Overview
GTO ("Gotov k trudu i oborone", Ready for Labour and Defence) is Russia's national physical fitness programme, the All-Russian Physical Culture and Sports Complex (VFSK GTO). It is a set of fitness tests rather than an academic exam: participants meet age-based standards and receive a gold, silver or bronze badge. It is run under the Ministry of Sport, with the Federal Directorate of Sports Events (Federalnaya direktsiya sportmeropriyatiy) managing the programme.
GTO dates from the Soviet Union, where the first complex was approved on 11 March 1931. It was revived in modern Russia and is still running in 2026. The official site reports more than 23 million participants since the revival, with more than 11 million having met the standards.
Who can take part
The standards cover men and women from age 6 to 70 and over. They are divided into 18 age stages, and your stage is set by your full age on the day you take the tests. When you move into the next age group, the requirements can change.
The official site also publishes a separate set of standards for a special category of participants.
Test structure
Each age stage has its own list of disciplines and its own results for the bronze, silver and gold badges. The full tables for each stage, for men and for women, are on the official site's standards pages. Check the table for your age stage before you train, because the disciplines and the results required differ between stages.
How to take part
Register in the GTO personal account on the official site, or through the Gosuslugi portal, and get your unique identification number (UIN).
Get a medical certificate confirming your health group and that you are cleared for GTO testing. It is valid for up to one year and can be obtained free under your medical insurance or from a private clinic.
Contact a testing centre in your region, listed in the Regions section of the official site, by phone or in person to book. Moscow residents can book through the city's own GTO site.
On the day, bring your documents and sports clothing: adults bring a passport and the medical certificate; under-14s bring a birth certificate, the medical certificate and parental consent; 14 to 17 year olds bring a passport, the medical certificate and parental consent.
Your results appear in the "Results" section of your personal account.
Badges and results
Gold badges are awarded by the Ministry of Sport. Testing centres send in the documents at the end of each calendar quarter.
Silver and bronze badges are awarded by the regional sports authority, quarterly or at the end of the year, or at the participant's request, or when the participant moves to a new age stage.
Once the order is issued, your order number and certificate number appear in your personal account under "My badges". The badge and certificate are delivered to the testing centre where you took your last test, and the centre tells you when to collect them. If you have met the standards early, you can ask for your badge sooner through the "My goal" section of your account.
What a badge gives you
According to the official site:
A GTO badge can earn extra points added to Unified State Exam (EGE) results when applying to university. Each university sets its own rules, published on its admission pages.
It can help a student qualify for an increased state academic scholarship.
Since 1 January 2025, meeting the GTO standards gives the right to a tax deduction.
Some employers give a bonus or an extra day off to prepare for the tests, but this is up to the employer and is not set in law.
Is GTO still held?
Yes. GTO is an active national programme in 2026: people register on the official site, book a testing centre and earn gold, silver or bronze badges.
Is GTO an academic exam?
No. GTO tests physical fitness against age-based standards. Its link to education is that a badge can add points to university admission under each university's rules.
Where can I see my results?
In your GTO personal account, under "Results". Awarded badges appear under "My badges".