Call for South African Applicants: Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project 2026
Overview
The Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project 2026 is an international online academic competition organized by a consortium of Russian universities since 2017. The initiative identifies talented international students and researchers to pursue higher education and research at leading universities in the Russian Federation. The competition covers fourteen subject areas across scientific, technological, social science, and humanities disciplines, and is available in English or Russian.
Who can apply
The competition is open to foreign citizens and stateless persons who meet specific age and academic requirements for their selected track on the registration opening date. The Bachelor track is for applicants aged sixteen to twenty-three with secondary education. The Master track is for graduates aged twenty to thirty-three holding a Bachelor degree. The Doctoral track is for candidates aged twenty-two to thirty-five with a Specialist or Master degree. The Postdoctoral track is for qualified researchers aged twenty-four to thirty-nine holding a PhD or Doctor of Sciences qualification.
What you get
Successful Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral applicants may qualify for tuition-free education in the Russian Federation via the Education Quota for foreign citizens. Eligible winners may also receive government grant support depending on conditions, which can include travel expenses, a monthly allowance based on academic performance, voluntary medical insurance, and accommodation expense reimbursement. Postdoctoral participants may secure research positions at Russian universities.
Requirements
Applicants must select a subject area aligning with their academic qualifications, professional interests, and research objectives. Candidates must register and submit required information through their online accounts, and those seeking tuition-free education must subsequently complete the Education Quota application and upload necessary supporting documents. South African applicants are responsible for confirming qualification recognition through the South African Qualifications Authority and relevant professional bodies, as the opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training and receives no additional financial support from it.
How to apply
Interested individuals must review the participation rules and select the appropriate academic track and subject area. Candidates should check programme details, sample competition tasks, and technical requirements for online participation before registering and submitting their applications through the online platform.
Key dates
Registration opened on 20 August 2026, and the application deadline for the portfolio competition is 1 November 2026. Stage one of the portfolio competition runs from 20 August to 1 November 2026. Stage two involves subject-specific competition tasks from 13 November to 21 December 2026. Stage three features interviews and research assessments from 22 December 2026 to 26 February 2027. Winner announcements are scheduled for 21 December 2026 for Bachelor and Master applicants, and 26 February 2027 for Doctoral and Postdoctoral applicants.