Belarus CT

Overview

Belarus uses two related, centrally run tests to decide university admission: CT (Централизованное тестирование, Centralized Testing) and CE (Централизованный экзамен, Centralized Exam). Both are designed and administered by RIKZ, the Republican Institute for Control of Knowledge Quality, and use the same test format and level of difficulty.

CT is the older mechanism and is still the only route for most candidates: graduates of earlier years, graduates of vocational and specialised-secondary colleges, and other external candidates all sit CT in the subjects their target university programme requires. CE was introduced for current-year school graduates (finishing grade 11): it doubles as both the school-leaving exam and part of the university entrance score, so a current-year graduate sits two CE papers (the state language and one profile subject) and then still needs one further CT certificate, in a subject their target programme requires, to complete their admission file.

Who can apply

• Current-year secondary-school graduates (finishing grade 11 in the same academic year): take CE as part of their final year. Their school registers them for CE; they must separately register with RIKZ for any extra CT subject their target programme also requires.

• Graduates of earlier years, graduates of vocational and specialised-secondary (college-level) programmes, and other external candidates who did not sit CE in their own graduating year: take CT in all the subjects their target programme requires, registering directly with RIKZ.

Exam pattern

Most university programmes rank applicants on a combined score made up of three subject results — one language result plus two subject-specific results — drawn from CE and/or CT certificates depending on the candidate's category. The exact subject combination required is set by each university programme, not by RIKZ, so candidates should check their target programme's published requirements before choosing elective subjects.

Marking and results

Each subject paper, in both CE and CT, is scored on a 100-point scale, and a certificate is issued for any subject scored above 0. Commonly reported minimum threshold scores, unchanged since 2022, are:

A score below the threshold in a subject means that result cannot be used toward admission, even though a certificate is still issued. Universities also apply an overall minimum combined score below which an application is not considered at all, reported as 10 points for most specialty profiles and 25 points for philological-profile specialties as of 2026 — candidates should confirm the current-year figure for their specific programme with RIKZ or the university admission office.

Important dates

For the 2026 cycle, RIKZ's published calendar set:

• Registration: 9-22 April 2026, either online at RIKZ's registration portal or in person at a registration point.

• Main session: 26 May 2026 (Social studies, Mathematics, Biology, foreign language, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History of Belarus) and 29 May 2026 (Belarusian and Russian languages) — the same dates cover both CE papers for current-year graduates and the corresponding CT subjects for everyone else.

• Repeat session: 2 June 2026 (Mathematics, Biology, foreign language, Geography) and 5 June 2026 (Social studies, Chemistry, Physics, History).

• Reserve days: 18 June 2026 (all subjects) and 20 June 2026 (repeat testing for most subjects).

Exact dates are set year by year, so candidates should confirm the current cycle's calendar with RIKZ rather than assuming the 2026 dates repeat exactly.

How to apply

Registration follows the same three steps for every CT subject: submit an application, pay the fee, then collect the paper pass (пропуск), which carries a seal and signature and is required to be admitted to the test.

• Submit: online through RIKZ's registration portal, or in person at a registration point, during the registration window.

• Pay: for 2026, the fee was reported as 4.5 Belarusian rubles per subject, payable through the ERIP payment system.

• Collect the pass: in person at the place the application was submitted, by the end of the registration window, bringing an identity document.

Current-year school graduates are registered for their two CE papers through their school; they use the same RIKZ registration process described above only for any additional CT subject their target programme requires.

After the exam

A certificate is issued for each subject scored above 0 on the 100-point scale. Reported guidance says a CT (and, by the same rule, CE) certificate stays valid through the end of the calendar year following the year the test was taken — in effect, about two admission cycles.

For university admission, candidates submit their CE and/or CT certificates to the admission committee (приёмная комиссия) of each university programme they apply to. Most programmes combine three subject results into one ranking score and admit candidates, against both government-funded and fee-paying places, in order of that combined score until the places are filled.

Preparation tips

• Check the specific subject combination your target university programme requires well before the registration window opens, since CE/CT subject choices are fixed once registered.

• Work through RIKZ's published specification and demonstration materials for each chosen subject, since they set out exactly what is tested and in what format for that year.

• If you are a current-year graduate, remember you still need one further CT certificate beyond your two CE results for most programmes — register for it separately with RIKZ.

• Track the registration window and payment deadline closely: the paper pass is required for admission to the test, and it is only issued after the fee is paid.

FAQs