects.
Winners and runners-up in the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral (PhD) tracks will have the opportunity to study tuition-free at Russian universities under the Education Quota for foreign citizens in the Russian Federation and enroll at the Russian university of their choice. The grant support includes coverage of travel expenses to the place of study and the return travel upon completion of studies in Russia, a monthly allowance subject to maintaining good or excellent academic standing, coverage of voluntary health insurance costs, and reimbursement of accommodation expenses during the period of study.
Winners in the Postdoctoral track will be offered research positions at Russian universities. If necessary, the Russian Cultural Center is ready to provide consulting assistance to candidates (please contact us via email: budapest@hun.rs.gov.ru).