Russia offers exam-free scholarships to Indian nationals: What to know

Kremlin waives entrance examinations for its 2026-27 state-funded scholarship programme, offering Indian students a merit-based pathway to study medicine, engineering and the arts

Russia has announced a state-funded scholarship programme that offers Indian nationals opportunities in a wide range of disciplines for the 2026–27 academic year without entrance examinations.

 

The move is likely to draw attention from Indian families looking for relatively affordable overseas education options amid rising costs in traditional study destinations. The scholarships will allow Indians to study at leading Russian universities in Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan, Vladivostok, Kaliningrad and other places.

 

No entrance exams

 

The programme will not have entrance tests. Selection will be based on a student’s academic performance and overall portfolio. This portfolio may include academic transcripts, research work, letters of recommendation, and certificates from national or international competitions and Olympiads.

 

 

Applicants can choose up to six universities in order of preference. However, final allocation will depend on the evaluation by the universities and the availability of seats.

 

Courses available in English

 

According to the Russian authorities, several courses, particularly in medicine and related fields, will be offered in English. As a result, proficiency in the Russian language will not be mandatory for admission to these programmes.

 

For students who wish to learn Russian, a one-year preparatory language course is available before the start of the main academic programme. This option may be useful for those planning long-term academic or professional engagement in the country.

 

Wide choice of disciplines and study levels

 

The scholarship covers multiple levels of higher education, including:

 

-Bachelor’s and specialist degrees

 

-Master’s programmes

 

-MPhil and advanced training courses

 

Students can apply across a broad set of disciplines, such as medicine, pharmacy, engineering, architecture, agriculture, economics, management, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, aviation, space studies, sports and the arts.

 

Two-stage selection process

 

The selection process will be conducted in two stages:

 

-Stage one (until January 15): Verification of documents and preliminary shortlisting of candidates

 

-Stage two: Allocation of students to universities by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, in coordination with participating institutions, along with issuance of visa-related documents

 

What students should keep in mind

 

While the scholarship removes entrance exams, students are expected to submit a strong and well-documented application. Experts advise applicants to carefully check eligibility conditions, course language options, and documentation requirements on the official scholarship portal before applying.

 

For Indian students weighing overseas education against cost pressures and limited domestic seats, the Russian scholarship programme offers an alternative pathway worth evaluating, especially in professional fields such as medicine and engineering.