The expert explained the increase in the minimum USE scores for admission to universities

The increase in the minimum threshold USE scores for admission to universities is aimed at improving the overall level of training of applicants and may orient some graduates towards secondary vocational education. Elena Provozen, Director of Educational Product Development at the educational company MAXIMUM, told Izvestia about this on October 22.

According to her, the most significant changes have affected a foreign language, where the threshold has been raised from 30 to 40 points, which is explained by traditionally high average results and the need to identify real language competence.

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As the expert noted, the average score in foreign languages in 2025 was 64.1 points, so the new requirement will not be critical for most applicants.

"However, raising the threshold for history from 36 to 40 points may lead to a reduction in the number of applicants to universities, given that 9% of exam participants did not overcome the previous minimum level, and 60% of graduates did not score more than 60 points with an average score of 56 points," said Provozen.

She drew attention to the situation with computer science, where an increase in the threshold is associated with a change in the structure of the exam and the introduction of a new assignment. This decision may also contribute to a more even distribution of applicants between specialties where previously it was possible to choose between physics and computer science, since the results in computer science have traditionally been higher.

For the rest of the subjects, the changes are spot-based. Raising the threshold in biology from 39 to 40 points is not critical with an average score of 54.5. The adjustment in chemistry requirements is explained by an increase in the average score from 56.5 to 57.8 and a reduction in the number of those who failed the exam from 19% to 17.4%.

"Raising the minimum threshold in physics from 39 to 41 points is also more of a point correction," the specialist added.

On October 21, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science set the minimum number of USE points in subjects for which admission to subordinate universities is conducted. It is known that in Russian, mathematics of a specialized level, history, a foreign language, literature, biology, geography and chemistry it is necessary to score at least 40 points, in physics — at least 41 points, and in social studies and computer science — at least 45 and 46 points respectively.

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