You can study in Belarus without IELTS. None of the official university and government pages I checked asks foreign applicants for an IELTS score. Most programmes are taught in Russian, and the government’s own scholarship (called a grant) requires proof of Russian or Belarusian, not English. The English-taught options are mainly medicine, dentistry and pharmacy at the state medical universities, which admit on your school results and an interview.
Before you apply, weigh the safety warnings. The UK advises against all travel to Belarus, and the United States rates it Level 4, do not travel, with its Minsk embassy closed. If you still want to go, this guide covers the Belarus state grant and its February deadline, 2026/2027 tuition fees at four universities, the scholarships other websites list (most of which cannot be used to study in Belarus), and the documents you need.
Travel warning
The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Belarus (updated 10 September 2026). The US State Department’s advisory, issued 29 December 2025, is Level 4: do not travel, and the US Embassy in Minsk offers no consular services. Check your own government’s advice and your travel insurance before paying any fees.
Can you study in Belarus without IELTS?
Yes, and here is what the official pages ask for instead:
- Grodno State Medical University admits international applicants to its six-year General Medicine programme in English on a school certificate with chemistry, biology and physics, and non-residents may be admitted after an interview.
- The Belarus government grant is only for Russian-taught study and requires a document proving your Russian or Belarusian.
- Russian-taught degrees at universities such as the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) start after a preparatory year in Russian if you need one.
So the question to ask is which language you will study in. If you choose English-taught medicine, the Grodno page lists an interview and no English certificate, so ask the admissions office how it checks your English.
Belarus government grant for international students
Belarus funds foreign students under Presidential Decree No. 232 of 12 June 2018, which set up to 100 grants starting in September 2019, and Council of Ministers Resolution No. 646 of 7 September 2018 on how candidates are chosen. The Ministry of Education sets the quota each year with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
| Item | Belarus state grant |
|---|---|
| Levels | Higher education and secondary specialised (vocational) education at state institutions |
| Language | Russian (Belarusian also accepted as proof) |
| Covered | Tuition from the state budget, a scholarship, allowances for academic or social achievement, and a dorm place at the rate Belarusian students pay |
| Not covered | Travel, food, health insurance, visa and registration |
| Minimum grades | Average of 7.5 out of 10, or 75 out of 100 |
| Where to apply | The Belarusian embassy or diplomatic mission for your country |
Belarus grant dates for the 2027/2028 intake
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Submit documents to the Belarusian embassy | By 15 February 2027 (some missions give 20 February) |
| Embassy sends lists to the Ministry of Education | By 15 March 2027 |
| University tells you about the interview | By 20 May 2027 |
| Interview (can be online; checks your Russian) | By 15 June 2027 |
| Ministry approves the final list | By 20 June 2027 |
(based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens)
If you pass, the university sends an invitation that you use to get a study visa. Candidates whose Russian is not good enough are offered a paid preparatory course in Belarus, and finishing it gives you priority for a grant the following year.
Documents for the Belarus grant
- Application: a written request explaining why you chose your specialty.
- Passport: a copy of your passport and identity document.
- Education certificate: a copy of your school or degree certificate.
- Medical certificates: one confirming you are fit to study your chosen field, and an HIV test certificate from an official health authority.
- Reference: a character reference from your current school or university.
- Russian proof: a document confirming your Russian or Belarusian.
- Translations: every foreign-language document translated into Russian (or Belarusian) and notarised.
The Republican Institute for Higher Education in Minsk runs a Russian as a foreign language course all year, on campus or by distance learning, ending in a certificate test you can use as proof.
Tuition fees to study in Belarus in English and Russian
If you do not get a grant, you pay fees in US dollars. These are the official figures for medicine, plus BNTU for engineering:
| University and programme | English-taught (per year) | Russian-taught (per year) |
|---|---|---|
| Belarusian State Medical University, General Medicine (2026/2027) | $6,300 | $5,400 |
| Belarusian State Medical University, Dentistry (2026/2027) | $6,950 | $5,850 |
| Belarusian State Medical University, Pharmacy (2026/2027) | $6,300 | $5,400 |
| Grodno State Medical University, General Medicine (2026/2027) | $5,300 in year 1; $5,100 in years 2 to 4; $5,000 in years 5 and 6 | See university |
| Vitebsk State Medical University, General Medicine | $5,250 | $4,550 |
| Vitebsk State Medical University, Stomatology | $5,150 | $4,750 |
| Vitebsk State Medical University, Pharmacy | $4,200 | $4,050 |
| BNTU bachelor’s programmes (2026/2027) | Not on fee page | $3,600 to $4,200 |
Preparatory courses cost $3,900 in English or $3,400 in Russian at the Belarusian State Medical University, and $2,400 for 8 to 10 months at Vitebsk. The Vitebsk page does not say which academic year its fees are for. Fees are paid yearly; at BSMU the first advance for English General Medicine was $3,150, due by 16 September 2026.
Classes start on 1 September. Grodno accepted first-year students until 15 October 2026, so its next late enrolment date is 15 October 2027, but I would aim to arrive for the September start.
Scholarships to study in Belarus: what other lists get wrong
Popular lists of Belarus scholarships name international programmes that mostly fund the opposite journey, Belarusians going abroad. Here is what each one does:
| Programme | Who it is for | Use for study in Belarus? |
|---|---|---|
| Belarus state grant | Foreign citizens studying in Russian at Belarusian state institutions | Yes |
| Visegrad Scholarship Program | Belarusians studying in Czechia, Hungary, Poland or Slovakia; citizens of those four countries studying in partner countries including Belarus (€3,500 a semester, master’s level) | Only for Czech, Hungarian, Polish or Slovak citizens. 2027 deadline 15 April 2027 |
| Fulbright US Student Program | US citizens | Suspended for Belarus through 2024/2025; IIE asks later applicants to call before applying |
| Boren Awards | US citizens only | No for other nationalities; the US advises its citizens not to travel to Belarus |
| DAAD scholarships | Study and research in Germany | No |
| Erasmus Mundus | Joint master’s programmes run by university consortia, mainly in Europe | Only if a programme lists a Belarusian partner; check each consortium |
I could not find a published scholarship for international students on the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno website or an active IREX programme for study in Belarus, so I have left both out.
How to apply to study in Belarus without IELTS
- Choose your route: a Russian-taught grant place, a paid Russian-taught place, or paid English-taught medicine.
- Learn Russian if you want the grant: enrol in a Russian course and get a certificate before February.
- Contact the Belarusian embassy: ask for its grant form and document list, and whether it accepts files for your country.
- Translate and notarise: have every document put into Russian and notarised.
- Submit by mid-February: file your grant papers by 15 February 2027, or apply straight to the university if you will pay fees.
- Take the interview: universities interview candidates by 15 June, often online.
- Get the invitation and visa: the university invitation is the basis for your study visa.
Comparing options in the region? See our guides to the Open Doors scholarship in Russia, study in Bulgaria scholarships and scholarships in the Czech Republic without IELTS.
Study in Belarus without IELTS FAQs
Can I study in Belarus without IELTS?
Yes. The official admission and grant pages I checked do not ask for IELTS; Russian-taught programmes need Russian, and English-taught medicine at Grodno admits on school results and an interview.
Does Belarus give scholarships to international students?
Yes, the state grant covers tuition, a stipend and a subsidised dorm for Russian-taught study. You apply through the Belarusian embassy by 15 February 2027.
How much is medicine in Belarus in English?
For 2026/2027, General Medicine in English costs $6,300 a year at the Belarusian State Medical University and $5,000 to $5,300 a year at Grodno State Medical University.
Is it safe to study in Belarus?
The UK advises against all travel to Belarus and the US says do not travel for any reason. Read your own government’s advice and check that your insurance covers Belarus before you commit.
Sources and updates
Grant rules come from the Belarusian embassies in Nigeria (December 2023), Vietnam and South Korea, the Belarus embassy in Zimbabwe’s education page, and a Vitebsk regional government notice of Decree No. 232. Fees come from the official pages of the Belarusian State Medical University, Grodno State Medical University, Vitebsk State Medical University and BNTU. Travel advice comes from the UK Foreign Office and the US State Department. Visegrad terms come from the International Visegrad Fund, Fulbright status from the US Fulbright Belarus page, and Boren eligibility from a US university fellowships office. Checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this page when the 2027 grant quota is announced.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
