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Find opportunities that are right for you to continue your education outside your home country.
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© 2025 Freedom Degree
Freedom Degree, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. © 2025 | Powered by Strapi
May 22, 2026
Together with “Groza”, a media outlet covering higher education and the academic environment in Russia, we рассказываем about six summer schools that are still accepting applications in May–June — from researching environmental change in the Alps to economics courses in Romania. Three of them offer free tuition.
Many universities and educational projects organize summer schools where students and young professionals can gain new knowledge and skills in their field while meeting like-minded people. For students from Russia and Belarus, these programs are currently one of the few relatively accessible ways to enter the international academic environment and gain overseas study and work experience.
We intentionally did not include programs connected with organizations labeled “undesirable” in Russia, but this information will be equally useful for students from other regions.
The summer school of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies has been welcoming students for 20 years. This year’s theme is “Tomorrow’s Leaders in International Business and Economics: Reshaping the Global Economy.”
The school lasts two weeks and includes lectures, seminars, debates, and workshops. In addition to academic activities, participants will join a guided tour around Bucharest.
Participants will stay in university dormitories in double rooms.
When: August 9–23, 2026.
Where: Bucharest, Romania.
Who can apply: Students of all educational levels aged 18–26.
How to apply: Complete the online application form and attach a CV and, depending on the application type, a motivation letter, essay, or video response related to the school topic.
Cost: Free with a full scholarship, €650 (~$740) with a partial scholarship, and €900 (~$1,025) without a scholarship. Flights to Bucharest and visa fees are not covered.
Deadline: May 31.
The School of Computing and Data Science at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) invites around 40 undergraduate students from China and other countries. Experts from Freedom Degree note that this is a strong research program that can significantly strengthen an academic CV.
Interns will spend six to seven weeks working on a research project under faculty supervision and present their results at the end of the program. Participants receive a scholarship of around $2,500: accommodation and travel are expected to be covered from this amount, although additional compensation may sometimes be negotiated individually.
Please note that the program does not accept tourist visas — a special student visa is required. To obtain it, applicants need an official letter from their university in Russia confirming support for the internship and stating that the student will return after the program ends. Applying only makes sense if your university is willing to provide such a letter.
When: July 19 – August 31, 2026 (dates may be negotiable).
Where: Hong Kong, China.
Who can apply: Second- and third-year undergraduate students in computer science, AI, and Data Science-related fields.
How to apply: Contact a potential research supervisor from the list of HKU faculty members, send a self-introduction letter, and express your interest in participating. This may increase your chances of acceptance.
Cost: Free internship with a $2,500 stipend for the entire period.
Deadline: May 31 at 5:00 PM Hong Kong time (12:00 PM Moscow time).
The program is organized by the International Centre for European Education (CIFE) in partnership with the Georgian Institute of Politics and New Vision University. The theme of the school is security in the Black Sea region.
During the week, students will attend lectures, visit institutions, and take excursions to explore Georgian culture. At the end of the program, participants may take an ECTS exam assessed according to the European credit system. This can be useful for future applications to universities abroad.
When: July 13–19, 2026.
Where: Tbilisi, Georgia.
Who can apply: Primarily second- and third-year undergraduate students, although applications from master’s students and young researchers are also considered. Around 20 participants will be selected: half from Georgia and half from other countries. Good English proficiency is required.
How to apply: Fill out the pre-registration form and send it by email to direction.mfp@orange.fr. You will then receive the registration form.
Cost: €500 (~$570). The fee includes tuition, institutional visits and excursions, accommodation, breakfasts, and working lunches. Non-students must arrange their own housing, although dormitory accommodation may be available for an additional fee.
Deadline: There is no exact deadline. However, if you withdraw one month before the program starts, you will receive a refund minus a processing fee; if you withdraw later, your registration will be transferred to the following summer.
The international summer program at Bauhaus University Weimar annually brings together up to 300 students from around the world in disciplines such as art, architecture, technology, media, and languages.
Current programs include German and English language courses, sustainable future concepts, and designing cooler cities.
When: Most courses will take place in August.
Where: Weimar, Germany.
Who can apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, applicants, and alumni.
How to apply: Submit an application through the Bauhaus Summer School website.
Cost: From €750 to €1,100 (~$850–1,250) depending on the course, though scholarships and grants may be used to cover the fee.
Deadline: June 1 for some programs and June 15 for others.
One of the largest summer programs in Europe, offering more than 170 English-language courses in fields ranging from medicine and law to business and programming. Undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students may participate. Some courses provide ECTS credits, which may be useful for future international university applications.
In addition to classes, the program also offers entertainment activities such as night canoeing and quizzes.
Students are responsible for obtaining their own visas, but the school will provide an admission letter for consular applications. However, obtaining a Dutch visa remains difficult for students currently living in Russia.
When: July–August 2026.
Where: Utrecht, Netherlands, or online.
Who can apply: Undergraduate, graduate, PhD students, and alumni.
How to apply: Complete the online application and attach your CV and motivation letter.
Cost: From €25 to €4,000 (~$28–4,550). Discounts may be available depending on the course.
Deadline: Late May to early June, depending on the specific course.
This program by the Centre International de Rencontres Mathématiques (CIRM) in Marseille is also highlighted by Freedom Degree as prestigious for an academic CV. The school invites students and researchers to work on mathematical modeling and artificial intelligence in the field of environmental transition — the transformation of the economy and society aimed at reducing environmental damage.
Participants can study environmental and climate economics, green economy, water resource management, agriculture, and more.
Applicants may choose to attend only the summer school or remain afterward for a research internship.
When: Summer school: July 13–17; research internship: July 20 – August 21.
Where: Marseille, France.
Who can apply: Master’s students, PhD students, and early-career researchers.
How to apply: Register on the website. For the research internship, applicants must also complete a separate application and select at least three projects.
Cost: Free for research internship participants, including accommodation and meals, though travel to Marseille must be paid independently. Those wishing to attend only the summer school should уточнить tuition details with the organizers.
Deadline: Applications are accepted until all places are filled.