Overview
Vysshaya Proba (Higher Test) is a school olympiad run by HSE University since 1998. It is on Russia's list of recognised school olympiads. The official site is in Russian. In the last season the site reports about 317,000 registrations, 144,000 participants and 3,900 diploma winners.
Who can apply
Students in grades 7 to 11 can take part, in 26 subject profiles including mathematics, economics, journalism, biology and design.
Exam pattern
| Stage | Format |
|---|---|
| Qualifying stage, tour 1 | Online |
| Qualifying stage, tour 2 | Online |
| Final stage | In person, in several Russian cities |
Important dates
For the 2026-2027 cycle:
Registration: 20 August to 22 September 2026 (14:00 Moscow time).
Tour 1: 25 September to 11 October 2026.
Tour 2: 13 to 22 November 2026.
Final stage: 5 to 15 February 2027.
How to apply
Register for your chosen profile on the olympiad site within the registration window.
After the exam
Diploma winners in grade 11 receive either admission to Russian universities without entrance exams or 100 points on the state exam in the subject matching the profile.
Diploma winners in grades 7 to 10 earn the right to go straight to the final stage the following year.
Can younger students benefit?
Yes. A diploma in grades 7 to 10 gives direct access to the next year's final stage.