How to get a scholarship or grant? Tips for St Petersburg University students

Personal/notable competitive scholarships are awarded to St Petersburg University students enrolled in specialist’s, bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate programmes. Competitive selection is carried out throughout the academic year.

For more information on the scholarship application and selection criteria, please, refer to the subsection ‘Scholarships’ of the St Petersburg University portal ‘Extracurricular activities’ at https://students.spbu.ru

How to find and enter a scholarship competition

  • Keep up-to-date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Extracurricular activities’
  • Submit your scholarship application within the application window set by the scholarship contests rules
  • Follow updates and results of competitive selections

September scholarships

  • Lomonosov scholarship; applications are accepted from 15 to 30 September

  • The Rector’s scholarship for master’s students; applications are accepted from 1 to 14 September
  • Professor Tugarinov scholarship; applications are accepted from 1 to 10 September

October scholarships

  • Academician Fursenko scholarship; applications are accepted from 1 October to 30 November

  • Academician Mitrofanov scholarship; applications are accepted from 1 to 31 October
  • Professor Mavrodin scholarship; applications are accepted from 1 to 31 October
  • Rosneft scholarship; applications are accepted from 1 to 31 October
  • Personal scholarship for students pursuing bachelor’s and master’s programmes in economics, who excel in academic, research, and practice-oriented activities; applications are accepted on 1 to 31 October

November scholarships

  • Personal scholarship for outstanding achievements in sports for St Petersburg University students; applications are accepted from 1 to 30 November

December scholarships

  • Academician Piotrovsky scholarship; applications are accepted from 20 December to 31 January
  • The ‘Talent, creativity, efforts’ scholarship for students of secondary vocational education; applications are accepted from 1 December to 31 January

Required documents

To participate in the scholarship contest, applicants are required to submit:

  • completed application form;

  • application attachments (copies of publications, diplomas, awards, etc.);
  • other documents, specified in the scholarship application rules and guidelines.

Research papers and/or monographs are to be related to the topic(s) specified in the scholarship application rules and guidelines.

Types of publications:

  • Scopus or Web of Science indexed publications
  • A monograph with its review (or link) published in a Scopus or Web of Science indexed journal
  • A monograph not reviewed in a Scopus or Web of Science indexed journal
  • Publications in a leading Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) periodical
  • Non-periodical print publications that are not monographs or collective monographs (for example, a collection of abstracts from a student science conference or an article in an almanac of a student scientific association, proceedings of other scientific events or scientific associations)
  • Publications in a periodical not indexed in Scopus, Web of Science and/ or RSCI
  • Papers in other scholarly (academic, educational, and methodological) international, all-Russian, departmental or regional publications for the calendar year preceding the year of the scholarship award

February scholarships

Applications for the following scholarships are accepted from 1 February to 31 May

  • Scholarship of the Government of the Russian Federation for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students
  • Scholarship of the Government of St Petersburg for students of educational institutions of higher and secondary vocational education
  • Starovoitova scholarship of the Government of St Petersburg for achievements in the humanities
  • Petrov scholarship of the Government of St Petersburg for achievements in musical arts
  • Compatriots’ scholarship of the Government of St Petersburg for students from the Baltic states
  • Scholarship of the Government of St Petersburg for orphaned and disadvantaged children, deprived of parental care
  • Granin scholarship of the Government of St Petersburg for students in linguistics and literary studies
  • Academician Merkuriev scholarship
  • Solzhenitsyn scholarship
  • Likhachev scholarship
  • Gaidar scholarship
  • Sobchak scholarship
  • Tumanov scholarship
  • Voznesensky scholarship
  • Government of St Petersburg scholarship in mathematics
  • Government of St Petersburg scholarship in physics
  • Government of St Petersburg scholarship in information technologies
  • Government of St Petersburg scholarship in chemistry
  • Government of St Petersburg scholarship in the Russian language

Applications for the following scholarships are accepted from 1 February to 31 March:

  • President of Russia Scholarship for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students who study in the fields of priority for the technological modernisation of the Russian economy
  • Russian Government Scholarship for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students specialising in the fields of priority for the technological modernisation of the Russian economy

Required documents

  • Scholarship application
  • Statement of consent to processing of personal data of the applicant
  • Academic progress report (for undergraduate and graduate students); qualifying examinations report (for postgraduate students)
  • Reference / recommendation letter from the supervisor, certified by the HR department
  • Candidate’s achievements report signed by the candidate and countersigned by the supervisor
  • Documents confirming that the candidate is: a winner of all-Russian and international Science Olympiads; art contests; festivals; the author of discoveries; the author of no less than two inventions (copies of diplomas, patents, certificates, etc.)

Grants

St Petersburg University students are eligible for participation in the following grant competitions:

  • Financial support for participating in international scientific events with an oral presentation (Activity 5)
  • Financing support for travelling to Russian and international organisations for research projects (Activity 6)
  • Special Rector’s Scholarship for St Petersburg University doctoral students

Activity 5

Selection criteria:

  • Level of the scientific event
  • Priority areas for research identified in St Petersburg University Strategic Plan 2020 and the Strategy of Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation
  • St Petersburg University’s priorities for international collaboration
  • Candidate’s publication activity and participation in scientific events, individual achievements in research and innovation

Activity 6

Students are only eligible for participation in Competitions to finance ‘research internships for students and young scientists.’

Requirements:

  • Publications in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals over the past three calendar years
  • Scholarship winners are required to publish a project report in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru

Selection criteria:

  • The host researcher’s level
  • Publications co-authored by the candidate and the host researcher
  • Priority areas for research identified in St Petersburg University Strategic Plan 2020 and the Strategy of Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation
  • St Petersburg University’s priorities for international collaboration
  • Candidate’s publication activity, a record of granted patents, scholarships, prizes, awards, and other individual achievements in research and innovation

Special Rector’s scholarships for St Petersburg University postgraduate students

The scholarship is awarded to postgraduate students for achievements in research and innovation.

Selection criteria:

  • Publications by the candidate in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals;
  • A record of individual grants, awards, prizes, granted patents, and presentations at the international conferences.

The scholarship is awarded annually and is paid starting from December each year.

Scholarship duration: one year (may be renewed for another year)

Scholarship amount: 15,000 roubles paid monthly

Five scholarships are awarded each year.

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru

Grants

For undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students of universities and academic institutes located in St Petersburg

The scholarship contest is held to attract young people to science and promote innovative activities among them in the following fields:

  • Humanities;
  • Natural sciences;
  • Technical sciences;
  • Medical sciences;
  • Culture and art.

Competition awards amount to 20,000 and 50,000 roubles for undergraduate/ graduate students and postgraduate students respectively.

The scholarship competition is held in summer.

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru

Competition of The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR)

for best fundamental research projects conducted by young scientists enrolled in doctoral programmes (‘Aspiranty’)

Competition objectives:

  • enable young postgraduate students to complete their doctoral theses;
  • assist in employment and professional integration of young scientists in Russian scientific organisations.

Eligibility and selection criteria:

  • second-year postgraduate students enrolled in a full-time doctoral programme;
  • publications in journals included the Higher Attestation Commission List (further – publications in VAK journals).

Grant amount / duration: 1,200,000 roubles over two years

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru

The RFBR supports fundamental research projects in the following research directions:

  • mathematics and mechanics;
  • physics and astronomy;
  • chemistry and materials studies;
  • biology and medical sciences;
  • Earth sciences;
  • humanities and social sciences;
  • information and communication technologies and computing systems;
  • fundamentals of engineering sciences.

Competition for best fundamental research projects

Conducted by young Candidates of Sciences in scientific organisations of the Russian Federation (‘Perspektiva’)

Competition objectives:

  • enable young Candidates of Sciences to pursue fundamental research
  • assist in employment and professional integration of young promising scientists with the leading Russian research institutions in the chosen subject area
  • enhance the competitiveness of employment with Russian scientific organisations for young scientists

Eligibility and selection criteria:

  • no less than four publications in Scopus, Web of Science, RSCI, and VAK journals
  • no less than two oral presentations made at scientific events, with papers published in the event proceedings

Grant duration: three years.

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru

The RFBR supports fundamental research projects in the following research directions:

  • mathematics and mechanics;
  • physics and astronomy;
  • chemistry and materials studies;
  • biology and medical sciences;
  • Earth sciences;
  • humanities and social sciences;
  • information and communication technologies and computing systems;
  • fundamentals of engineering sciences.

Russian Presidential Scholarship Competition

For young scientists and postgraduate students engaged in research and development in the fields of priority for the technological modernisation of the Russian economy

The Presidential Scholarship Programme supports research projects in the fields of priority for the technological modernisation of the Russian economy:

  • Energy-efficient and energy-saving technologies, including the development of new types of fuel;
  • Nuclear technologies, space technologies related to information and telecom systems, including GLONASS, and ground infrastructure development;
  • Medical technologies, innovative pharmaceutical products, diagnostics technologies and rehabilitation systems;
  • Strategic information technologies, including supercomputing technology and software development.

Selection criteria:

  • experience in scientific research;
  • public recognition;
  • results of intellectual activity;
  • research publications.

Individual grant amount: 22,800 roubles paid monthly.

Grant duration: up to three years.

Grant is renewable.

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru

Competition of the Theoretical Physics and Mathematics Advancement Foundation ‘BASIS’

For personal grants to support young scientists and postgraduate students (‘PhD Student’)

Competition objectives:

  • support young talented researchers and postgraduate students without a PhD degree;
  • contribute to advancement of originality and scientific relevance of their research.

Eligibility and selection criteria:

  • age of the candidate;
  • specialisation in theoretical physics
  • master’s/ speicalist’s degree holders or last-year students in master’s or specialist’s programmes
  • publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals or in international scientific journals with the impact factor above 1.0 or in Russian journals with the impact factor above 0.5.

For detailed information, please, refer to the correspondent section of the Theoretical Physics and Mathematics Advancement Foundation ‘BASIS’ website.

Individual grant amount: 25,000 roubles paid monthly

The individual grant duration cannot exceed four years and is determined by the Board of Experts.

The grant is awarded for one year and may be renewed for another year depending on Board of Experts’ approval of the grantee progress report.

Keep up to date with the relevant information on the St Petersburg University portal ‘Science & Research’ at: https://nauka.spbu.ru