Overview
The ORT (Obshcherespublikanskoe Testirovanie, the General Republican Testing) is the national university entrance test of Kyrgyzstan. It is run by the Center for Educational Assessment and Teaching Methods (CEATM), an independent testing organisation. The test is meant to show whether an applicant is ready for university study, and it works regardless of school marks. It measures general mathematical ability, verbal and logical ability, and grammar. Results go on a certificate that you use to apply to universities, for both state-funded and contract places.
This page is based on the 2025 brochure. Dates, registration rules and subject tests can change each year, so check testing.kg before you register.
Who can apply
Citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan can apply for state-funded or contract places.
Citizens of any other country can apply for contract places only.
Current-year school leavers (grade 11, or final courses at colleges and vocational lyceums) and past graduates holding a secondary vocational or higher education certificate can take part.
Students currently enrolled at a university cannot take the ORT.
Exam pattern
The test has a main test that everyone takes, a state-language test, and optional subject tests. You can choose to take it in Kyrgyz or Russian.
Main test (150 questions, 215 minutes in total)
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 60 | 90 minutes |
| Analogies and sentence completion | 30 | 30 minutes |
| Reading comprehension | 30 | 60 minutes |
| Practical grammar of the language you chose | 30 | 35 minutes |
Every question has four answer options, except in Mathematics where there are five. Sections are timed separately: you cannot go on early or go back to an earlier section.
State-language test
Since 2024 (Ministry of Education order of 7 February 2024), this test is compulsory for every university applicant. It has 50 questions in 60 minutes: vocabulary and grammar questions, plus two texts with five questions each. It places your knowledge of the state language on a four-level scale: below average, average, above average and high.
Subject tests (optional)
| Subject | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 40 | 80 minutes |
| Biology | 40 | 60 minutes |
| Physics | 40 | 80 minutes |
| Mathematics | 40 | 80 minutes |
| History | 40 | 60 minutes |
| English | 50 | 60 minutes |
| Kyrgyz language and literature | 40 | 60 minutes |
| Russian language and literature | 40 | 60 minutes |
Take a subject test only if the degree programmes you want ask for it. You can sit any number of them. A subject test cannot be taken without the main test, and its result is invalid without the main test result.
Marking and results
Each subject test is scored separately from the main test. You get a named certificate, but only if you took both the main test and the state-language test. Subject results appear on the same certificate. The certificate carries six tear-off coupons, so you can compete at several universities at once, and a graph showing where your score sits among applicants. The brochure says the top scorers each year receive "golden certificates", which allow admission to any state university outside the normal competition.
You can have the counting of your points checked after certificates are issued and before the first round of university admissions. Complaints about irregularities must be filed within three days of the test.
Important dates
The 2025 brochure says testing ran from 15 to 22 May, on a schedule shown on your admission ticket. Its conduct rules also define the 2025 test period as 18 May to 25 June. Registration happens online beforehand, through your school or the district education centre.
How to apply
Register for the test before the deadline, through your school or district education centre. A registration fee is charged, and the brochure states it is not refunded if you miss the test or are disqualified.
Collect your admission ticket and the free preparation brochure where you registered. The ticket shows your test centre, date and time.
On test day, bring the ticket, your passport (or birth certificate with a school certificate if you are under 16) and a pen. Copies of documents and electronic versions of documents are not accepted. Phones, calculators and other electronic devices are banned.
You may take the ORT only once in a year. Repeating it that year voids the result.
After the exam
Take your certificate to the universities of your choice. The certificate is normally issued where you registered. Universities then run their own admission rounds based on ORT scores.
Preparation tips
Study the free official brochure. It has sample questions for every section and subject test.
Plan your time per section, as you cannot return to a section once it ends.
Choose subject tests based on the programmes you want to apply for.
Can I take the ORT more than once in the same year?
No. The ORT may be taken only once per year, and a repeat sitting leads to cancelled results.
Is the state-language test compulsory?
Yes. Since 2024 it is required for all applicants to universities in Kyrgyzstan, and you get a certificate only if you take it with the main test.
In which language can I take the test?
You may choose Kyrgyz or Russian.
Do I need subject tests?
Only if your chosen programmes require them. The main test is compulsory for everyone.