The 2026 Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project of the Global Universities Association is being organized for the tenth consecutive year 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. Over the years, the project has gained broad international recognition, attracting more than 600,000 participants from over 200 countries. More than 20,000 participants have become winners or runners-up.

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.

The Open Doors rules of participation are available here: https://od.globaluni.ru/rules.
The competition schedule can be found here: https://od.globaluni.ru/#a-schedule-block.

Each year, the organizers of the Open Doors project note growing levels of participant motivation and preparedness. In 2025, the most popular subject areas among Bachelor’s track participants were Computer and Data Science, Clinical Medicine and Public Health, and Engineering and Technology. In the Master’s track, the most frequently selected subject areas were Business and Management, Computer and Data Science, and Engineering and Technology. In the Doctoral track, the most popular areas were Business and Management, Clinical Medicine and Public Health, and Computer and Data Science. 

Additional information on the Open Doors subject areas is provided at: https://od.globaluni.ru/#a-subjects.

More than 2,500 participants were named winners in the Open Doors Bachelor’s and Master’s tracks, and approximately 3,700 were recognized as runners-up. In the Doctoral (PhD) track, more than 260 participants were awarded winner status.

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 within the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation and enroll at the Russian university of their choice. 

Participants enrolling in Russian-language degree programs may also receive grant support provided by the Government of the Russian Federation. The support package includes reimbursement of travel expenses related to arrival in the Russian Federation and departure upon completion of studies, a monthly stipend, medical insurance, and reimbursement of accommodation expenses during the period of study.

Winners in the Postdoctoral track will be offered research positions at Russian universities.

The Open Doors online support service is available throughout the year to assist participants and answer their questions. 

Answers to frequently asked questions can be found here: https://od.globaluni.ru/#a-faq.