Applications Open for 2022 Full-Tuition Doctoral Scholarships

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International students interested in joining HSE University can apply for full-tuition scholarships from the Russian government. Applications for the 2022/23 academic year are open from March 1–11. We spoke to HSE University doctoral students about their work and about how scholarships have helped them pursue their research goals.

Kishan Bhimani, India

I completed my Master's from one of India's most prestigious universities, VIT, while also studying as an exchange student at LETI University in Saint Petersburg from 2017 to 2019. My education was in the field of Automation, Control, and Mechatronics, but my interest is in Emerging Technologies and AI for the betterment of life.

I believe that teaching is a highly honourable profession. I decided to become a professor and stay in academia. I plan to gain a PhD degree, which would further lead me towards a professional career in academia and research work. 

I heard of several ways to apply to Russian universities, and I ended up going with the Open Doors Scholarship by the Global Universities Association. There are three stages in the selection process for postgraduate or doctoral students.

The selection process is very tough—you need to pass a highly competitive online exam as well as be highly motivated in the third-stage interview

After selection, Open Doors directly forwarded my data to my chosen university. After that, you just need to communicate with the university and submit the proper documents in whatever way the university requests.

I chose HSE because of its ranking, excellent study tracks, and Computer Science strengths especially

Every year, Open Doors posts a list of professors from various Russian universities. After passing the second stage, scholarship applicants should choose three professors depending on your choice of study and research interests, and Open Doors will work as an intermediary between you and the professor for the interview.

If everything goes well and the interviewer professor finds you a suitable candidate, then you are on board to get a tuition fee waiver to study in Russia

My previous studies were in various combinational fields in automation, control, instrumentation, and mechatronics, and I became highly passionate about machine learning. Following that, I accumulated almost two years of teaching experience in coding languages and data analysis. Based on that, I have decided to pursue further studies and research in the field of computer and informatics science. 

I am currently employed as a research assistant in one of the most prestigious computer science laboratories. Due to the ongoing COVID situation, work is a combination of hybrid modes. Mostly, I prefer to work in a lab. It is relevant to my PhD topic and I work during official HSE work hours. 

My aim is to work as a researcher and I would like to become a professor in the future. I would like to build a research career in the real-time deployment of artificial intelligence in day-to-day situations to better the world.

Pavel Devyatkin, USA

I graduated from University College London (UCL) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). My research focus is international relations in the Arctic and Russia’s Arctic strategy.

After graduating with a master’s degree, I had the honor to participate in many research projects and share my research in media and at academic conferences. I received supportive feedback and many scholarly citations from these experiences, which made me realize that I wanted to continue working in academia.

Continuing my education in Russia gives me the chance to learn about themes I care about from different perspectives and to work alongside esteemed experts. HSE especially appealed to me because of the outstanding faculty and research opportunities

It is also exciting to study Russian Arctic affairs and work in Moscow during Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council (2021–2023).

I have an international background and lots of experience studying and working in the area of international politics. I wish to contribute my perspective based on these experiences to the scholarship on US–Russia relations, Arctic security, and international cooperation. However, I still have a lot to learn in these areas, so I chose this direction of study to learn new things and gain expertise. 

I have an excellent relationship with my supervisor Iain Ferguson. His research is in the same areas as mine: Russia–West relations and international security. He’s also an LSE graduate, so we have many commonalities in our thinking on research approaches and qualitative methodologies. Professor Ferguson has supported me through every stage of my PhD journey and given comprehensive feedback on my research proposals and drafts.

We are collaborating on research that will lead to a paper for submission to an academic journal and co-leading a research project on Russian strategic studies that employs HSE bachelor’s and master’s students

My research is concentrated on Russia’s Arctic strategy and the tensions in cooperation with Western states and China in the Arctic. I aim to contribute to the debate on the ‘strategic triangle’ in the Arctic between Russia and the major powers. It examines evolving rhetoric in Russian strategic thinking and how this explains the practice of Russian diplomacy in light of geopolitical tensions. Most of my work involves reading and writing.

I regularly attend HSE classes and work on research papers and projects

I am also a researcher at The Arctic Institute, a Washington-based think tank, and the Stanford US–Russia Forum. In these capacities, I have a busy, but interrelated, academic workload which includes presenting research at conferences (both online and in-person), giving interviews to journalists on Arctic affairs, reviewing manuscripts, providing consultation on Arctic affairs, and managing interns and research fellows across various research projects. 

I wish to continue my career as a professional researcher, either as a professor in a university or a research fellow at a policy think tank. As a scholar with a focus on the Arctic, I hope that my research can help inform effective policymaking towards peace and security in the circumpolar North. 

International students are eligible to apply for full-tuition scholarships provided through the Russian government scholarships (quotas).

Application period: March 1 - March 11, 2022

Interviews (optional): March 14 - March 18, 2022

Final decision on admission: March 31, 2022

Official enrolment: August 1

Studies begin November 1

Learn more and apply