General Information

General Information

 There is a wide variety of education programs for foreign students in the Russian Federation. The information on all the programs and enrollment is available on the Russian Education Ministry’s webpage. You may also find detailed information about a Russian University of your choice at the 'Russia's Best Universities' portal.
 For the legalization and visa-related issues, please visit the consular section’s page.

If you are looking for a tuition-free opportunity for a Master's degree in Russia, you may want to compete for one at the OpenDoors website.

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Another option to study in Russia is within the Russian Government Scholarship quota (246 slots in 2023).

Under this bilateral program, a Nigerian student enjoys a state-sponsored higher education on a common basis with Russian citizens and additional monthly allowances provided by the Nigerian Government. Students, who travel to Russia for the first time, will also enjoy a one-year Russian language course, preceding the main education program and fully covered by the scholarship.

In order to apply for this program, an aspirant should comply with the Eligibility Criteria.
 The eligible candidates should take the following steps to join the competition.

THE INSTRUCTION

1.The FSB tests: 
 1.1. Apply for and attend tests at the Federal Scholarship Board of Nigeria (the FSB). This is the obligatory part of the selection. Only those who pass the FSB tests are admitted to further competition. As announced by the FSB, the registration for 2023/2024 will be open for the period of Nov 25, 2022 - Jan 6, 2023. Don't miss the opportunity!
 1.2. Students who graduate in Russia and want to continue their education at higher levels (MA, Ph.D., etc.) should come to Nigeria and follow the same procedures, even if they had been through the selection before.
 1.3. Based on your results, you may be promoted to the second level of the selection, which will be communicated to you by the FSB.

2. EIR Account and Assessment:
 Parallel to your registration with the FSB, create an account on the Russian Government Scholarships website (education-in-russia.com; EIR).

• While registering your account, please follow this guide. If you temporally lack information that is required to complete your profile and submit an application, please enter several "a" or "1", or upload several blank "1.jpeg" files where necessary. Don't make any delusive entries.
• Make sure you keep your login and password in a safe place.
• Make sure you specify your personal data (spelling and order of names, date of birth, etc) in strict accordance with your ID.
• Make sure you specify your functional contacts (e-mail; phone number), as these channels are used to communicate to you the necessary information on the following steps in the program.
• Please note: up to 20% of applicants lose their scholarships because of negligence.
• The candidate must, among other things, choose the field of study or specialty as well as the level of education (bachelor’s degree or master’s degree or PhD programme) and then 6 educational institutions in which he/she would like to study (in priority order: 1st – high priority; 2nd  – less priority; 3rd  – more less priority etc.).

2.1. If you are an undergraduate aspirant:
 2.1.1. Pick one of the education programs from the List of Russian Education Programs at Russian Government Scholarships website. Make sure that the code of the program in your EIR account corresponds with the code of the same program from the List (e.g. «00.00.00»). Remember that the Nigerian Federal Scholarship Council strongly discourages applicants from Nigeria from studying law at universities of a non-Anglo-American legal family. Therefore, you can choose any specialty other than law, if you count on financial support from the Board. 
 2.1.2. Your documented personal achievements will determine your rating after being processed in line with the methodology of the Undergraduate aspirant assessment list. Make sure you apply for a program that is consistent with your best subjects. The higher marks in key subjects will give you a higher rating.
 2.1.3. Consider all the categories of the assessment list and make sure you provide all the documents that may affect your rating, including achievements at the olympiads giving extra points.
 2.1.4. Print out your application form, sign it, scan, and upload again the signed copy to your profile.
 2.1.5. Press 'submit application', when it is ready. Otherwise, it won't be accepted for the assessment.
 2.1.6. If you score above (to be specified after the competition) points at this stage of the assessment you will be invited to an online interview with the Joint Selection Commission (composed of members of the Russian Embassy, FSB, and NGOs). The invitation will be forwarded by the FSB.
 2.1.7. At the interview you will be asked to talk about two topics from the list, one for each of your key subjects (in case you have one subject, you will be asked to cover two topics thereof). Your performance will be assessed in accord with these criteria.

2.2. If you are a master's degree aspirant: 
 2.2.1. Pick a program and universities in accordance with your previous specialization. Postgraduate programs in the Russian language are available for holders of bachelor/specialist degrees from Russian universities only. Remember that the Nigerian Federal Scholarship Council strongly discourages applicants from Nigeria from studying law at universities of a non-Anglo-American legal family. Therefore, you can choose any specialty other than law, if you count on financial support from the Board.
 2.2.2. Your documented personal achievements will determine your rating after being processed in line with the methodology of the Master's aspirant assessment list.
 2.2.3. Consider all the categories of the assessment list and make sure you provide all the documents that may affect your rating, including achievements at the olympiads giving extra points.
 2.2.4. Print out your application form, sign it, scan, and upload again the signed copy to your profile.
 2.2.5. Press 'submit application', when it is ready. Otherwise, it won't be accepted for the assessment.
 2.2.6. If you score above (to be specified after the competition) points at this stage of the assessment you will be invited to an online interview with the Joint Selection Commission (composed of members of the Embassy, FSB, and NGOs). The invitation will be forwarded by the FSB.
 2.2.7. At the interview you will be asked to present in the Russian language your research proposal and answer some questions related to your field of study (unless your target course in Russia is in English, in which case you are welcome to make an English presentation).

2.3. If you are a Ph.D. aspirant:
 2.3.1. Pick a program and universities in accordance with your previous specialization. Ph.D. programs in the Russian language are available for holders of specialist/master's degrees from Russian universities only.
 2.3.2. Your documented personal achievements will determine your rating after being processed in line with the methodology of the Ph.D. aspirant assessment list.
 2.3.3. Consider all the categories of the assessment list and make sure you provide all the documents that may affect your rating.
 2.3.4. Print out your application form, sign it, scan and upload again the signed copy to your profile.
 2.3.5. Press 'submit application', when it is ready. Otherwise, it won't be accepted for the assessment.
 2.3.6. If you score above (to be specified after the competition) points at this stage of the assessment you will be invited to an online interview with the Joint Selection Commission (composed of members of the Embassy, FSB, and NGOs). The invitation will be forwarded by the FSB.
 2.3.7. At the interview you will be asked to present in the Russian language your research proposal and answer some questions related to your field of study (unless your target course in Russia is in English, in which case you are welcome to make an English presentation).

In 2023/2024, if you score above (to be specified after the interviews) points as the total result of the interview and the portfolio assessment, you will be promoted to the third level of the selection. In this case, a «Letter of congratulation» will be sent to your mailbox (that is only the one connected to the EIR account). In the third level of the selection, the universities that you mentioned among the preferences will choose you based on the quality of your results and documents. If your total result is above (to be specified after the interviews) you will enter the Waiting List and receive a pertinent notification.

3. Documents and Consular Services:
 Once you receive the «Letter of congratulation», please submit to the Consular Section of the Embassy the following documents:
 3.1. Print-out of your «Letter of congratulation» (as your identification);
 3.2. International Passport that is valid at least till April 2025;
 3.3. Certificate of Medical Fitness, legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that covers: (1) General medical report of your health condition; (2) HIV/AIDS report; (3) Tuberculosis and x-ray report; (4) Hepatitis B, C report. Please note: We recommend you to make a one-page Certificate of Medical Fitness. Thus, you will save money on ministerial and consular legalization.
 3.4. Eight photos [3x4]
 3.5. Diploma of the previous degree: 
 3.5.1. For undergraduate aspirants: original WAEC Certificate legalized at (1) the Ministry of Education and at (2) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
 3.5.2. For postgraduate aspirants without Russian diplomas: original diploma of the previous degree legalized at (1) the Ministry of Education and at (2) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
 3.5.3. For postgraduate aspirants to programs in the Russian language, holding diplomas of Russian universities: upload a copy of your Russian diploma to your EIR account.

(!) Make sure, all your documents indicate the same personal data (Check several times to not lose the quota and to not pay for re-submitting): the order and spelling of your names, your date of birth should be the same in all the papers. Each inconsistency will lead to additional fee-based consular actions or will incur a rejection of your dossier.

4. Completion of EIR dossier. 
 4.1. After collecting your documents from the Consular Section of the Embassy, make high-quality soft copies («.pdf») thereof and upload the copies to your EIR account, completing your dossier.
 4.2. If there have been any corrections in the application form, print it out, sign, and upload the signed copy again to the dossier. At this stage, you will have to address the technical support of EIR to effect corrections in your dossier.
 4.3. Only after the upload of all the required documents to the EIR account, your EIR dossier will be accepted and transferred to the level of selection, where universities choose the students.
 4.4. The quality of your EIR dossier and the time of its acceptance influence the chances of your allocation to the universities.

5. Russian student visa.
 5.1. When a Russian university is ready to accept you, it informs you about it via diplomatic channels. When it happens, you will receive a notification to apply for a student visa in line with the above procedure
 5.2. After receiving a personal notification, please fill out online the visa application form, print it out, sign, and adhere your photo. When filling out:
 - Specify the Ministry of Education of Russia as your inviting organization;
 - Dates of entrance and departure, unless otherwise advised: September 1 – November 15, 2023;
 - Don’t worry if some of the requested information is unknown to you.
 5.3. Apply for a visa at the Consular Section of the Embassy.
 5.4. Transfer to the Russian Federation is organized and funded by the FSB.

6. Schedule for 2023:
 6.1. Registration at the FSB – As defined by the FSB (Before Jan 6, 2023)
 6.2. Registration at EIR – Before Feb 20, 2023
 6.3. Portfolio assessment – Jan 9 - March 16, 2023
 6.4. Online interviews – Feb 22 - March 20, 2023
 6.4. Consular services, uploading to EIR – March 21 - Apr 5, 2023
 6.5. Completion of EIR dossier – Before Apr 9, 2023