The SPbU Olympiad for Foreigners
Saint Petersburg State University (СПбГУ / SPbU) — one of the two most historic universities in Russia. Its Open International Olympiad is built specifically for foreign nationals: everything is remote, and winners are recommended for a budget-funded place within the government quota — and the test is in Russian.
Olympiads whose winners and prize-winners may apply for the Russian Government quota — school students' list
Official file (PDF) ↗The new season usually opens mid-November — sign up with us and we'll alert you as soon as it's confirmed.
International students are eligible according to the official list (the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education's 2026/27 school-students list). Admission benefits themselves vary by programme, track and admission rules.
In the latest verified rules (2025/26), winning could open the door to a quota seat — not guaranteed.
What is the SPbU olympiad for foreign students?
“Saint Petersburg University's Open International Olympiad for Foreign Students” — an olympiad built specifically for foreign nationals. The university states in as many words that it is held “for the admission of foreign citizens to the university for study on federal budget allocations, on places within the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation”.
🔴 And mind the name trap: the university also runs “the SPbU School Students' Olympiad” at a site called olympiada.spbu.ru — that is an entirely different olympiad: a domestic route whose benefit (admission without entrance exams, or 100 points in a subject) is conditional on an ЕГЭ score, whose final is in person in Saint Petersburg with costs borne by the participant. If you're a foreign national, your route is the Open International olympiad on this page.
And there are three versions of the Open International Olympiad depending on your stage: for school students (leading to a Bachelor's), for Bachelor's students (leading to a Master's), and for Specialist and Master's students (leading to a PhD). This page is about the school students' version.
What could you gain?
Subjects held in Russian require level ТРКИ-I (B1) for school students — if your level is lower, start with the language before anything else. And there are subjects held in other languages for which A1 Russian plus a written test in that subject's language is enough, so check the subject list before you rule yourself out. And winning is not a guarantee of admission — the nomination goes to the Ministry of Science, which issues the referral.
The timetable and the steps
On the university's site. You submit a participation application in one or more subjects — a maximum of 3, then print it, sign it and upload it. There are official tables mapping each olympiad subject to the corresponding study programmes — review them before you choose your subject.
Proof of identity + its notarised Russian translation under Russian law, your education document and its annexes + their translation, consent to data processing, and a copy of your study visa if you have one. 🟢 And if you haven't graduated yet: you may submit a certificate from your school with the grades for your last three completed terms.
Each subject includes a document competition (конкурс документов) — the portfolio documents must be uploaded in your personal account before 6 February. That is the deadline itself, so don't leave it to the last day.
Each subject has a test proving your level of Russian. And for subjects held in a language other than Russian there is additionally a written test in that language. All tests are remote — official text.
The winners' lists are published on the admissions committee's site no later than 13 March.
Before 20 March you must do three things: (1) email [email protected] confirming you wish to study (or declining), (2) choose your programme and submit your admission application in your personal account, (3) upload the full document file — the form in block capitals with a colour photo, a medical certificate of no health contraindications and freedom from all types of hepatitis and tuberculosis, an HIV-free certificate, and a 3×4 photo. And for medicine and dentistry subjects, also the results of the mandatory preliminary medical examinations.
🔴 All documents must be clear digital scans in Russian or with a notarised Russian translation from a notary or a body authorised under the law and international agreements. Notarised translations take time and money — start them now, not after you win. The exact document requirements should be checked on the official website before applying.
Subject clusters
Multiple clusters — check the grade mapping on the website:
Who can take part?
This olympiad is built for foreign nationals — you are the intended audience, not an exception to the rule.
This version leads to Bachelor's and Specialist programmes. If you're a Bachelor's or Master's student, there are two other versions of the same olympiad for you.
And for subjects held in a language other than Russian: A1 (the elementary level) is enough, plus a written test in that subject's language.
You may submit a certificate from your school with the grades for your last three completed terms instead of the leaving certificate — and upload the final certificate later.
Tap any question to open the answer ▾
💬What language is the test in?
The official quota route sets specific language levels: B1 for school students and B2 for Bachelor's students applying to a Master's (for subjects in Russian) — and A1 is enough for subjects held in another language, together with a test in the subject's language.
💬🔴 I found two websites — which one is mine?
These are two different olympiads with near-identical names, and this is the most dangerous confusion in this opportunity.
1) int-olimpiada.spbu.ru — the Open International Olympiad for foreign students. This is yours: everything is remote, and the prize is a budget-funded place within the Russian Government quota.
2) olympiada.spbu.ru — the SPbU School Students' Olympiad. That is the domestic track: its benefit (admission without entrance exams, or 100 points in a subject) is conditional on an ЕГЭ score — the Russian state exam — and its regulation states the final round is in person and that «costs related to participation are borne by participants themselves».
💬How many subjects can I apply for?
A maximum of 3 subjects — this is stated in the university's own text: “an application to take part in the olympiad in one or more subjects (no more than 3)”. So choose wisely: pick the subjects that map to the programmes you actually want.
💬Are the tests in person or online?
All of them are remote. The official text on the olympiad's site: «все олимпиадные испытания проводятся дистанционно» — meaning no travel and no transport costs to take part.
💬What documents does the quota route require?
Per the official page: a copy of your identity document with a notarised Russian translation + your education document and its annexes with their translation + a signed application form — all electronically. Translations must be notarised (by a notary or an accredited body).
💬I won — now what?
An easy official step that gets forgotten: the winner must email [email protected] confirming their wish to study at SPbU — without it, your place could go to someone else. Put it in your calendar.
This opportunity is competitive — and winning gives you an official recommendation from the university to the Ministry of Science for a place within the government quota; the ministry issues the final study referral. So the recommendation is the door, and the last decision is an official one. Dates change between cycles, so the final reference is int-olimpiada.spbu.ru and the foreign-admissions pages on abiturient.spbu.ru.
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