On Introducing Additions and Amendments to Decree No 80 of the President of the Republic of Belarus of 7 February 2006

The President of the Republic of Belarus has brought amendments and additions to the rules of admission to institutions of higher education and secondary specialised education. The document to that effect, Decree No 243, was signed by Alexander Lukashenko on 12 May.

In accordance with this document, state government bodies are entitled to increase the number of sponsored admissions to the education institutions subordinate to them in towns with a population of up to 20,000. In addition, the document increases the work-off period for graduates of sponsored-education programmes (the period is no less than 36 months for individuals graduating from an institution of higher learning, and 12 months for individuals graduating form a vocational training institution); it also introduces sponsored education opportunities for individuals seeking to excel in railway specialties.

This year the duration of the academic year in Belarus has been extended till 1 June; therefore the timetable for the submission of admission documents, for entrance exams and enrollment to higher education and secondary specialised education institutions has changed as well. The entrance examination in the subject ‘ Man . Society . State’ has been replaced with an examination in the subject ‘Social Science’.

In accordance with the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Belarus ‘On the Social Security of the Citizens Who Suffered as a Result of the Catastrophe at the Chernobyl NPP, Other Radiation Accidents’ of 6 January 2009, this category of citizens has been granted additional privileges at enrollment to institutions of higher learning. This pertains to graduates of secondary specialised education institutions who have a minimum of 24-month hands-on experience in their specialty fields and seek higher education (or education in a related field of knowledge) on the basis of distant education programmes.

A privilege to be admitted to education institutions without entrance examinations has been granted to prize-winners of school-subject Olympiads.

Also, the document provides for the exam-free admission of border troops soldiers who have references from military units within the range of up to 30 per cent of the student admission targets.

The adoption of this Decree will help fulfil the requirements set forth in Presidential Ordinance No 15 of 17 July 2008, and meet the demand for highly-qualified specialists in rural areas and towns with a population of up to 20,000, and in the border troops.

Please see the Russian version of this site for the full text of the Decree