1. Introduction

Imagine that you are able to avoid taking the entrance exams altogether, pick any university in Russia, and study for your Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree without having to pay tuition.

That is precisely what the Open Doors International Olympiad provides. The competition, which is held in Russia and supported by the Russian Government, is one that has now taken place for eight editions and grants winners free early admission to Russian universities with the tuition fees entirely covered by the Russian Federation.

The 2027 version is now open, comprising four categories: Undergraduate, Master's, Doctoral (PhD) and Post-doctoral. Registration will take place from 21 August to 1 November 2026, the first stage of the competition being assessed on the basis of your portfolio rather than your exam skills.

The information you need is all here, together with the exact method of entry.

2. Quick Facts

1. Scholarship Open Doors Scholarship 2027 (Open Doors International Olympiad)
2. Host country Russia
3. Backed by Government of the Russian Federation
4. Study levels Bachelor's, Master's, PhD (Doctoral), Post-doctoral

Tracks 4  Undergraduate, Master's, Doctoral, Post-doctoral

1. Entrance exams None for winners (free early admission)
2. Tuition Fully covered by the Russian Federation
3. Olympiad languages English and Russian
4. Language of instruction English or Russian (depends on program and university)
5. Eligible applicants Foreign citizens and stateless persons -all countries
6. Registration window 21 August -1 November 2026
7. Deadline 1 November 2026

3. About the Scholarship

The Open Doors Scholarship Program is designed for capable international students who wish to study at Russian universities without having to pay. The awards include:

Free early admission to any Russian university

No entrance examinations

Tuition fees covered by the Russian Federation, within a government quota for foreign citizens and stateless persons

Winners can enroll via a "single-window" system, which means that they may select any Russian university and any course that corresponds to their Olympiad subject without having to compete for a place again.

The competition has four tracks:

1. Bachelor's track - for prospective undergraduate students
2. Master's track - for Bachelor's degree holders (or those completing a Bachelor's in the year of the final)
3. Doctoral track -for Master's/Specialist's degree holders; winners choose their future research supervisor and interview with them during the Olympiad
4. Post-doctoral track - winners are interviewed by research project leaders and employed as researchers on suggested research projects

The Olympiad is divided into Subjects, which are groups of degree programmes that have the same fundamental theoretical basis. The complete list of Subjects is available on the websites of the universities that are taking part.

4. What Is the Scholarship For?

For winners who enroll through the Olympiad:

1. Free early admission at any Russian university - no entrance examinations
2. Full tuition coverage, funded by the Government of the Russian Federation
3. Admission within the government quota for foreign citizens
4. For the post-doctoral track: employment as a researcher on a suggested research project

Important: The official announcement refers solely to tuition fees and does not mention any monthly living stipend. Before you accept the offer, you should contact your selected university directly to find out what accommodation, stipend, or other forms of support are available and then plan your living expenses in Russia accordingly.

5. Eligibility Requirements

To enter the 2027 Open Doors Olympiad, you must:

1. Be a foreign citizen or stateless person (including compatriots living abroad)
2. Meet the degree requirement for your chosen track:
3. Master's track: hold a Bachelor's degree or be completing a Bachelor's program in the year of the Olympiad final
4. Doctoral track: hold a Master's or Specialist's degree in the year of the Olympiad final
5. Bachelor's track: for prospective undergraduate students
6. Agree to the processing of your personal data in accordance with Russian legislation (consent is given during registration)
7. Register and participate only once per Olympiad year with a single account - any breach results in disqualification

After they have been declared winners, the students are given admission to the programs that correspond to the subject of the Olympiad that they took.

6. Eligible Countries

• Participation in the Olympiad is available to foreign nationals and stateless people from all countries, including Russians who live abroad.
• There are no restrictions which are specific to countries; you will be allowed to enter if you have foreign citizenship or are stateless.

7. Available Programs / Fields

The Olympiad is organized in Subjects, each uniting several related fields of study:

1. Master's track: each Subject covers several Master's fields
2. Doctoral track: each Subject covers several doctoral fields
3. Bachelor's track: for prospective undergraduate students

A subject is a group of degree programmes that are based on the same fundamental theory. In previous editions, subject areas have usually comprised fields such as engineering, computer science, the natural sciences, medicine, economics, linguistics, and international relations - but the official list is available on the websites of the universities that organise the Olympiad, so it is always necessary to check the current subjects on the official Olympiad site before making your choice.

8. Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is ideal if you are:

1. A current final-year Bachelor's student or graduate planning a tuition-free Master's in Russia
2. A Master's or Specialist's graduate aiming for a funded PhD in Russia - especially if you want to choose and interview with your future supervisor directly
3. A recent PhD graduate seeking a paid research position in Russia through the post-doctoral track
4. A prospective undergraduate wanting to enter a Russian Bachelor's program through the Olympiad route

Since the first round is a portfolio competition, it is suitable for applicants who have visible achievements-such as good grades, awards, projects, publications, or competition results.

9. Required Documents

The Olympiad doesn't call for a conventional document package at the beginning; rather, your entry is based on your registration and your portfolio:

1. Registration details - personal data, login (your email address), and password, entered during online registration
2. Portfolio - submitted in Round 1, following the structure and evaluation criteria published in your personal account after registration

After registering, every participant gains access to:

• The official portfolio structure and evaluation criteria
• Demo versions of the second-round tasks - use these to prepare

A typical composition of your portfolio (make sure to check the guidelines given in your official account) should consist of your CV, motivation statement, academic records, and proof of your achievements such as awards, publications, project work, or results from competitions.

10. How to Apply (in step-by-step fashion)

Step 1. Register online.

You must register with the Olympiad registration system from 21 August to 1 November 2026, and for this you can use any computer that has internet access.

In step 2 you create your account.

On the official Olympiad website, click the 'SIGN UP' button and enter your personal information, along with a login (that is, your email address) and a password.

Step 3 - Check that consent has been given and turn the notifications on.

On registration you agree to the processing of your personal data in accordance with Russian law and are at the same time subscribed to all the Olympiad notifications and schedules.

Look at the materials in your personal account.

Following registration, you should go to the portfolio structure, the evaluation criteria, and the demo versions of the second-stage tasks.

In Step 5 you will build and submit your portfolio (Round 1).

Carefully put together your portfolio since it is at this stage that the majority of participants are eliminated.

In Step 6 you take part in Round 2.

Finish the problem-solving challenge. For those entering the doctoral programme, Round 3 consists of choosing a potential research supervisor and passing an interview with them.

Important rule: You are only allowed to sign up and take part once during each Olympiad year using one account; if you break this rule you will be disqualified.

11. Application Deadline

1. Registration opens: 21 August 2026
2. Registration closes: 1 November 2026

It is advisable to register early, since waiting until the last day could lead to technical difficulties and as soon as the registration period ends, late registration will no longer be possible.

12. Selection Process

The competition runs in stages, depending on your track:

1. Round 1 Portfolio competition - your achievements and documents are evaluated All tracks
2. Round 2 Problem-solving challenge (demo versions available in advance) All tracks
3. Round 3 Selection of a prospective research supervisor and interview Doctoral track
4. Interview Interview by research project leaders Post-doctoral track

Outcomes for winners:

• Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral winners: free early admission (within the government quota) to Bachelor's, Master's, or doctoral programs at the Russian university of their choice
• Doctoral winners: they also choose their future research supervisor during the Olympiad
• Post-doctoral winners: employment as a researcher in one of the suggested research projects

13. Application Tips

1. Take the first round as if it were the actual exam; it is the portfolio that determines who moves on. Begin to gather your evidence at this point: transcripts, certificates, awards, documentation of your projects, publications, and any results that are suitable for recommendations.
2. Select your Subject with care. The Subject you choose should correspond to the profile of the programme you wish to study. You should pick the Subject that is closest to your academic background-not the one that sounds the most prestigious.
3. Do the demo questions. Once you've registered, you will have access to demo versions of the second-round tasks through your personal account and the best way to prepare for Round 2 is to work through these demos.
4. When applying for a doctorate, you should find a supervisor early on by choosing a potential research supervisor with whom you will interview. Before the Olympiad gets going, look into the universities taking part and their faculty, and make sure you can discuss how your research interests match with those of theirs.
5. You should prepare using either English or Russian since both are official languages for the Olympiad-choose the one in which you can do your best, as you only get one opportunity each year.
6. Keep your one account; you should register only once. If you have more than one account you'll be automatically disqualified, no matter what your results are.