The Government has announced a new scholarship opportunity for 10 Tanzanian students to pursue undergraduate studies in Russia under the Samia Scholarship Extended programme.
Speaking to journalists in Dodoma on Thursday, August 13, 2026, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Adolf Mkenda said the students secured the opportunity at RUDN University in Moscow following President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s official visit to Russia in June.
Prof Mkenda said the students are expected to leave Tanzania on September 1, 2026, for Moscow, where they will undergo a special preparatory programme, commonly known as a bootcamp, lasting about 10 months before beginning their undergraduate studies.
“During the bootcamp period, the Russian Government will cover 80 percent of the costs, while the Samia Scholarship Extended programme will cover the remaining 20 percent,” Prof Mkenda said.
He added that after completing the preparatory programme and commencing their undergraduate studies, the Russian Government would cover 100 percent of their study-related costs.
The 10 students bring the total number of Tanzanian beneficiaries under the programme to 60, following the earlier selection of 50 students.
The students will pursue studies in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and related fields, areas the minister said are increasingly important in equipping young Tanzanians with modern skills and addressing emerging technological challenges.
Prof Mkenda said the 50 students selected earlier will begin their preparatory training at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha on September 14, 2026. They are required to report to the institution on September 13.
He said the selection was based on outstanding performance in the Form Six national examinations, particularly among students who studied the PCM, PGM and PMC science combinations.
According to Prof Mkenda, students ranked from first to 50th were selected for preparatory training in Arusha, while those ranked from 51st to 60th were selected for studies in Russia.
“Among the 10 students travelling to Russia, eight come from government schools, while two come from private schools,” he said.
Prof Mkenda said the Government had followed principles of transparency, fairness and integrity throughout the selection process to ensure the scholarships went to students who demonstrated strong academic performance.
He said the Ministry was also coordinating logistical preparations for the students’ departure, including helping them obtain passports.
Nine of the 10 students selected to travel to Russia did not previously have passports, he said, adding that the Ministry was working to ensure all preparations were completed before their scheduled departure.
Prof Mkenda said the names of all 10 beneficiaries would be published on the official website of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to enable members of the public to access information about the scholarship recipients.
The programme is expected to strengthen Tanzania’s pipeline of highly skilled graduates in science and technology, particularly in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and data science.
