Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Potanin Foundation has announced the results of its 2026 scholarship competition. 1,000 students from 71 universities have been named winners. Compared to last year, the number of finalists and winners among NSU students has increased: while in the 2024/2025 academic year there were 53 finalists and 27 winners, in the 2025/2026 academic year there were 63 and 34, respectively. Novosibirsk State University is now among the top 10 Russian universities in terms of the number of winners.
Among the winners, there are most students with Faculty of Natural Sciences (8 people) and Faculty of Physics (7 people). Also among the scholarship recipients are representatives Humanitarian Institute (6), Mechanics and Mathematics (5), Economic (3), Geological and geophysical faculties (2), Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies (2), and also Institute of Philosophy and Law (1).
Starting in February of this year and until their graduation, the winning students will receive a Vladimir Potanin scholarship of 30,000 rubles per month. For each student, this amount represents a valuable investment. For example, Elina Surkova, a second-year master's student at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, plans to upgrade her laptop and use the remaining funds for her future graduate studies.
"I thought this scholarship would be a good financial support. I didn't apply in my first year of master's program because I didn't think I had enough articles and achievements. But then, seeing that my classmates had won, I decided to give it a try. I advise you not to put off preparing until the last minute and be sure to carefully study the requirements. Try to understand what kind of winner they're looking for and identify these characteristics in yourself. It seems simple, but in reality, you need to seriously reflect to give a comprehensive answer. Be smart—prepare in advance and don't be afraid to always try!" Elina shared.
The Vladimir Potanin Scholarship Competition consists of two stages: a qualifying round and a final round. The first stage is written, requiring applicants to write several essays about their practical experience and life strategy, their research and project work, and their volunteer activities. The final round has been held online for the past several years. It includes business games, interviews, case studies, and other tasks.
"For the interview, all the students were grouped into groups of 10, and it lasted about 4-5 hours. Since I have a bachelor's degree in journalism, I have good soft skills, so this stage wasn't a problem for me. The foundation representatives are looking specifically at your personal qualities; they want to see your leadership qualities, your entrepreneurial spirit, and your willingness to take on responsibility. About 2,300 students made it to the second stage, and everyone wanted to win. But everyone has a chance. The main thing is to believe in yourself and not worry," said Alina Iskhakova, a first-year Master's student in Journalism at the Humanities Institute.
Darya Zheltikova, a first-year master's student at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, previously applied for various scholarships, including the enhanced state scholarship for scientific research, the Novosibirsk Region Governor's scholarship, and others. She notes that the process for collecting documents and achievements for the Potanin scholarship competition's selection round is similar to those for which she has previously applied. It differs from other scholarships by requiring her to solve cases with other finalists during the final round.
"My general advice for all students is to participate more in scholarship competitions like these, even if at first glance it seems like your experience and achievements aren't enough to pass the qualifying rounds or win. If you have the opportunity to participate, why not? You certainly have nothing to lose, and at best, you'll gain. When there are written rounds like these with a large number of essays, in addition to the usual writing guidelines, I would advise you to be sure to evaluate the integrity of your writing after completing the application, as the essay topics are intertwined and create a complete picture of you. During the rounds involving case studies and other assignments, I would advise you not to dwell on possible failure while completing them (if such thoughts arise, of course). It's better to focus on the tasks ahead. The assessment at such rounds can be quite subjective, and you can't be certain of a negative outcome in advance. And, of course, I encourage you to never give up and always believe in yourself and your abilities," advised Daria.
The full list of this year's scholarship recipients:
Faculty of Natural Sciences
1. Allayarova Elina Ravilievna
2. Zheltikova Daria Yaroslavovna
3. Zueva Alexandra Sergeevna
4. Lukin Alexander Dmitrievich
5. Makarova Aelita-Louise Alekseevna
6. Safonova Alena Alekseevna
7. Surkova Elina Sergeevna
8. Tarhova Anna Romanovna
Faculty of Physics
1. Kuznetsova Lada Sergeevna
2. Novikova Sofya Vladimirovna
3. Pudova Sofia Sergeevna
4. Rudnev Daniil Nikolaevich
5. Smirnov Nikita Igorevich
6. Turlo Vadim Sergeevich
7. Yartseva Maria Andreevna
Humanitarian Institute
1. Iskhakova Alina Maksimovna
2. Melnikova Ksenia Alexandrovna
3. Morozova Yesenia Shamilevna
4. Shpakova Ksenia Yuryevna
5. Yudin Ivan Alexandrovich
6. Yumina Anna Vladislavovna
Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics
1. Agarkov Georgy Igorevich
2. Emelyanov Maxim Vyacheslavovich
3. Manaev Alexey Andreevich
4. Timofeev Gleb Vadimovich
5. Chutkov Denis Sergeevich
Faculty of Economics
1. Gorbunova Sofia Konstantinovna
2. Silantyeva Arina Rodionovna
3. Chuyko Eduard Alexandrovich
Faculty of Geology and Geophysics
1. Smyshlyaeva Alina Konstantinovna
2. Chernoskutova Elizaveta Alekseevna
Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies
1. Burova Tatyana Sergeevna
2. Sycheva Alina Artemovna
Institute of Philosophy and Law
1. Kostornov Denis Alekseevich
We congratulate the winners and wish them success in their studies and research activities!
Material prepared by: Varvara Frolkina, NSU press service
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