About us

The Open Doors offers limitless opportunities for education, self-development, and new academic career prospects in Russia for young talented individuals from around the globe. 

The Open Doors has been held annually since 2017. It is organized by the Association of Global Universities, a consortium of leading Russian universities, and is supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Rossotrudnichestvo.

Each year, over a hundred thousand talented and motivated young people from many countries participate in the Open Doors. The competition covers 14 interdisciplinary Subject areas, ranging from engineering and medicine to economics and linguistics, with tracks available for bachelor's, master's, doctoral and post-doc candidates. Participation in the Open Doors is free of charge and the competition is held online. The working languages of the Open Doors are English and Russian. 

Winning the Open Doors gives admission to bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral programs, or secures a post-doc position in research projects at one of Russia's leading universities through a streamlined, one-stop process. Over the past ten years, the project has attracted more than 618,000 participants from over 200 countries. More than 16,700 participants have become winners and runners-up.

What are the benefits for the winners of the bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral tracks?

• Free tuition for the chosen study program, taught in English or Russian. Students who have selected a degree program taught in Russian are entitled to a year of complimentary Russian language training;
• The opportunity to choose a university and degree program through a streamlined, one-stop system;
• An engaging student life experience and vibrant campus environment;
• Ongoing support and assistance provided at every stage of the academic journey.

What are the benefits for the winners of the postdoctoral track?

• A post-doc position in a research project at one of Russia's universities;
• The opportunity to choose a university research project through a streamlined one-stop system;
• The opportunity to work under the guidance of world-renowned scientists, using state-of-the-art research equipment;
• Continuous support at every stage of their research work.

How many stages are there in the Open Doors?

There are two stages in the Bachelor’s and Master’s tracks:

The First stage is a portfolio review and an entry test. The Second stage is a completion of the Open Doors tasks.

There are three stages in the Doctoral and Postdoctoral tracks:

The First stage for both tracks is a portfolio review and an entry test.

The Second stage for the Doctoral track is a completion of the Open Doors tasks; for the Postdoctoral track — a video presentation of achievements in research activity.

The Third stage for the Doctoral track is an interview with potential research supervisors, and for the Postdoctoral track — an interview with the leaders of research projects.

Who can participate in the Open Doors?

Foreign citizens or stateless persons, including compatriots living abroad, who can verify the completion of the previous degree of education or who will complete it in the year the Open Doors is held, depending on the chosen track:

• Bachelor’s track – a completed general secondary education;
• Master’s track – a degree of higher education, at least that of a bachelor;
• Doctoral track – a degree of higher education, at least that of a master’s or specialist;

• Participants of the Postdoctoral track should have a PhD or a candidate/doctor of science degree.

   

Seize this unique opportunity to start an educational or academic career in Russia!

For more detailed information, please refer to the Open Doors's Rules of Participation.

The Open Doors team is always available to address any questions that may arise.