International youth olympiad · Online · For school students

The HSE International Youth Olympiad

HSE

The olympiad of the Higher School of Economics (НИУ ВШЭ / HSE) — one of Russia's strongest universities in economics and social sciences. It's for school students (especially final-year high-schoolers), and winners in their final school year may be nominated for a full government scholarship (quota) for Bachelor's programs — depending on results, and not guaranteed.

Official olympiad website ↗ ✈️ Follow on Telegram

⏰

Registration starts early — and olympiad diplomas are valid for two years

The new cycle's dates are not specified in the source — check the official link before applying, and we'll add them here as soon as they're officially confirmed. The approximate range, based on our guide: registration August–October and the tests in November — a planning indicator, not an official date. Register early and review how the tracks map to the degree programs.

OnlineRegister → tests → results

5Tracks maximumYou can pick them in the same cycle

2Years of validityFor olympiad diplomas

Multiple tracksLinked to HSE Bachelor's programs

The opportunity

What is the HSE International Youth Olympiad?

Per the official website: a free annual olympiad in Russian for international school students, organized by the Higher School of Economics — with 17 tracks linked to HSE Bachelor's programs in in-demand fields: foreign languages and intercultural communication, philology, history, economics, international relations and others. Diplomas of final-year school students are valid for two years.

The format is online: you register through an account on the website, and you can pick up to 5 tracks in the same cycle. Note: some programs, like International Relations, make English mandatory.

The potential prize

What could you gain?

First- and second-degree diploma holders in their final school year: nomination for a full government scholarship (quota) for Bachelor's/Specialist programs across all HSE campuses — tied to the government quota per the official source, once the procedures are completed.

Holders of degree 1–3 diplomas: HSE's own tuition support on fee-paying (commercial) places — in HSE's official wording: full-tuition waivers for winners, and tuition discounts that reduce the cost of fee-paying places, with grants covering up to 75% of tuition for prize-winners.

An olympiad diploma is valid for two years — so you can plan with flexibility.

Nomination for the scholarship is not confirmed admission — it goes by results and the official procedures. And covering tuition through the quota ≠ covering living costs.

The path

The stages

Create an account on the official website

olymp.hse.ru/inter — and check the section for international students (mmo/foreign). Documents: passport, proof of education, application form and consent.

Choose your tracks (up to 5)

Review the table mapping tracks to Bachelor's programs before choosing — and mind the English requirement in fields like International Relations.

The olympiad stages, then results

The exact test language for each track is not clearly stated — check it on the official website.

The exact document requirements should be checked on the official website before applying.

Tracks

17 official tracks linked to HSE Bachelor's programs — most notably:

Foreign languages and intercultural communicationPhilologyHistoryEconomicsInternational relationsAnd the full list (17) on the official website

Eligibility

Who can take part?

International school students — this olympiad is designed for them per the official website, especially final-year high-schoolers (whose diplomas are valid for two years). If you're still in school and HSE is your goal, this is your clearest opportunity.

Common questions

💬What language is the test in?▾

The official website describes the olympiad as being in Russian — and some fields (like International Relations) require English as well. Check your track's page for the details.

💬Does participation cost money?▾

No — the official website describes it as a free olympiad.

💬Can I take part in more than one track?▾

Yes — you can pick up to 5 tracks in the same cycle per the official source, so use that wisely on tracks that are close to each other.

💬I'm in my final school year — what does that change for me?▾

That's the key category: first- and second-degree diploma holders in their final school year are the ones nominated for the full government scholarship (the quota) — depending on results and procedures, and with no guarantee.

💬How is this different from «Высшая лига»?▾

This one is for youth (school students → Bachelor's), while «Высшая лига» is for university students and graduates (→ Master's). We have a separate page for each.

This opportunity is competitive and not guaranteed — the final reference for tracks, dates and language is the official olympiad website.

Next step

Register early and plan your tracks

As soon as the new cycle's dates are confirmed, you'll get an alert on the channel — along with tips on choosing your tracks.

✈️ Follow on Telegram Official olympiad website ↗