The UNT procedure

The UNT is conducted for:

1.  students graduating from 11th (12th) grade of secondary education organizations to enroll in higher education institutions on a fee basis if so desired;
2. graduates of secondary education organizations of the current year to participate in the competition for the award of an educational grant at the expense of the republican budget or the local budget or to enroll in higher education institutions on a paid basis or to study under a state educational order at the expense of the republican budget if so desired;
3. graduates of organizations of secondary education of previous years, technical and vocational or post-secondary education to participate in the competition for the award of an educational grant at the expense of the republican budget or the local budget or to enroll in higher education institutions on a fee basis if so desired;
4. graduates of technical and vocational or post-secondary education who enroll in educational programs of higher education that provide for shorter study periods to participate in the competition for the award of an educational grant at the expense of the republican budget or the local budget if so desired;
5. graduates of secondary education organizations who have studied abroad, as well as Kazakhs who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who have graduated from educational institutions abroad to participate in the competition for the award of an educational grant at the expense of the republican budget or the local budget or to enroll in the higher education institutions on a fee basis if so desired;
6. individuals enrolled in the higher education institutions under full-time education on a fee basis, who have not scored a threshold score according to the UNT results; individuals with the UNT results with inappropriate combinations of specialized subjects; individuals with canceled UNT results for further enrollment in the higher education institutions on a fee basis in the calendar year;
7. higher education institution students studying under educational programs that require creative training and who want to transfer to other groups of educational programs on a fee basis;
8. higher education institution students who wish to transfer to the group of educational programs in the field of education "Pedagogical sciences" on a fee basis.

Testing will be conducted in five subjects: three compulsory and two vocation-related. The number of test tasks is 120, including 20 in the history of Kazakhstan, 15 in quantitative literacy, 15 in reading literacy and 35 tasks in two vocation-related subjects.

The list of vocation-related subjects:

• mathematics and physics;
• mathematics and geography;
• world history and geography;
• biology and chemistry;
• biology and geography;
• foreign language and world history;
• language of instruction and literature;
• geography and foreign language;
• chemistry and physics;
• world history and fundamentals of law;
• mathematics and computer science.

The UNT tasks are aimed not only at reproducing the studied material (specific facts), but also at using the studied material in specific conditions and new situations, in particular, application of rules, methods, concepts, laws, principles, theories.

The database of questions is updated annually by at least 30%. In 2021, context-based tasks were included into the vocation-related subjects test. 

Task evaluation: with the choice of one correct answer out of four proposed – 1 point, with the choice of one or more correct answers from the set of proposed - 2 points, context-based test tasks - 1 point.

The reading literacy task is aimed at testing the following skills: ability to generalize, juxtapose, compare, etc. The reading literacy tasks were introduced at the UNT as while studying at the university, an applicant needs to work with various sources, analyze these sources, compare information from the sources and draw conclusions. The skills will be useful for graduates in their subsequent studies at the university.

The vocation-related subjects will consist of 20 questions with a choice of one correct answer from four suggested, 10 tasks with a choice of several correct answers from a variety of suggested and 5 context-based questions.

Multiple answer options in vocation-related subjects test allow verifying how well applicants know a specific topic. Also, testing with multiple answer options prevents situations of "memorizing" and guessing answers. A total of 120 questions.

The test duration is 4 hours (240 minutes), of which:

- for applicants enrolling to educational programs that require creative preparation, duration of the test is 70 minutes.

- for higher education institution students studying under educational programs that require creative training and who want to transfer to other educational programs, duration of the test is 130 minutes.

For applicants to educational programs that provide for reduced training periods, duration of the test is 2 hours (120 minutes), including:

- for applicants to educational programs that require creative training, in related areas of training in educational programs that provide for reduced training time: 80 minutes. At the same time:

Upon completion of 60 minutes of test, a 2-minutes break is given.

Upon completion of 120 minutes of test, a 3-minutes break is given.

Upon completion of 180 minutes of test, a 3-minutes break is given.

Additional 40 minutes are provided during testing for the disabled (vision, hearing, locomotive system disorders).

During the UNT, children with special educational needs are provided with an individual assistant, as well as a sign language specialist.

Admission score:

-to the national higher education institutions: at least 65 points; for "Pedagogical sciences" field: at least 75 points; for in "Healthcare": at least 70 points; for "Agriculture and bioresources" field, "Veterinary Medicine": at least 60 points; for "Law" field: at least 75 points;

- to other national higher education institutions: at least 75 points; for "Pedagogical sciences" field: at least 75 points; for "Healthcare" field: at least 70 points; for "Law" field: at least 75 points.

Currently, changes are being made to laws and regulations on admission scores.

At the same time, for each UNT subject and (or) the creative exam, it is necessary to score at least 5 points.

The maximum score is 140 due to several correct answers in tasks in vocation-related subjects. The maximum number of points for people entering specialties requiring creative training is 125 points.

The UNT in electronic format is held within the following terms:

from January 10 to February 10 for admission to the University on a fee basis (for students of 11th (12th) grades; for conditionally enrolled individuals; for students of higher education institutions studying under educational programs that require a creative training, and willing to transfer to other educational programs; for students of higher education institutions willing to transfer to "Pedagogical Sciences" educational programs).

from March 1 to March 31for admission to the University on a fee basis (for students of 11th (12th) grades; for the graduates of the secondary education institutions of the past years, technical and vocational or post-secondary education; for the graduates of institutions of secondary education, studying abroad, and Kazakhs who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who graduated from educational institutions abroad; for those who enrolled on a conditional basis)

from May 16 to July 05 for participation in competition on award of the educational grant at the expense of the Republican budget or local budget or for admission to the University on a fee basis (for graduates of secondary education institutions of the current year; for the graduates of the secondary education institutions of the past years, technical and vocational or post-secondary education; for graduates of technical and vocational or post-secondary education received in educational programs of higher education, providing a shorter period of training; for the graduates of institutions of secondary education, studying abroad, and Kazakhs who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan have graduated from educational institutions abroad; for those who enrolled on a conditional basis)

from August 10 to August 20 for admission to the University on a fee basis (for graduates of secondary education institutions of the current year; for the graduates of the secondary education institutions of the past years, technical and vocational or post-secondary education; for the graduates of institutions of secondary education, studying abroad, and Kazakhs who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who graduated from educational institutions abroad; to those who enrolled on a conditional basis; for students of higher education institutions studying at educational programs that require a creative training, and willing to transfer to other educational programs; higher education institutions for students willing to transfer to "Pedagogical Sciences" educational programs).

An applicant who has not scored a threshold score within the specified time or the UNT results have been canceled can enroll until the end of an academic period and retake the UNT during the first year of study and within the established time frame on a fee basis.

Applications for participation in the UNT are accepted online through the website of the National Testing Center (www.testcenter.kz). Fee for participation in the UNT is KZT 4230.

At the same time, the UNT held in May-July for school graduates of the current year is free-of-charge.

The UNT is conducted by the National Testing Center online on the basis of regional testing centers located in cities of republican significance, in regional centers, in single-industry towns and in some district centers.

Discipline during the UNT

The outcome of testing largely depends on the discipline that should be observed. Otherwise, a graduate can face banishment from the test or cancellation of the test results. Below are the most important aspects that a graduate needs to know and observe during the test.

A graduate is not allowed to:

• leave a classroom (computer class) without permission and without a test administrator, who performs the functions of a corridor attendant;
• leave a classroom (computer class) for more than 10 minutes;

Thus, it is not allowed to leave a classroom in the first and last hours of testing, except in cases related to emergency, force majeure situations, and/or cases related to a health issues;

• talk and move from place to another;
• exchange documents and A4 papers given to applicants;
• take the papers out of a classroom (computer class), spoil the test materials, documents and A4 paper issued to an applicant to make a test;
• bring and use cheat notes, textbooks, periodic table and solubility of salts, calculator, camera, mobile devices (pagers, cell phones, tablets, iPads, iPods, smartphones, walkie-talkies, laptops, players, modems (mobile routers), smart watches, wired headphones, wireless, micro-headphones, wireless video cameras, GPS navigators, GPS trackers, remote control devices, as well as other information exchange devices operating in the following standards: GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, VHF, UHF, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, Dect;
• make noise before or during the test;
• discuss and disclose the content of test tasks;
• intentionally damage equipment and security systems used for test;
• try and interfere with the testing system and violate procedures related to the conduct of testing.

Nonetheless, it is allowed to use a calculator, periodic tables and solubility of salts located in the testing interface on computers.

At the same time, for persons passing the UNT in the period from May 16 to July 5, the periodic table and the solubility of salts are additionally provided in paper.

In case of a violation by a graduate, an inspector draws up an act on detection of prohibited items and banish a graduate from a classroom.

Upon completion of the UNT, the National Testing Center reviews the video surveillance recordings of testing and checks the registration files (logs) received in the testing system in electronic format until October 31.

UNT Appeal Board

The Republican Appeal Board was established, in order to ensure compliance with single criteria and settle disputable issues when evaluating test assignments and protect the graduates` rights taking the test online.

The chairperson and composition of the appeal board are approved by the order of an authorized body in the field of education. The Appeal Board considers the validity of appeals to add points to a graduate and makes a final decision.

The Appeal Board decision is made based on a majority of votes from the total number of the board members. The Appeal Board decisions are drawn up in minutes, which are signed by the chairperson and all the board members. The minutes of the meetings are stored in the National Testing Center during a year.

The appeal results are displayed in the personal account of an applicant.

An appeal against content is submitted by applicants after the completion of test within 30 minutes.

Upon completion of the test, an analysis of a graduate test results is displayed on the computer screen, indicating his/her answer options, as well as the score scored for each task and the sum of the points scored by blocks and the total score of the UNT.

The appeal results are provided within 30 (thirty) working days.