What Nigerian students should know about the Open Doors Scholarship and who it's for
Since 2017, the Open Doors Scholarship has provided fully funded academic opportunities for young individuals at leading Russian universities for bachelor's, master's, PhD, and postdoctoral programs. The scholarship covers tuition fees and a monthly stipend that varies by university.
Source: Facebook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Is the Open Doors Scholarship open to Nigerians?
- Who is eligible for the Open Doors Scholarship?
- Academic requirements and qualifications for the Open Doors Scholarship
- Open Doors application process: Detailed registration steps
- A look at the benefits of the Open Doors Scholarship
- Open Doors Scholarship universities
- When is the Open Doors Scholarship deadline?
- What is the age limit for the Open Doors Scholarship?
- What is the Open Doors Scholarship acceptance rate?
- Do I need a motivation letter for the Open Doors Scholarship?
Key takeaways
- The Open Doors Scholarship covers 100% of tuition fees for the full duration of the chosen study program.
- The scholarship program supports four distinct academic levels: bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral tracks across 14 subject areas.
- The Open Doors Scholarship is open to foreign nationals, including Nigerians, stateless persons, and compatriots residing abroad.
- To qualify for the program, applicants must meet age requirements ranging from 16 to 23 for bachelor's to 24 to 39 for postdoctoral tracks.
Is the Open Doors Scholarship open to Nigerians?
Nigerian students are eligible for the Open Doors Scholarship. Eligibility extends to stateless persons and compatriots residing abroad. Recipients of the scholarship include Prosper Onochie, a PhD in Biology & Biotechnology student at the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) in Russia. While providing details of his experience to Polytech Global, he said;
I found it online while searching for scholarship programs from home, and it made my dreams financially possible. Russia offered new cultural experiences and career growth.
Source: Facebook
Subject areas in the scholarship program are also compatible with Nigerian academic programs, making it perfect for Nigerian students. Degrees achieved in the listed Russian universities are recognised in many countries, including the BRICS, Asian, and African countries.
Who is eligible for the Open Doors Scholarship?
Eligibility for the opportunity depends on a set of rules of participation. Here are the requirements you need to meet to win the opportunity.
- Candidates must have completed secondary education.
- Individuals seeking to participate in the bachelor’s track must be aged 16 to 23 at the time of registration.
- Candidates must be aged 20 to 33 at the time of registration to participate in the master’s track.
- To be eligible to participate in the doctoral track, individuals must be aged 22 to 35 at the time of registration.
- Individuals seeking to participate in the postdoctoral track must be aged 24 to 39 at the time of registration.
Source: Facebook
To be eligible, candidates must qualify for their desired study level and subject areas, such as science and engineering courses. Here are the interdisciplinary subjects included in the scholarship's academic programs.
- Applied Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence
- Biology and Biotechnology
- Business and Management
- Chemistry and Materials Science
- Clinical Medicine and Public Health
- Computer and Data Science
- Earth and Environmental Sciences for Sustainability
- Economics and Econometrics
- Education and Psychology
- Engineering and Technology
- Physical Sciences and Technology
- Politics and International Studies
- Russian Language and Culture
- Urbanism and Civil Engineering
Academic requirements and qualifications for the Open Doors Scholarship
The competition is highly competitive and focuses on academic merit rather than financial status. Below are the key academic requirements and qualifications for the 2025/2026 cycle.
Source: Facebook
- Proof of education level (diploma, degree, and transcript)
- Motivation letter
- For the bachelor’s track, candidates must have a WAEC/NECO secondary education.
- Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree for a master’s track.
- For the doctoral track, candidates must have at least a master’s or specialist degree.
- Nigerian participants of the postdoctoral track must have a PhD or be a candidate for a Doctor of Science degree.
Open Doors application process: Detailed registration steps
The Open Doors Scholarship application typically begins with an online registration, submission of a portfolio of academic achievements, and a subject-specific online test. Here is a deep dive into each stage in the application process.
Source: Facebook
- On your browser, go to the official Open Doors website.
- During the registration window, you will find a registration tab.
- Click on the registration tab and provide your personal information.
- You will be required to select your subject track and upload academic documents: transcripts and certificates.
- Complete the 45-question, 60-minute online test in your chosen field.
- You are required to provide a login (identical to your email address) and a password.
Stage 1: Portfolio submission, review, and entrance test
During Stage 1, participants are expected to complete their portfolio, which includes taking the entrance test, filling in required fields, and uploading supporting documents to their account.
All supporting documents must be in the Russian or English language. Alternatively, they can be accompanied by a translation into any of the official languages. This language requirement also applies to all required fields on application forms.
Once completed, the portfolios are evaluated by a jury of the relevant subject area, and a score will be published in the participant's account. Based on the evaluation scores, ranked lists of participants are compiled and published on the Open Doors website.
Source: Facebook
Stage 2: Competition of tasks
Each participant will receive information regarding their advancement status on their accounts. To participate in this stage, candidates must do the following
- Complete a second registration form.
- Provide passport details.
- Upload a photo or scanned copy of identification documents.
- Note the scheduled test dates for their respective academic track.
The second stage tests are conducted in a proctored format on specified dates between 08:00 and 20:00 (UTC+3). That is 06:00 and 18:00 WAT in Nigeria.
On the assigned date of the test, identity verification must be completed before participants can gain access to the stage tasks and the point value of each task. This assessment includes a written task to be completed within 175 minutes and an oral task to be completed within five minutes.
Like in the first stage, ranked lists of participants in each academic track will be compiled in descending order of the overall score. This stage marks the end of the application process for the bachelor's and master's tracks.
Source: Facebook
Stage 3: Interview
The third stage is currently open to doctoral and postdoctoral tracks (12 January to 26 February 2026). Each participant is expected to have up to six interviews. For participants in the doctoral track, interviews will be held with potential research supervisors and doctoral track managers. While for candidates on the postdoctoral track, they will be held with the heads of research projects.
Be sure to consistently check your Open Doors account for updates to the interview schedules. Requirements for the participants include;
- A webcam-enabled device
- Original identification document
- An internet connection with speeds of at least 256 Kbps.
Source: Facebook
A look at the benefits of the Open Doors Scholarship
The scholarship benefits include free tuition for eligible candidates for the full duration of their chosen study program. While there is no verified Open Doors Scholarship amount, the scholarship covers 100% tuition fees and a monthly stipend that varies depending on the university chosen.
However, expenses such as transportation, food, accommodation, communication services, and medical insurance must be covered by the student. Nigerian students who have been accepted into the program are also entitled to a year of complimentary Russian language training.
Open Doors Scholarship universities
This fully funded scholarship scheme for Nigerian students is organised by the Association of Global Universities and is supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Rossotrudnichestvo. Have a look at a list of Russian universities in the consortium.
Source: Facebook
- Far Eastern Federal University
- Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education
- Bauman Moscow State Technical University
- First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
- HSE University
- ITMO University
- Kazan Federal University
- MGIMO University
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University)
- Moscow Polytechnic University
- Moscow State University of Civil Engineering
- National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod
- National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
- National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University
- National Research Tomsk State University
- Novosibirsk State University
- People’s Friendship University of Russia
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
- Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI”
- Samara University
- Siberian Federal University
- Southern Federal University
- University of Science and Technology MISIS
- University of Tyumen
- Ural Federal University
Source: Facebook
When is the Open Doors Scholarship deadline?
The registration and portfolio submission deadline for the 2025-2026 program was on 16 November 2026. Open Doors Scholarship announcements for dates and deadlines for future cohorts will be announced through social media and the official Open Doors website.
What is the age limit for the Open Doors Scholarship?
At the time of registration, applicants must be 16 to 23 years old for bachelor's degrees, 20 to 33 years old for master's degrees, 22 to 35 years old for doctoral degrees, and 24 to 39 years old for postdoctoral tracks.
What is the Open Doors Scholarship acceptance rate?
The Open Doors Russian Scholarship project is highly competitive. For bachelor's and master's tracks, the program only accepts the top 25% who successfully pass all stages as award winners.
Do I need a motivation letter for the Open Doors Scholarship?
Documentation required for the scholarship includes a motivation letter detailing career goals, research interests, and reasons for choosing the subject.
The Open Doors Scholarship offers full tuition funding for students around the world, including Nigeria. The program also provides structured academic pathways in 14 subject areas for students seeking to complete their bachelor's, master's, PhD, and postdoctoral studies. Prospective candidates must prepare and apply early, meet the eligibility criteria, and follow the multi-stage process closely to be among the top 25%.
Legit.ng recently published an article about the leading Canadian scholarships for Nigerian students in 2026, including the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, and University of Calgary Graduate Awards. These scholarships provide comprehensive support, covering tuition, living expenses, travel, and academic supplies.
Nigerian students are eligible to apply for many Canadian scholarships at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Read on for eligibility details, application process, and tips for the scholarships.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
