How to enroll in a university if the results of the Unified State Exam are no longer valid: a reminder for applicants

The validity period of the Unified State Exam (USE) scores in Russia is limited, and if this period has expired, applicants face the question: what to do next? There are several alternative options for those who want to get higher education, each of which has its own characteristics. What they are and to whom they are suitable, read in the Izvestia article.

How many years are the results of the Unified State Exam valid?

According to Article 70 of the Federal Law "On Education in the Russian Federation", the results of the Unified State Exam are valid for four years following the year of its completion.

For example, if a graduate passed the Unified State Exam in 2020, the test results will be valid until the end of 2024 inclusive. In 2025, they will be considered invalid.

However, "overdue exams" are not a reason to give up the dream of studying at a university. The higher education system in Russia offers several alternative enrollment methods.

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This includes re-passing the Unified State Exam, admission to a college or technical school based on secondary vocational education, enrollment through internal entrance examinations of educational institutions or paid tuition. In addition, certain categories of citizens have the opportunity to become a student of a higher educational institution without the results of the Unified State Exam.

Passing the Unified State Exam repeatedly

The first and most obvious way is to register for a repeat exam, as applicants have the right to do so in order to update their exam results.

In this case, you must submit an application to the regional information processing center or to the nearest school that accepts applications from graduates of previous years. The schedule of the Unified State Exam and the deadline for submitting applications are published annually on the official website of Rosobrnadzor.

This option is suitable for those who are willing to spend extra time preparing for and taking exams.

Admission to college or college

If you do not have the desire or opportunity to retake the Unified State Exam, you can enroll in a college or college based on a certificate of secondary general education.

After graduating from a secondary vocational school, a student can continue his studies at a university according to a shortened program, if it is similar, or enroll in the first year after passing internal additional tests established by the university.

Admission to university without the Unified State Exam for certain categories of citizens

According to the law, special rights for admission to universities, including without the results of the Unified State Exam, are provided for people with disabilities and disabilities. Such applicants can be enrolled based on the results of internal tests of higher education institutions.

Paid tuition without the Unified State Exam

Some private and public universities offer admission to a contract (paid) form of study, without requiring the provision of the results of a Unified State Exam.

In this case, applicants undergo an interview or internal tests. Within the framework of these educational programs, specialists are trained in various fields and a state-issued diploma is issued.

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The competition among applicants is usually lower here, and the requirements are less strict. However, it should be borne in mind that the cost of tuition can be high, and there are usually no budget places in such programs.

Admission through the university's internal entrance tests

Russian universities provide the opportunity for admission based on the results of internal examinations. As a rule, this opportunity is provided to college graduates, applicants with confirmed disabilities, foreign citizens and graduates of foreign educational organizations.

To use this option, you need to find out which universities offer this opportunity (information is available on the official websites of universities), prepare for exams, as they may differ from the Unified State Exam, and submit documents on time.

Admission to university without the results of the Unified State Exam in 2025 – the algorithm of actions

If you want to enroll in a university without up-to-date results of the Unified State Exam, first of all you need to carefully assess your situation and choose the most appropriate option.

You should carefully study the requirements of the chosen educational institution: the list of necessary documents, rules and deadlines for submitting applications.

Next, you need to prepare a complete set of documents, including a certificate, diploma, medical certificate and others in accordance with the requirements of the university and submit an application within the prescribed time.

Earlier, Anastasia Yekushevskaya, the academic director of the Skysmart online school, told Izvestia how to effectively prepare for the Unified State Exam without stress.