Study opportunities in Russia

A contest of skills, projects, and personality (not academic subjects) with an international track for Russian-speaking foreigners. Most stages are remote with an in-person final in Russia. Winning foreigners may enter university on a funded (budget) basis depending on the official rules and results — competitive and not guaranteed. It requires a good level of Russian. International-track registration starts around March 28. Check the official site before applying.

Kazan Federal University (KFU) olympiads have a dedicated track for foreign citizens called "INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIADS OF KFU" — separate from the general track for students in Russia. The international track's 2026/27 dates have not been announced yet: its official page is still on the 2025/26 season, and the 2026/27 dates published on the general track's page belong to school students in Russia — they are not the international track's dates. How the international track ran last season (2025/26, for reference only): an online qualifier in December and a final in February, in person at partner venues (Kazan and Uralsk) and/or online. It was open to grade 10–11 students, and to final-year Bachelor's and Specialist students and graduates of foreign universities (for Master's). The benefit on the international track: according to the organiser's page, foreign winners and prize-winners apply to study at KFU within the Russian Government quota, and the olympiad is on the Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — not a guaranteed place. Admission without exams or 100 points is a general-track benefit tied to the EGE.

A sector olympiad (mathematics, physics, chemistry, ICT, economics, engineering). The qualifier is online and the final is in person on the organizing universities' platforms. Participating in the final grants bonus points, and winning (with EGE 75+) may grant admission without exams at the organizing universities — subject to conditions. ⚠️ Some final-round platforms require a Russian passport to enter — an important point for foreigners. International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

2026/27 season — from the Tomsk State University announcement and the olympiad page: ORMO, the open interregional olympiad with international participation run by Tomsk State University (TSU) with TPU, TUSUR and SibSMU, for grades 8–11; taking part is free at every stage. Registration and the remote qualifier are on postupitsu.ru from 1 October 2026 to 10 January 2027 (120 minutes), or in person at regional venues on 13–22 November 2026 with a separate sign-up — each participant picks one format only. The final is in person on 26–28 February 2027 in Tomsk and at regional venues including CIS countries, with no separate registration. The ten subjects: Russian, literature, physics, geography, history, chemistry, mathematics, publishing, biology and informatics. For international students: the 2026/27 schedule page asks, for in-person stages, for an identity document ("удостоверение личности – для иностранных граждан" for foreign citizens) and SNILS data with no written exception — if you have no SNILS, ask the organiser; the olympiad page lists the "Russian Government quota for foreign citizens" among its benefits, and the olympiad is on the Ministry of Science's 2026/27 foreign-student quota list (entry 13) — a competitive right to apply, not a guaranteed place. Russian admission benefits (admission without exams or 100 points), per the olympiad page, apply only to subjects on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list: Russian and literature at level II, physics, geography, history and chemistry at level III — and require the EGE or the university's exam at 75 or more; mathematics, publishing, biology and informatics are not on the list. From the olympiad's published regulations (2025) — the 2026/27 regulations are not on the site yet: participation is open to citizens of Russia, foreign citizens and stateless persons (§1.7), and the olympiad's language is Russian (§1.12).

The 2026/27 season is announced with new regulations (23 September 2026), and registration is available on the participant portal with no closing date published: a multidisciplinary engineering olympiad coordinated by South Ural State University (SUSU) with partner universities, for grades 5–11 depending on the profile and first- and second-year vocational-college (SPO) students; free of charge. The regulations expressly include "those studying these programmes abroad", and the rules of procedure list a SNILS number among the registration data; the current source does not say whether a foreign student is exempt from it — if you have no SNILS, ask the organiser before registering. Dates differ by profile — there is no single deadline: the online qualifier (60 minutes, from anywhere) runs 9 November – 9 December 2026; the in-person qualifier at partner venues runs from 26 October (History, Russian, Law, Economics, Psychology, International Relations, Translation and Social Sciences) or from 9 November (Mathematics for grade 5, Natural Sciences, and Engineering & Technology) until 20 December 2026. Finals run 23 January – 21 March 2027, each profile on its own day: Natural Sciences on 31 January, and the 11 Engineering & Technology profiles spread from 23 January to 14 March; most finals are in person at partner venues (the 2026/27 final venue list has not been published yet), and five profiles have an online final: Translation (30–31 January) · Psychology (13–14 February) · Law (27–28 February) · International Relations (13–14 March) · Economics (20–21 March). Tasks are in Russian, and applications for direct entry to the final close on 18 December. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. Under Russian admission rules only two profiles carry an RSOSH level — Natural Sciences and Engineering & Technology (on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list, order No. 521: Natural Sciences level II, Engineering & Technology level I) — and those benefits are tied to the EGE; the other profiles carry no RSOSH benefits.

International track, 2026/27 season — for foreign citizens: Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod (UNN) runs the International Track of the "Future Researchers — Future of Science" olympiad for grade 10 and 11 students who are foreign citizens at the university's partner schools. The olympiad is held entirely in person at partner venues abroad — there is no distance round in 2026/27. Qualifying stage: 5 October 2026 Russian language · 6 October Biology and Physics · 7 October Mathematics and Chemistry; the final stage is in January–February 2027. Announced venues: Casablanca (Morocco — the Russian-Moroccan Educational Centre "Institute of Russian Culture") · Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) · Khujand, Dushanbe, Tursunzade and Bokhtar (Tajikistan) · Tashkent (Uzbekistan) · Kochkorka (Kyrgyzstan) · Aleksinac (Serbia) · Lima (Peru) and La Paz (Bolivia). Tasks are in Russian. The benefit, per the official invitation letter: foreign winners and prize-winners of the International Track get the right to admission to UNN without entrance exams to the first year of a Bachelor's or Specialist programme in a field matching the olympiad subject, within the Russian Government quota; results are valid for two years. Pre-registration is on the International Track page of the official website; if you are not at a partner school, ask the organisers before registering: [email protected]. This track is separate from the Russian track held inside Russia, which has its own registration and dates.

A broad-field olympiad. A remote qualifier on Moodle and an in-person final. It grants up to 10 bonus admission points at NEFU for all subjects, and some tracks (philology/indigenous languages) grant admission without exams or 100 points (provided EGE 75+) — subject to conditions. The strongest benefits are tied to NEFU and to the EGE, and the university is in Yakutsk (far away). International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An olympiad with nine profiles, three of them on the Ministry of Science's list (economics, Russian language, foreign language). A remote qualifier and an in-person final. Winners and place-holders in the listed profiles may enter Plekhanov without exams or 100 points in the subject — subject to conditions. The benefit is for the listed profiles only and tied to the EGE. International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. Usually Nov–Jan with the final in March. Check the official site before applying.

The 2026/27 season is announced with its regulations: the school law olympiad of the Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL) for grades 8–11 and vocational-college (SPO) students; the 2026/27 regulations expressly include "those studying these programmes abroad". Registration runs 1 October 2026 – 11 January 2027 (23:59 Moscow time) on the university's e-testing system; registration details are entered in Russian, and the school certificate must be issued on or after 1 September 2026. Online qualifier: 16 January 2027 for grades 8–10, and 17 January for grade 11 and SPO students. The final is in person (answers typed on a computer, two hours): 27 February 2027 for grades 8–10 and 28 February for grade 11 and SPO — in Moscow or at the university's branches in Vologda, Kirov and Orenburg, with your passport; final-stage registration runs 1–20 February. Tasks are in Russian. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. The university's 2027 admission rules for foreign applicants have not been published yet. Admission without exams or 100 points in Social Studies works under Russian admission rules and depends on the olympiad's level on the RSOSH list and on the EGE — so it is not automatic for a foreign applicant, and on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521) the olympiad is level I in the Law profile. The registration form has a field for SNILS (the Russian insurance number); if you don't have one, ask the organisers.

A physics olympiad (grades 8–11). A two-format qualifier (in person at NSU + online) and an in-person final. It is not on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521), so admission to NSU without entrance exams for this edition's winners needs confirming with the university itself. ⚠️ Foreigners' eligibility and the quota mechanism are unconfirmed in the source; contact the NSU international office ([email protected]) before relying on it. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

The 2026/27 season has started, and registration opens subject by subject. An open olympiad from Novosibirsk State University (NSU / its SESC boarding school) for grades 7–11 in 5 subjects; its new regulations (31 August 2026) set no citizenship condition — they invite "all interested school students in grades 7–11". The olympiad is entirely in person — there is no online participation at any stage: both the qualifying stage and the final take place at approved venues in Russia and several Central Asian countries (such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan), and the 2026/27 venue list is published by 11 October — so a student from outside that region needs to travel for both stages. Qualifying stage (11:00 Novosibirsk time): Mathematics 18 October (registration 28 September – 16 October) · Biology 1 November (registration 12–30 October) · Informatics 8 November (19 October – 6 November) · Physics 15 November (26 October – 13 November) · Chemistry 22 November (26 October – 20 November) 2026. Final stage — preliminary dates: Mathematics 14 February · Informatics 21 February · Chemistry 28 February · Biology 7 March · Physics 14 March 2027; final-stage registration starts 1 February. You register separately for each subject and each stage at vsesib.nsu.ru; registration closes 48 hours before the stage, and seats at each venue are limited. Required: an identity document (passport) and a certificate of enrolment from your school; the Russian SNILS number is optional. Tasks are in Russian. The benefit for international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. Winners and prize-winners who are citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan can also be admitted to NSU without exams, according to the university. Admission without exams or 100 points under Russian admission rules is tied to the EGE (75+), and the subjects' levels on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521) are: Informatics and Chemistry level I; Biology, Mathematics and Physics level II.

An architecture and art olympiad (drawing, graphics, composition, design, models...). The qualifier involves submitting works at collection points, and the final is in person as an exhibition/creative test. It grants admission benefits for architecture/art specializations per each university's rules — subject to conditions. The source mentions historic participation from 50 Russian regions and foreign countries, but International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Prepare your works early. Competitive and not guaranteed. The final is usually around February. Check the official site before applying.

A portal hosting several olympiads (including major ones like "Zvezda" and "The Future of Russia"), each with its own conditions and benefits. It grants admission benefits at SUSU for the accredited olympiads per the admission rules — subject to conditions. You must pinpoint exactly which olympiad interests you and read its conditions and the status of foreigners for it separately. Competitive and not guaranteed. The schedule is close to "Zvezda" (Oct/Nov–Jan then the final). Check the official site before applying.

The Herzen Olympiad for school students from Herzen State Pedagogical University in St Petersburg, in three areas: Geography · Foreign languages (English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese) · Education & Pedagogy. The olympiad's regulations state that participants may be "citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens and stateless persons". 2026/27 season — only the months are announced: a distance qualifier from November 2026 to January 2027 and an in-person final in March 2027; exact days and the opening of registration have not been announced (the Education & Pedagogy schedule is marked preliminary). Tasks are in Russian, and the final is in person with your passport — in 2025/26 all final venues were in Russian cities. Official note: Gmail addresses are not allowed at registration. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. Under Russian admission rules, Geography and Foreign Language give admission without exams or 100 points provided the EGE is 75+ (level II on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list, order No. 521; the "Education and Pedagogy" profile is level III there).

A drawing, graphics, and design olympiad. A remote qualifier by uploading works and an in-person final over several days. Winners in the "Drawing" and "Graphic Design" profiles may enter the "Graphics"/"Design" specialization without exams at the Polytechnic, and the remaining profiles get bonus points (up to 10) — subject to conditions. ⚠️ Important: foreigners' eligibility itself is doubtful and may be restricted to Russians — confirm it by contacting the university before any planning. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

The 2026/27 season: the All-Russian Tolstoy Olympiad from Tula State Pedagogical University (TSPU) in 7 subjects: Literature · History · Social Studies · Law · Biology · Informatics · Pedagogy. The olympiad's published regulations (November 2025) open participation "regardless of age and citizenship". Registration and the online qualifier run together from 1 December 2026 (06:00 Moscow time) until 31 December 2026 for Literature, and until 1 January 2027 for the other subjects. The final is in person at Tula university and partner institutions, and its dates have not been announced yet. Tasks are in Russian, and the registration form asks for passport details and a SNILS number — if you don't have a SNILS, ask [email protected] before registering. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. Under Russian admission rules only Literature, History, Social Studies and Law hold level III on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521) (and those benefits are tied to the EGE), while Biology, Informatics and Pedagogy carry no admission benefit.

The Open School Olympiad in Programming — organised by the Moscow Department of Education, MIPT and HSE University. The 2026/27 season has not been announced yet: the website is still on the 2025/26 edition (last season the information came out in mid-November). The regulations open participation "regardless of place of study or residence", and the winning criteria may differ "for students from different countries". The format: a long online qualifier, then an in-person final in Moscow or at regional venues for those above the points threshold; remote proctored participation is allowed only if a valid reason prevents you from travelling, with the organisers' approval. The language is Russian. Participants from outside Moscow who sit the final there get free accommodation and meals, and the final is usually in March. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. It was on the 2025/26 RSOSH list at level 1 in Informatics (and level I in Informatics on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list, order No. 521, too), and admission without exams under Russian rules is tied to the EGE.

The chemistry olympiad for grades 8–11 from Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, free of charge. The 2026/27 dates have not been announced yet. Under last season's regulations (2025/26): participation is open to "those studying these programmes abroad", the olympiad's languages are Russian and English, the qualifier is held remotely, and the final was in person in St Petersburg and at regional venues, with a remote option. For reference only: the 2025/26 season's registration and qualifier ran 1 November 2025 – 18 January 2026 and the final was on 2 March 2026 — that is not the 2026/27 schedule. The benefit: it is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place; but it is not on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521), so it gives no admission without exams or 100 points under Russian rules. At Pavlov itself the diploma adds bonus points (+4 for prize-winners and +8 for winners) per the admission rules. Useful if you are aiming for medicine or pharmacy.

A law olympiad (grades 9–11). A remote qualifier and an in-person final in Yekaterinburg. Level I in Law on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521); it grants admission without exams or the equivalent of 100 points in law (provided EGE 75+) per the university's admission rules — depending on conditions and results. ⚠️ Foreigners' eligibility and the quota mechanism are unconfirmed in the source; contact the international admissions office ([email protected]). Competitive and not guaranteed. Registration is via Yandex Forms. Check the official site before applying.

An architecture olympiad (the qualifying task is to draw an architectural view of your city). Clearly open to foreigners — the source says "any student from Russia or a foreign country." The qualifier is by sending the work by mail/in person to the admissions committee, and the final is in person. Winners are exempted from the creative tests when applying to the university's architecture faculty — subject to conditions. ⚠️ Account for the shipping time of your work from your country early. Competitive and not guaranteed. Registration is usually Oct 15–Nov 29. Check the official site before applying.

The "Technocup" (ТехноКубок) programming olympiad for grades 8–11 from MIPT, Bauman University and VK. The 2026/27 dates have not been announced yet: the "Технокубок 2026-2027" contest on the All Cups platform accepts registrations, but no rounds or new regulations have been published — the schedule on the website is the 2025/26 one. Participation is open to "those studying these programmes abroad", and tasks are in Russian. How last season ran (2025/26, for reference): two online qualifying rounds on All Cups (either one is enough), then a third in-person qualifying round at 25+ venues, and an in-person final at MIPT and Bauman University in Moscow — travel at the participant's expense, accommodation and meals covered by the organisers; the documents for the final included SNILS and a Russian medical insurance policy (if you don't have them, ask [email protected]). Rounds are usually in November–December and the final in March. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. Benefits for foreign applicants at each university are set by its admission rules for foreign citizens. Admission without exams or 100 points in Informatics is tied to the EGE (the olympiad is level I in Informatics on the final 2026/27 RSOSH list, order No. 521 — it was level 2 in 2025/26), and regardless of citizenship there are prizes and VK Education perks.

A drawing and design olympiad. The qualifier is by submitting one work per subject and the final is in person at the university. The diploma counts among individual achievements and adds admission points for NGUADI programs (the benefit details and figures should be checked on the official site) — subject to conditions. Historically, students from Kazakhstan and several regions participated, but International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. The final is usually in spring. Check the official site before applying.

The 2026/27 season: the physics and mathematics olympiad for grades 7–11 from MEPhI (NRNU MEPhI) and the Rosatom corporation, free of charge, with a separate qualifier and final for each subject. The olympiad's regulations expressly include "foreign citizens" among participants ("…лица, осваивающие указанные образовательные программы за рубежом и иностранные граждане"), and SNILS is required from Russian citizens only. The qualifier has several formats, and your best result counts: the distance round, 17 November – 21 December 2026 (online from anywhere, 3 hours, one attempt, in your personal account at org.mephi.ru) — the best fit for a student outside Russia; in-person rounds in the regions and at MEPhI branches in November 2026 (venues not published yet); and the in-person Physics round in Moscow took place on 27 September 2026. Qualifier results and the list of finalists come by 31 January 2027. The final is in February 2027 (the regulations allow 1 February – 31 March), in person at venues you choose in your personal account — the 2026/27 venues have not been announced yet. Tasks are in Russian, and travel and accommodation are at your own cost. MEPhI's website carries a general notice asking for a "Russian passport" to attend university events — that is an entry notice for the MEPhI campus, not an eligibility rule of the olympiad (the regulations check identity "by passport" without specifying its citizenship); if you plan to sit at the Moscow campus, ask [email protected] first. Winners and prize-winners are capped at 45% of qualifier participants and 25% of final participants. For international students: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — winning lets you apply for the quota, it is not a guaranteed place. On the final 2026/27 RSOSH list (order No. 521), Physics and Informatics are level I and Mathematics level II, and admission without exams or 100 points under Russian rules is tied to the EGE (75+).

An olympiad in the humanities and social sciences profile (history, social studies). The qualifier is remote by writing an essay through the site's services, and the final is in person in Moscow or remote. It grants admission benefits including 100 points in the subject at MGIMO and other universities (provided EGE 75+) — subject to conditions. Note: Level Three olympiads are not accepted at MGIMO. International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. The qualifier is usually Oct–Nov with the final in spring. Check the official site before applying.

A drawing and composition olympiad (grades 8–11), and the regulations (clause 2.5) explicitly allow students studying general-education programs "abroad" to participate — an important positive signal for foreigners, but the regulations refer to the place of study, not nationality, so confirm your eligibility as a "foreign citizen" with the university. An online qualifier (available from abroad) and an in-person final in Tyumen, entirely in Russian and free to participate. Winners get admission benefits (without exams or 100 points for the creative test) — subject to conditions. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A televised humanities olympiad (history and world culture): a regional stage + on-air competitions in Channel One's studio. Winners may get a special admission path at MGIMO per the program's and university's rules, and as an olympiad on the Ministry of Science's list it has benefits per the rules — subject to conditions. A unique format (not an ordinary online test) requiring excellent Russian and the ability to appear on camera. International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An olympiad with nine profiles (Russian language, mathematics, social studies, history, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, literature). A remote qualifier and an in-person final in Vladivostok (Russia's far east) or on partner platforms. The two listed profiles (Russian language and social studies) grant admission without exams or 100 points, and the rest grant bonus points (10 for the winner, 5 for the place-holder) — subject to conditions. International students are eligible according to the official list: the olympiad is on the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota — the admission benefits themselves vary by programme and admission rules. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

No current application date has been verified. International students are eligible according to the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 list for the foreign-student quota. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from DSTU (transport, roads, engineering, economics). Winners and place-holders may reach admission/priority within the government quota for DSTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's championship in high-tech marketing/management (for the High-Tech Marketing program) from the Marketing Institute at GUU. Winners and place-holders may get admission/priority within the government quota (the category refers to 40 bonus points) depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An engineering-technical Master's olympiad from STANKIN. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for STANKIN's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. [Exact link needs review.] Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in "Management" and "Economics" from GUU. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for GUU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad for foreigners from Akmola University (5 fields: physics, biology, mathematics, Russian language, social and psychological pedagogy). Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for the university's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An engineering-technical Master's olympiad from SamSTU. Winners and place-holders may get admission/priority within the government quota for SamSTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

Master's olympiads from RSSU (economics, management, social work, law). Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for RSSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's music competition-festival (vocals, orchestral/choral conducting, musical instruments) from SSIC. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for SSIC's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in chemistry/chemical technologies from MUCTR. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for MUCTR's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. [Exact link needs review.] Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in culture and the arts from KazSIC. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for KazSIC's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad across the Eurasian universities network (multiple fields), coordinated by UNN. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for UNN's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from TPU (ecology, IT, thermal power, oil and gas, physics, geology, automation, software engineering, electrical power, materials, nuclear physics, mechatronics and robotics, chemical technology). Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for TPU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in ecology and environmental sciences from SSTU. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for SSTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A remote Master's olympiad in Russian language and country studies from KalmSU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for KalmSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An engineering-technical Master's olympiad from NSTU/NETI. Winners and place-holders may get admission (without exams) or priority within the government quota for NSTU/NETI's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad across the Russian-African universities alliance (broad fields: engineering, natural sciences, humanities, medical...), coordinated by SPbPU. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for the alliance's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An engineering-technical Master's olympiad from INRTU (iPolytech). Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for INRTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from KFU (80+ specializations, including Russian as a Foreign Language). Winners and place-holders get KFU certificates and the chance to enter KFU's Master's without entrance exams; foreigners enroll within the government quota (and may apply for the Russian President's scholarship) — depending on conditions and results. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from MGIK (6 fields: cultural studies, design, applied arts, folk dance, directing, socio-cultural activity). Winners and place-holders may get admission/priority within the government quota for MGIK's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's portfolio contest from RANEPA. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for RANEPA's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. (Fields should be checked on the site.) Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in power engineering from MPEI. Winners and place-holders may get admission/priority within the government quota for MPEI's Master's programs (the category refers to 40 bonus points) depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) from BelSU. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for BelSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in economics from RSUH. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for RSUH's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from NCFU (multiple fields). Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for NCFU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An online Master's olympiad in Russian and English from LUNN. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for LUNN's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A technical Master's olympiad from UUST (aerospace, materials, IT, oil...). Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for UUST's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in tourism and hospitality from RSSU. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for RSSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. (The organizer to be confirmed.) Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from the Pushkin Institute (Russian language + general subjects in Russian). Winners and place-holders may get free Master's study on the federal budget within the government quota at the Pushkin Institute depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) from Minin University. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for Minin's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad for foreigners from Chechen State University (multiple fields). Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for ChSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in music and music education from PSHPU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for PSHPU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in the fundamentals of engineering design (in Russian) from Bauman. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for Bauman's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in physics (in Russian) from Bauman. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for Bauman's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in mathematics from NEFU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for NEFU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad from the Griboyedov Institute (law, economics, humanities). Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for the institute's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. (A private institute — confirm the funding details.) Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in information technology (Microsoft/Autodesk/Adobe/Cisco/Oracle certifications...) from IT Hub University. Winners and place-holders may get admission/priority within the government quota for IT Hub's Master's programs (the category refers to bonus points + an IT quota) depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in the arts and creative industries from ICA. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority (free study) within the government quota for ICA's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in the control of technical systems (in Russian) from Bauman. Winners and place-holders may reach admission (free study) within the government quota for Bauman's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in finance/the securities market from NCFU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for NCFU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's research contest in economics (national economy development) from Minin University. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for Minin's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in economics and management in the energy sector from KSPEU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for KSPEU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's research contest in economics and management from Minin University. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for Minin's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in hotel management and hospitality from RSUTS. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for RSUTS's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad for foreigners from Mordovia University (multiple fields). Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for the university's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in geology and geological prospecting from MGRI. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for MGRI's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's contest in agriculture and agricultural innovation from MkSTU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for MkSTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in life safety (in Russian) from Bauman. Winners and place-holders may reach admission (free study) within the government quota for Bauman's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in information technology (in Russian) from Bauman. Winners and place-holders may reach admission (free study) within the government quota for Bauman's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's contest in transport and engineering from RUT MIIT. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for RUT MIIT's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's contest in culture and the arts from the Kemerovo Institute. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for the institute's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) from AmSU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for AmSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

An infocommunications and IT olympiad from the St Petersburg State University of Telecommunications (СПбГУТ), for 3rd- and 4th-year Bachelor's students — at universities in Russia and in other countries, so you do not have to be studying in Russia (clause 3.1). 🇬🇧 One track, "Infocommunication technologies in the regions of the world", is open only to foreign citizens, with presentations in English or Russian (clause 6.3); the other tracks are in Russian. The benefit announced on the olympiad site is admission to the university's Master's programmes without entrance exams; ⚠️ but the regulation itself (clause 9.1) says "advantages on admission in accordance with the university's admission rules" — weaker wording, and the regulation is what gets applied. Winning also brings a diploma and publication of your paper in the conference proceedings. Fully online — registration 26 January – 1 March, final 16–17 March.

A Master's competition in music, vocals, and performance from the Popov Academy. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for the academy's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's universiade from NMSTU (multiple fields). Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for NMSTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in design from NSUADA. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for NSUADA's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in history from OmSU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for OmSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in physics and engineering from MEPhI (automation and electronics, laser/plasma/radiation, biomedical physics, information security...). Winners and place-holders may get admission/priority within the government quota for MEPhI's Master's programs, and the university also offers Master's admission without exams — depending on conditions and results. Competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying. ⚠️ An important caveat: we have found no published regulation for this olympiad. And MEPhI's official admissions page limits the Master's exam waiver to four specific categories (including "I am a Professional" and the National Technology Olympiad), conditional on the diploma being issued after 1 January 2025 and on your profile matching the programme's field. That page says nothing about foreign citizens — neither for nor against. ⇒ Check the admission rules yourself and ask the university outright: is this olympiad among those categories, and is the waiver open to non-Russian citizens? Do not base a decision to travel on this line until you have a written answer.

A Master's olympiad in mathematics from AmSU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for AmSU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's contest in music education and performance from Minin University. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for Minin's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's contest in media and creative business from Minin University. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for Minin's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's contest in entrepreneurship and social projects from PNU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for PNU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in the Russian language from USPU. Winners and place-holders may reach admission within the government quota for USPU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.

A Master's olympiad in engineering, engineering modeling, and drawing from OmSTU. Winners and place-holders may get strong admission/priority within the government quota for OmSTU's Master's programs depending on results — competitive and not guaranteed. Check the official site before applying.