Matura Russian exam-day guide
Matura Russian · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Original photo ID
Bring a valid dowód osobisty, paszport, or another photo ID accepted by your school. Check expiry and that the photo is current; an expired or unclear document may cause problems at admission. [needs_review] Confirm accepted ID forms with your school/CKE before exam day.
Admission slip or exam ticket
Bring the ticket or candidate code issued by your school. [needs_review] Confirm whether your school requires a printed copy or accepts an electronic version; do not rely on a phone if phones are banned in the exam room.
Two or three pens with black or blue ink
Use the ink colour permitted in that year's CKE communiqué. Test the pens beforehand; avoid gel pens that smudge and erasable pens unless explicitly allowed. [needs_review] Confirm the exact permitted ink colour.
Pencil and eraser
Useful for rough notes and planning written tasks. [needs_review] Confirm whether pencils are allowed in your exam room and whether rough work must be handed in or crossed out.
Simple wristwatch
A non-smart analogue watch helps you pace the reading, grammar, and writing sections. Smartwatches and watches with communication features are normally treated like phones. [needs_review] Confirm whether any watch is permitted in your venue.
Transparent water bottle
Bring water only if the venue allows it, and remove the label. Keep it on the floor or where the invigilator instructs so it does not damage your answer sheet. [needs_review] Confirm venue rules on drinks.
Plan for your phone and smart devices
Leave your phone at home or arrange to hand it in before entering the exam room. A device that is switched on, vibrating, or visible during the exam may be treated as a breach of rules. [needs_review] Confirm the school's exact collection procedure.
Confirm start time, room, and arrival time
Check the school's notice or CKE communiqué for the exact start time and building entrance. Arrive early enough to find the room, show ID, and settle without rushing. [needs_review] Confirm how many minutes before the start you must be at the venue.
Check the current exam format and duration
Review the CKE informator and sample papers for your level - podstawowy or rozszerzony - and note the number of tasks, writing formats, and total time. [needs_review] Confirm the current duration and task types for your level; do not rely on older memory.
Practise legible Cyrillic handwriting
Graders must be able to read your Russian answers, especially case endings and handwritten letters such as ш/щ, и/й, and т/ш. Write a short timed task in Cyrillic and check that your corrections are clear.
Confirm oral exam details if you have one
Matura Russian may include a separate ustny exam with its own date, time, and room. Note the reporting time and required ID. [needs_review] Confirm your individual oral exam slot with your school.
Read the current CKE communiqué on permitted items
The list of allowed and banned items can change. Read the communiqué for your exam year and follow it over any older advice from friends or online forums. [needs_review] Confirm the current list with your teacher or school.
Plan the day
Confirm the exam date, start time, room, and ID requirements. Print or save your ticket as instructed. Read the CKE informator for your level and do one timed section - for example, a reading task plus one short writing task - to check your pacing. Prepare clothes, transport, and a backup route to the venue. Do not start new topics; review only your own notes and corrected mistakes.
Pack your bag: ID, ticket if required, pens, pencil, eraser, water if allowed, and a simple watch. Leave your phone out of the bag or plan where you will hand it in. Review high-yield Russian grammar lightly: case endings, verb aspect pairs, common prepositions, and fixed phrases for the writing task. Eat a normal meal, set two alarms, and sleep rather than cramming new vocabulary.
Eat a light breakfast and arrive at the venue early as confirmed by your school. Keep your phone switched off and handed in or left at home. Show your ID, find your seat, and listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions. Check that your answer sheet has the correct candidate code and exam level before the start. Fill in the header exactly as instructed.
Read the whole paper briefly and note the point value of each section. Start with the reading tasks to settle your Russian, then move to grammar, then the writing task. Do not spend too long on one gap or one unknown word; mark it and return later. For the writing task, read the prompt twice and identify the required format, audience, and number of points to cover.
Budget roughly: reading and grammar first, then 20–25 minutes for the writing task, then 5–10 minutes to check case endings, verb endings, spelling, and that all answers are transferred to the answer sheet. Write legibly in Cyrillic and cross out mistakes neatly. If you finish early, check the answer sheet rather than leaving; if you must leave the room, follow the invigilator's procedure.
Rules to check
Bring an original photo ID. A candidate without acceptable ID may not be admitted; confirm the accepted forms and validity rules with your school or CKE before exam day.
Phones, smartwatches, notes, and unauthorised materials must not be in your possession during the exam. Even a switched-off device can be treated as a rule breach; confirm the exact collection and storage procedure with your venue.
Arrive before the start time set by your school. Late admission is not automatic and may be refused after a cutoff; confirm the venue's arrival and late-entry policy in advance.
Follow the invigilator's instructions about filling in the answer sheet, rough work, and leaving the room. Answers written outside the designated areas or in an unreadable way may not be scored.
A written language exam normally runs without a formal break; confirm this with your provider. If you need to leave the room for an emergency, expect supervision and follow staff instructions.
Results are based on the points awarded for each task and converted to a percentage; the passing threshold and reporting rules are set in the current CKE regulations. Confirm the current scoring and threshold rules rather than relying on older information.
Work independently. Impersonation, copying, or communicating with other candidates during the exam can lead to annulment of the paper and further consequences under the exam regulations.
If you have a separate oral exam, its date, time, and conduct rules are separate from the written paper. Confirm your slot, required ID, and reporting time with your school.