Dobraya Stipendiya is a platform that allows ITMO alumni to establish their own stipends on their own terms. The project, designed to offer a way for alumni to financially support talented current students, was launched by ITMO alumnus Kirill Dobrinov and the university. All the associated tasks, from developing the platform to executive management, are performed by ITMO staff, students, and alumni.

“When I came to study in St. Petersburg from a rural town, I had to provide for myself from the start because my parents couldn’t afford it. Instead of gaining additional skills, I had to spend most of my free time working. I know from my own experience how hard it is to work and study at the same time, so after I graduated, I decided to find a way to support ambitious students. At first, I thought of starting a foundation or my own small stipend, but then I decided to offer every graduate a chance to help current students,” shares Kirill Dobrinov.

Launching your stipend

Any ITMO graduate, as well as companies or people invited by them, can start their own stipends. For that, they just need to fill out the feedback form or reach out to the organizers. In the form, future stipend founders have to indicate the selection criteria for stipend recipients, the number of stipends offered, the monthly payout (at least 10,000 rubles), and the stipend’s duration (at least 3 months). Among the criteria could be a student’s interests, their home region, their pet projects, and the absence of academic backlog. However, stipend candidates don’t necessarily have to be straight-A students or recipients of the state stipend. All the money to be paid to successful candidates is provided from the founder’s own funds.

The initial selection of candidates and related paperwork will be conducted by the platform’s organizers, while the final decision on each stipend’s recipients will be made by its respective founder. 

Participation in the project is considered to be charity: stipend founders can expect bonuses when applying for jobs or visas. They will also be able to apply for tax deduction (for Russian taxpayers).

How to apply for the new stipend

The stipend competition is already underway and applications are currently accepted for four different stipends for Bachelor’s and Master’s students – including those studying IT, digital art, and management. To apply for a stipend, students will have to attach a letter of motivation describing themselves, their projects, and long-term goals that can be facilitated by the stipend. Applications are accepted until July 24.