Linguatest: Over 2,000 People from More Than 30 Countries Have Taken the Test in Just Three Years

© HSE University

On November 17, 2025, Russia’s first universal, multi-level certification testing system for assessing English-language proficiency for business and academic communication—Linguatest SCT—marked its third anniversary. The system was developed and is implemented by HSE University in partnership with the Federal State Budgetary Institution Rosakkredagentstvo and the Prosveshcheniye Publishing House. The test can be taken in person at centres in Moscow or Khabarovsk, or online from anywhere in the world.

Today, Linguatest SCT serves as a fully-fledged domestic equivalent of international English examinations, allowing Russian citizens to certify their level of English for business and academic purposes. Candidates may take the test in person at one of the test centres in Moscow or Khabarovsk (choosing either a paper-based or computer-based format), or online from anywhere in the world with real-time proctoring. Upon completion, participants receive a lifetime certificate in both Russian and English.

Since 2023, the LinguaTest certificate has been accepted at HSE University as proof of English proficiency at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, and may also be used in bachelor’s and specialist programmes to transfer credits for the results of internal or independent English exams.

Ekaterina Kolesnikova

‘The project has been developing steadily and systematically, reaching an ever-growing audience and attracting candidates from a wide range of professional backgrounds. It is significant that interest is not limited to students: corporate partners and the business community now account for a significant share of participants, which makes the certificate in demand and recognisable not only in academia but also in professional environments,’ said Ekaterina Kolesnikova, Head of the School of Foreign Languages, Associate Professor, and Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences.

The success of the newly introduced domestic system is confirmed by strong demand from both Russian and international candidates: in the short period since the project’s launch, more than 2,000 people from over 30 countries have taken the test, with participants' ages ranging from 18 to 60.

The test is popular among students, applicants to master’s and doctoral programmes, schoolteachers and university lecturers, as well as specialists from a wide variety of fields—from business, trade, insurance and banking to construction, software development, and the coal, oil, and gas industries.

© HSE University

Leading Russian companies also choose Linguatest. For the past three years, one of the country’s largest corporate universities has used the certification testing system to select applicants for its educational programmes and to measure progress in English studies.

In March 2025, the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) added Linguatest to its list of English-language certificates accepted for admission to master’s programmes. As part of this year’s admissions campaign, more than 360 Skoltech applicants have already taken the test.

What is Linguatest and how can one prepare for it?

Linguatest consists of four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Each section is assessed on a scale from 0 to 100.

Upon completion of the test, candidates receive a lifetime certificate indicating their overall level of English—from Beginner to Professional—as well as individual scores for each language skill, which allows for a detailed assessment of proficiency in each area.

The Linguatest scale, developed by experts from the HSE School of Foreign Languages, comprises five levels (Beginner, Basic, Threshold, Fluent, Professional) and is aligned with all recognised international scales of foreign language communicative competence.

A key component of the project is the development of a set of teaching and learning resources for studying English. These materials can be used by universities, language schools, and individual learners working independently.

18 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RESULTS

HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY STAFF OF THE SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES TO DATE

These intellectual property results formed the basis of ten study guides designed to help candidates prepare for the test. The guides contain authentic materials from past examination sessions, sets of practice tasks for each language skill, extended preparation guidelines, and a range of other useful resources.

Candidates who have taken the test comment positively on the high quality of the preparation materials, noting their convenience, usefulness, and alignment with real test requirements. They also highlight that the variety of tasks makes preparation engaging and helps them master all aspects of the language more effectively.

Since 2024, in-person Linguatest preparation courses have been offered in Khabarovsk. The curriculum was developed by experts from the LinguoSchool at the Institute of Linguistics and Intercultural Communication of Pacific National University, where the regional Linguatest SCT test centre is based.

In September 2025, the Centre for Language Learning and Teaching Methodology at the HSE School of Foreign Languages launched online preparation courses in two formats: an intensive course and a standard course. The School of Foreign Languages, together with the Prosveshcheniye Publishing House, also offers seminars and webinars aimed at test preparation and teacher professional development. These initiatives support successful test performance and contribute to the development of language education more broadly.

Further information about Linguatest SCT and registration for upcoming test sessions is available on the Linguatest website (in Russian).