Open Doors Scholarship Stage 2 is the subject-specific proctored online exam for applicants admitted after Stage 1. For the 2026 cycle, candidates register for a test time, verify their identity by webcam with the passport scan already submitted, and complete 175 minutes of written-response tasks plus a five-minute oral-response task while their computer desktop and webcam are recorded.
Official source: Open Doors Russian Scholarship Project official rules |Last fact checked:
Open Doors Scholarship Stage 2 is the proctored subject examination that follows the Stage 1 portfolio and entrance test. The official 2026 rules set a 180-minute examination, continuous desktop and webcam recording, identity verification with the participant's passport, and specific procedures for technical failures and appeals. This guide explains the dated 2026 schedule, the difference between the two stages, official sample tasks, test preparation, and what happens after results without presenting unofficial past papers as authentic exam material.
A practical guide to the 2026 Open Doors Stage 2 schedule, registration, identity verification, proctoring, official sample tasks, 180-minute format, technical-failure reports, appeals and results.
Stage 1 is the portfolio competition. Under the official 2026 rules, that portfolio includes an online entrance test, a motivation letter, educational information and supporting achievements or documents. Its purpose is to rank applicants for admission to the next stage; a Stage 1 result is not a scholarship win.
Stage 2 is a separate, proctored subject examination for applicants admitted after Stage 1. It tests the subject area selected in the application through written-response and oral-response tasks. The examination uses identity and independent-completion controls, so applicants should not treat the Stage 1 entrance test and the Stage 2 exam as interchangeable.
The official Open Doors schedule lists the following dates for the 2026 competition. Check the participant account as soon as Stage 1 results are released because admission to Stage 2 does not replace the separate test-time registration step.
The 2026 rules require applicants to upload a passport scan by the registration deadline. The passport must be intended for identification in Russia, and the participant's surname, given name, date of birth and citizenship in the account must match it. The surname and given name must be entered exactly as shown in the passport's machine-readable zone.
For Stage 2, identity is verified through the webcam using that same passport scan. Failure to pass identity verification prevents participation. Follow this current rule instead of older instructions that describe a separate Stage 2 photo upload or a different identity document.
Applicants admitted to Stage 2 must choose and register for a test time in the participant account. Confirm the displayed time zone and follow the account instructions rather than relying on a date copied from an unofficial post.
Stage 2 uses proctoring software to verify identity and independent completion. The 2026 rules state that the participant's computer desktop and webcam are recorded continuously. They do not separately state that audio is continuously recorded, so this guide does not present audio recording as a confirmed universal requirement.
Identity is verified through the webcam against the passport scan already submitted. Prepare a quiet, well-lit space, keep the passport ready, close unrelated applications and follow the examination procedure shown in the participant account.
The account's official procedure controls if it is more specific than general preparation advice. Failure to pass identity verification prevents participation, while prohibited assistance or a proctoring-rule violation can affect the result.
The official rules allocate 175 minutes to subject-specific written-response tasks. Tasks may be completed in any order, and an answer may be changed until the allotted time expires. Only responses submitted through the examination interface are assessed.
Use the official program and sample tasks for the subject area and degree track selected in Stage 1. A business applicant and a biology applicant should not expect the same test, and a Bachelor's sample should not be treated as the Master's or Doctoral format.
Manage the section deliberately: secure points on manageable tasks, reserve time for advanced written responses and submit every intended answer before the system terminates the examination automatically.
The final five minutes are allocated to an oral-response task. This is part of the subject examination, not a general scholarship interview, and its score is not covered by the Stage 2 appeal procedure.
Prepare by practising short explanations of subject concepts. For technical fields, practise explaining how you reached an answer. For social science or policy fields, practise structured responses with claim, evidence and conclusion. For science fields, practise explaining method, result and interpretation.
You do not need to sound like a television presenter. You need to be clear, calm and relevant. The worst approach is to memorize generic sentences that do not answer the actual prompt.
The official rules require a computer with a working webcam and a stable, uninterrupted internet connection of at least 1 Mbit/s. They also allow participants to check the proctoring system in test mode. Complete that check before exam day and follow any browser or equipment instructions in the participant account.
Use a charged computer, keep the charger connected and arrange the most stable internet available. Close messaging tools, screen recorders and unrelated applications before opening the examination system.
The published rules do not provide a universal list of supported operating systems or browsers on the public page. Treat current account instructions and the proctoring test result as authoritative for your setup.
The published 2026 rules require identity verification, proctoring, and continuous desktop and webcam recording. They do not state that every participant must complete a 360-degree room scan. Older applicant reports or third-party guides should therefore not be presented as the current rule.
A live proctor or the participant-account procedure may still instruct an applicant to show the desk or testing environment. Follow an instruction shown through the official system, but distinguish that possible operational check from a universally stated 360-degree requirement.
A quiet, well-lit and uncluttered space remains sensible preparation because it supports webcam verification and reduces interruptions.
Study the official subject program first. The Open Doors subject areas are broad, but the second-stage exam tests academic ability inside the chosen area. Sample tasks and subject programs are the best preparation sources.
For quantitative and technical subjects, practise problem-solving under time limits. For policy, politics, education, psychology or business subjects, practise analytical answers and structured reasoning. For science and medicine-related areas, revise core concepts, methods and interpretation skills.
Do not prepare only by reading general scholarship articles. Stage 2 is an academic test. You need subject knowledge, exam stamina and the ability to work inside the platform under proctoring.
Use the sample tasks published on the official page for your subject area and degree track. They are practice materials, not leaked past papers or a promise that the live examination will repeat the same questions. Do not trust a download merely because it is labelled an Open Doors question paper or answer key.
The following subject pages and PDF downloads were verified on the official Open Doors domain for the 2026 cycle. Open the subject page first to confirm the track, then use its official sample-task PDF:
Review the published subject program, attempt the sample under time pressure, and compare your work with any model answers or evaluation criteria included by Open Doors. Written responses should show the method and reasoning rather than an unsupported conclusion.
Practise the oral format separately: answer the prompt, explain the reasoning, give a relevant example or calculation, and conclude. The goal is to understand the official task style and identify knowledge gaps, not to memorize a sample or collect unofficial files claiming to contain future questions.
Preparation should follow the selected subject area. A Computer and Data Science applicant should revise algorithms, programming logic, mathematics, databases, data interpretation and problem-solving. An Engineering applicant should focus on core engineering principles, mathematics and applied reasoning. A Politics and International Studies applicant should practise analytical writing, argument structure, institutions, international relations concepts and current global issues.
For Clinical Medicine and Public Health, prepare foundations rather than random trivia: epidemiology, health systems, biology, clinical reasoning and public-health interpretation. For Economics and Econometrics, revise microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, data interpretation and model reasoning. For Education and Psychology, review learning theory, research methods, development, assessment and applied cases.
The point is not to predict every question. The point is to become comfortable with the academic language and reasoning style of your subject. Stage 2 rewards applicants who can work under pressure, understand instructions quickly and produce clear answers without searching the internet.
On exam day, log in early. Give yourself enough time for identity checks, browser permissions, camera/microphone access and any room-clearance request. If you log in at the exact start time and the platform asks for extra verification, your stress level rises before the exam even begins.
During the 175-minute written section, do not spend too long on one difficult task. If the interface allows movement between tasks, answer what you know first and return to harder questions later. If the interface is linear, read carefully and avoid careless mistakes caused by rushing.
Before the 5-minute oral response, take a few seconds to structure the answer if the platform allows. A simple structure works: answer the question directly, explain the reason, give a relevant example or method and finish clearly. Five minutes is short, so wandering wastes marks.
The exam is monitored to protect fairness. Even if you are not cheating, behavior that looks suspicious can create problems. Keep your setup simple and follow instructions calmly.
If a technical malfunction involving the participant's computer or the Open Doors platform disrupts the examination, the 2026 rules require the participant to notify the Project Office within 24 hours. Use the official support route and provide a factual account of the time, task and error.
Keep any permitted evidence such as an error message or support reference, but do not violate exam-security rules to create it. A malfunction report is separate from an appeal against an advanced written-response score.
Complete the proctoring test mode before the exam, use stable internet and log in early. These checks cannot prevent every failure, but they reduce avoidable setup problems.
Stage 2 results are published in the participant account on the official schedule. For 2026, the published results date is December 21. Monitor the account rather than relying on an unofficial results list.
An appeal may challenge only the score for an advanced-level written-response task. It must be submitted through the account within two calendar days after the Stage 2 result, identify the specific question or section, and justify the request using the answer originally submitted. The appeal is reviewed within five calendar days.
The task content or structure, evaluation criteria, oral-response assessment, and sanctions for rule violations are not appealable. The final score may increase, decrease or remain unchanged, and the appeal outcome is final.
After Stage 2, selected applicants may receive follow-up instructions inside the participant or second-stage portal. As discussed in the after-winning guide, applicants may be redirected to another application system, download an official application form, sign it, scan it as PDF and upload it with approved and translated documents.
For Bachelor’s and Master’s winners, later university choices are connected to the subject area and specialization. You do not simply choose any university in Russia. You rank available institutions or programs connected to the academic path already selected.
This is why Stage 2 should be seen as the bridge between competition and admission. Passing the exam opens the next door, but documents, university processing, offer/invitation and visa work remain.
Continue with complementary resources connected to the same scholarship opportunity.
Stage 2 is the subject-specific proctored online exam for applicants who pass the first-stage portfolio evaluation.
Yes. The 2026 rules require proctoring and continuous recording of the participant's computer desktop and webcam during the examination.
Yes. Identity verification uses the same passport scan submitted during registration, and the account's name, birth date and citizenship must match it.
The exam lasts 180 minutes: 175 minutes for written-response tasks and five minutes for the oral-response task.
The published 2026 rules do not state that a 360-degree room scan is mandatory for every participant. Follow any environment-check instruction shown by the official system or live proctor.
Use the official Open Doors subject-area page for your degree track. This guide links directly to verified official pages and sample-task PDFs and does not present unofficial past papers as authentic.
Report a participant-computer or platform malfunction to the Project Office within 24 hours through the official support procedure and describe the problem accurately.
No. Passing or winning after Stage 2 still leads to post-selection document, university, offer/invitation and visa steps.
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