Intellectual competitions at St Petersburg University. What olympiads and contests applicants and students can participate in

St Petersburg University is a well-known university for its own international contests and olympiads from various fields of scientific knowledge, as well as for the opportunity to participate in joint educational competitions both for applicants and for students.

St Petersburg University organises Petropolitan Science (Re)Search or PS(R)S which is held in 17 areas. Its results are taken into account for admission to master programmes. Winners may be awarded to 100 points (depending on the field of study). Petropolitan Science (Re)Search is included in the List of events to provide grants for those who pursue master programmes at the educational organisations of higher education and research organisations for the 2022/23 academic year. The Olympiad is open to people studying in state and non-state educational institutions of higher education on the main educational programmes of bachelor’s, specialist's or master’s degree, as well as persons who have mastered these educational programmes and have a higher education.

Withal, St Petersburg University supervises ‘Philology’, ‘Linguistic’, ‘Law’ and ‘Geography’ in an all-Russia Olympiad for students ‘I am Professional’. Winners and medallists of the ‘I am Professional’ Olympiad can have many awards such as: a certificate for admission to master’s, clinical residency and doctoral programmes; and an internship in a large company. In 2022/2023 academic year, the Olympiad will be held in 72 fields of study. The Olympiad is open to citizens of the Russian Federation, citizens of foreign states, stateless persons — students studying under educational programmes of higher education (bachelor’s, specialist's and master’s degree programmes) regardless of the form of study in educational institutions of higher education registered in accordance with the established procedure on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The St Petersburg University Olympiads for Schoolchildren is held in 18 subjects, with 17 out of them included in the list of the Russian Council of School Olympiads pupils and 13 out of them included in the highest rankings. The Olympiad has two rounds: selection round and final round. Every year, about 100,000 schoolchildren from across the globe take part in the selection round, with only 25% of them reaching the final. The winners and prize-takers of the final round are provided with an opportunity to enjoy offered special rights for entry to universities across Russia. The benefits include receiving 100 points for the Unified State Exam in the subject of the Olympiad or enjoying the right to be admitted to the programme they have chosen for study without having to pass the admissions tests. The Olympiad is for schoolchildren from the 5th to 11th year who master general education programmes of basic general and secondary (full) general education.

Also, St Petersburg University holds Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language. The main purpose of the Olympiad is to find and encourage talented young people abroad, additional support and creation of conditions for learning Russian outside of Russia. The Olympiad consists of tasks that contain practical and theoretical elements subordinated to the general structure and logic. Foreign citizens who aged from 13 to 30 years and master educational programmes equivalent in level to general education programmes can take part in the Olympiad. In 2022 Olympiad will be held approximately in September. For further details please e-mail at olimpiadarki@spbu.ru.

Please note that the language of events is Russian. For international applicants interested in taking part in competitions the University offers various additional educational programmes in Russian as a foreign language, including an additional educational programme “Preparatory Department (for foreign citizens)”.