2026/2027 cycle Registration opens in 4 days Next up: Registration opens and Stage 1 begins · 20 August 2026

Check whether you're eligible

Age requirements in Open Doors aren't set by year of birth — they're set by the exact date. Enter your date of birth and we'll tell you which track fits your age.

1 · Your current level of education?

2 · And when will you finish it?

3 · Your date of birth?

Age is calculated as of the date registration opens (20 August 2026) — not the date you register.

Note: the reference date changed this year

Your age used to be calculated on the day you registered. Now it's calculated on a single fixed date — the day registration opens: 20 August 2026.

This cuts both ways:

🟢 In your favour: if you reach the maximum age for your track between 21 August and 1 November 2026, you're still eligible. Previously you had to register before your birthday — now it makes no difference when you register.

🔴 Against you: if you reach the minimum age after 20 August 2026, you're not eligible this cycle — even if you'd reach it two full months before registration closes. Someone born on 1 October 2010, for example, is 15 on the reference date, so they can't apply to the Bachelor's track this year.

Almost nobody mentions that second point, and some people will find out far too late.

Track conditions in detail

Bachelor's

If you were born between 21 August 2002 and 20 August 2010, your age fits the Bachelor's track. (That is, from 16 to 23 years old as of 20 August 2026)

What you need to have completed

A qualification that entitles you to enter university in your own country (a secondary school certificate or its equivalent), whether you already hold it or will obtain it during the olympiad's academic year.

Master's

If you were born between 21 August 1992 and 20 August 2006, your age fits the Master's track. (That is, from 20 to 33 years old as of 20 August 2026)

What you need to have completed

At least the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree, whether you already hold it or will obtain it during the olympiad's academic year.

PhD

If you were born between 21 August 1990 and 20 August 2004, your age fits the PhD track. (That is, from 22 to 35 years old as of 20 August 2026)

What you need to have completed

At least a Specialist degree or a Master's, whether you already hold it or will obtain it during the olympiad's academic year.

Postdoc

If you were born between 21 August 1986 and 20 August 2002, your age fits the Postdoc track. (That is, from 24 to 39 years old as of 20 August 2026)

What you need to have completed

A doctoral degree (Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Sciences or PhD) — and you must already hold it at the time you submit your portfolio, not be about to obtain it.

We check every detail against the official source before publishing.

Official source · last reviewed: 15 August 2026 · Open the official source ↗