SFedU Master's Portfolio Competition
Deadlines: from March 1st to June 20th, 2026
You need to score 40 or more points for studying on a fee-paying basis. Successful results of participation in the Portfolio give an applicant the opportunity to be enrolled in the university without entrance examination.
- Register on the website https://master.sfedu.ru/portfolio/en
- Choose the Master's field of study
- Each field of study has its own specific requirements, list of documents and essay topics. Please note that some programs may have two stages of passing the competition
- Attach documents, a written answer on the topic of the essay, certificates and other materials in your personal account
Mandatory documents are:
- Motivation letter: why you chose SFedU Master's program, why you interested in it, describe your plans of future scientific and professional activities
- Thematic case studies (final qualifying work, essays on the proposed topic, creative works or projects)
- Additional achievements depending on the specific faculty and program
- Certificate of English proficiency for admission to the English-taught program
Grant competition for applicants to Postgraduate level (PhD)
Deadlines: from March 25th to May 20th, 2026
- Portfolio
- Information about the supervisor, conditions and opportunities for performing scientific research on a given topic
- Structure of the scientific research implementation plan
- Consent to the processing of personal data
The Open Doors offers limitless opportunities for education, self-development, and new academic career prospects in Russia for young talented individuals from around the globe.
Register on the website from September 1 to November 16. Upload your portfolio and take the entrance test.
Olympiad is held both in Russian and English in online format: One click to open all doorsOlympiad competition winners from foreign countries will be granted a free early admission at the Southern Federal University, without entrance examinations and will get a scholarship (with tuition fees covered by the Russian Federation). Detailed information about Bachelor's, Master's and Postgraduate programs, as well as SfedU scientific supervisors, can be found on the website: SFedU International Open Doors Olympiad
- Results for Bachelor's and Master's tracks will be announced on December 30
- Results for Doctoral track will be announced on February 27, 2026
Quota (scholarship) of the Government of the Russian Federation
The updated application deadlines for the 2027/2028 year of study will be published in September 2026.
Applications review and 1st stage of the selection of candidates is carried out in the foreign offices (Russian Houses) of Rossotrudnichestvo (Geography of Russian houses).
To apply for a quota, it is necessary:
- register on the website https://education-in-russia.com/ ;
- fill out the application form;
- choose only 1 field of study;
- upload a photo;
- upload a passport scan with notarized translation;
- a scan of the document on education, a report card with grades (or an academic certificate of the period of education with grades for graduating students);
- attach your portfolio (various certificates, motivation letter, CV), scientific publications and various achievements;
- the candidates consent of his\her personal data (the file is available for download during registration);
- a scan of a medical certificate containing a comprehensive assessment of the candidates health status (medical certificates confirming the absence of hepatitis B, C, tuberculosis|lung X-ray and HIV infection).
- *for art specialties it is recommended to attach a portfolio of your creative works (paintings, drawings, sculptures) or a certificate from an art school.
Applicants to PhD specialties also must attach the following information to the website "Education in Russia":
- list of published (or currently in print) scientific publications - articles, monographs, conference materials;
- an abstract with a future research topic;
- motivation letter or CV;
- proof of work experience (if available).
SFedU is ready to support applicants to Master's and Post-Graduate studies (PhD) by issuing recommendation letters for obtaining the government quota. Recommendation letters would be beneficial for applicants, who put SFedU in the first place (as a priority) in the list of desirable universities. Letters of recommendation consists information of the future PhD scientific specialty and potential supervisor.
Candidates must submit a list of published scientific papers and an abstract (coursework) or motivation letter, etc. Contact welcome@sfedu.ru for recommendation letters.
Rossotrudnichestvo considers the presence of a letter of support for a quota as an individual achievement only for applicants to Master's and Post-Graduate studies (PhD).
SFedU is ready to support applicants to Master's and Post-Graduate studies (PhD) by issuing recommendation letters for obtaining the government quota. Recommendation letters would be beneficial for applicants, who put SFedU in the first place (as a priority) in the list of desirable universities.
Candidates must submit a list of published scientific papers and an abstract (coursework) or motivation letter, etc. Letters of recommendation consists information of the future PhD scientific specialty and potential supervisor. Contact welcome@sfedu.ru for recommendation letters.
105/42 Bolshaya Sadovaya Str., Rostov-on-Don, 344006, Russia
+7 (863) 218 40 24
Email: welcome@sfedu.ru