The word “scholarship” covers different payments: state academic and social scholarships, presidential and government awards, named or corporate scholarships, hardship assistance and training payments through the employment service. They should not all receive one automatic bankruptcy treatment.
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Bankruptcy itself does not terminate student status, enrolment or a scholarship awarded under Federal Law No. 273-FZ.
Payment type matters
Academic support, social assistance and targeted compensation have different legal bases and evidence.
Income is disclosed
The manager receives the institution, scholarship type, amount, frequency, account and details of other income.
Can a student file for bankruptcy?
Student status does not create a separate procedure or replace the ordinary insolvency tests. Court bankruptcy is available under Article 213.4 of the Bankruptcy Act. MFC out-of-court bankruptcy is available only where total qualifying debt is between RUB 25,000 and RUB 1,000,000 and one of the grounds in Article 223.2 exists; studying by itself is not such a ground.
| Situation | What to verify | Practical point |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship only | Payment type, award order and account statement | Disclose receipts and determine the protected minimum in advance |
| Part-time work | Employment, self-employment or platform payments | Income is disclosed separately from student status |
| Tuition debt | University contract and the named payer | Do not confuse it with a bank education loan |
| MFC application | Debt amount and the exact Article 223.2 ground | A student card does not replace enforcement documents |
Types of student payment
| Payment | Check | Bankruptcy issue |
|---|---|---|
| Academic scholarship | Award order, period and academic basis | Not entirely exempt merely because of its name |
| State social scholarship | Qualifying category or state-assistance basis | Do not mechanically equate the scholarship itself with every protected welfare payment |
| Named or corporate scholarship | Rules, contract and funding source | Treatment depends on legal basis and terms |
| Hardship payment | Institution decision, purpose and governing rule | Special protection exists only if it matches an Article 101 category |
| Employment or services | Employment or civil contract and receipts | Separate income, not a scholarship |
What the student retains
Article 213.25 of Federal Law No. 127-FZ includes property received during asset realisation in the estate, subject to enforcement immunities. Because an ordinary academic scholarship is not separately listed in Article 101 of Federal Law No. 229-FZ, its complete exclusion should not be promised. The applicable subsistence minimum must still be retained. Essential additional study, accommodation, medical or dependant expenses may be supported by evidence.
Practical steps
- Obtain a certificate of enrolment and the type and amount of scholarship.
- Collect the award order, scholarship rules and qualifying-category evidence.
- Give the financial manager account details and a statement showing payment descriptions.
- Disclose employment, grants, hardship payments and family transfers separately.
- Apply for the subsistence minimum and document dormitory, medical or other essential expenses where an additional exclusion is requested.
- If disputed, request the manager’s calculation in writing and raise the disagreement in the bankruptcy court.
Education loans and tuition debt
An education loan is a separate liability to a bank, while unpaid tuition is a claim by the institution. Neither is the scholarship itself. Discharge depends on the legal basis, accrual date, any judgment and Article 213.28 exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
Can a student file for bankruptcy?
Yes. Student status is not a bar. The court applies the ordinary tests concerning debt, assets, income and good faith.
Will the entire academic scholarship be taken?
The applicable subsistence minimum is retained, but complete exclusion of every ordinary scholarship cannot be promised without analysing its basis.
Is a social scholarship always protected?
The exact award basis and payment type must be checked. The label does not replace comparison with Article 101.
Must part-time work be disclosed?
Yes. Wages, service income, self-employment receipts and transfers are reported separately from the scholarship.
Official sources
- Federal Law No. 273-FZ on Education, Article 36;
- Federal Law No. 127-FZ on Insolvency;
- Federal Law No. 229-FZ, Article 101;
- Russian Supreme Court personal-bankruptcy review of 18 June 2025.
Related guidance: money during bankruptcy, the procedure, and surviving debts.
Need to review student income?
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