Are you interested in expanding your horizons to study in the world’s largest country, which has an impressive 68 universities featured in the QS BRICS University Rankings 2018? Read on for scholarships to study in Russia…
Government-funded Russian scholarships for international students
- Government of Russian Federation Scholarships – A set number of state scholarships to study in Russia are available for foreign students each year, with free tuition, student accommodation and a maintenance allowance, which amounted to 1,500 rubles a month in 2017 (approximately US$24). 15,000 of these scholarships were awarded in 2017.
Non-governmental Russian scholarships for international students
- The School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS) – Lists scholarships to study abroad in Russia and other former Soviet states, most of which are specifically for US students.
- Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships – Offers over 2,900 scholarships of up to US$5,000 for US undergraduate citizens to study or intern abroad. Applicants who are studying a foreign language (such as Russian) while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken will automatically be considered for the Critical Need Language Award, for a total award of $8,000.
- BP in Russia Research Scholarships – Russian scholarships of RUB 15,000 - 35,000 (~US$240-560) every month for students studying for degrees in energy and economics at one of the partner Russian universities. Applicants must be studying on state grants, have excellent grades and aim to develop in their chosen subject in the future.
- American Councils Scholarships – Various scholarships related to Russian language training and research in Russia, including the Title VIII Research Scholar Program, a scholarship for students to conduct independent research for three to eight months in one of the selected countries in Central Asia or Eastern Europe, including Russia. The value of the awards varies between US$7,000 to $25,000, and typically includes airfare, a monthly stipend, health insurance and more.
- Open Doors: Russian Scholarship Project – Scholarships are available for international students from any country to study a master’s degree in mathematics, physics, computer science or economics in Russia. Offered by the Russian Association of Global Universities, the scholarships cover the entirety of tuition fees.
University-specific Russian scholarships for international students
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) – Scholarships are available for excellent international students who demonstrate the potential for superior academic performance.
- National Research University – Higher School of Economics (HSE) Saint Petersburg – Several scholarships are available to study at HSE’s St Petersburg campus, covering 25 to 100 percent of the tuition fees of outstanding international students at all study levels.
- National University of Science and Technology MISiS – Stipends are available for international students commencing English-medium MSc STEM programs, both for those who are admitted via the Russian government scholarship program and those who are covering tuition fees using their own funds.
- Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University – Individual scholarship opportunities are available for master's degree programs studied in English at the university. The scholarship could cover tuition fees during one semester or costs of accommodation in the university dormitory.
- Tomsk State University – Various grants are available for international students.
- Russian International Olympic University – The Vladimir Potanin Foundation’s Olympic Scholarships Program offers 20 Russian scholarships to study a Master of Sports Administration program at the university, providing tuition, accommodation and a monthly stipend.
If you’re planning to study in Russia, take a look at our country guide, and see how Russian universities compare with those across the five BRICS countries in the latest QS BRICS University Rankings.
This article was originally published in October 2015. It was last updated in June 2018.
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