The application of the "Speaking" stage for foreign language in the master's admission exam is being discussed.
However, whether this innovation will be applied this year is one of the main issues that concerns applicants preparing for master's degrees.
AzEdu.az sent an inquiry to the State Examination Center (SEC) to clarify the matter.
In response to our inquiry from SEC, it was stated that this change is not foreseen in the master's exam in 2027:
No changes are foreseen in the master's admission exam model in 2027. In 2027, the exams will be held through paper carriers in accordance with the rules and format applied this year.
However, in the future, the organization of master's admission exams in electronic format is being considered. We have previously provided information about this. This may be possible after the work related to the solution of technical, organizational and content, as well as legislative issues, is completed. If there is any change regarding this issue, the public will be officially informed in advance.
The checking of speaking skills in the master's admission exam is currently planned to be applied during admission to specialties taught in English and from 2028.
In the current admission model, candidates' foreign language knowledge and skills are mainly assessed through a written exam. In master's programs taught in English, it is important for students to follow lectures and seminars, participate in discussions, make presentations, and verbally justify their opinions. From this point of view, a separate assessment of speaking skills will form a more complete idea about the candidate's readiness to study in an English-speaking academic environment.
The State Examination Center already has relevant experience in assessing oral communication skills in foreign language exams, especially in doctoral admission exams. This experience has created an important methodological basis for the model to be applied at the master's level in terms of preparing the content of the speaking exam, selecting task models, determining assessment criteria, and training assessors.
In order to ensure a phased transition to the new assessment component during admission to specialties taught in English, it is also planned to hold trial exams for assessing English speaking skills starting from 2027. Trial exams will provide candidates with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the types of tasks, the exam procedure, and the assessment criteria in advance.
