Final Assessment 2025/2026
Final State Certification (further - FSC) - is a mandatory element of the curriculum and conducted according to
Admition to Final State Certification
Only a student who has completed their degree programme in full is admitted to the FSC process. The admission of a student to FSC is formally recorded by a respective directive.
Composition of FSC process
The composition of final state certifcation is determined on the basis of given degree programme.
In 2025-2026 academic year final state certification process includes only defence of Final Qualification Paper.
The requirements for writing a thesis and the procedure for meeting them are contained in
Uploading Final Qualification Paper and checking for plagiarism
Uploading and checking Final Qualification Papers for plagiarism in 2026 is carried out using the Learning Management System (LMS). More detailed information about uploading FQP is in HSE Academic Handbook -> How to upload student papers and theses in Learning Management System (LMS).
Process of defence of Final Qualification Paper
Defence of Final Qualification Paper takes place in accordance with the schedule approved by directive.
The defence begins with the student's presentation on the topic of the work. The duration of the presentation is no more than 15 minutes.
The presentation should begin with justifying the relevance of the chosen topic, describing the scientific problem, and formulating the purpose of the work, and then sequentially reveal the main content of the work by chapters, paying special attention to the most important issues and the obtained practical results. In the concluding part of the presentation, the general conclusions and proposals (recommendations) formulated by the author as a result of the conducted research are listed, and the scientific novelty and practical significance of the work are noted.
After the presentation, members of the State Examination Board (further - SEB) ask the student questions related to the topic of the thesis and related issues. When answering questions, the student has the right to use their work. After the student answers the questions, one of the SEB members reads out the review(s) of the work.
After the review(s) are announced, members of the SEB may ask clarifying questions to the student. After the discussion ends, the student is given a concluding word. In the concluding word, the student must respond to the comments of the supervisor and the reviewer if there were any in the review(s). After the student's concluding word, the procedure for defending the Final Qualification Paper is considered complete.
Appeal
Students are entitled to submit appeals to the relevant Appeals Committee. appeals may be submited if students appellant believes that there were irregularities in or violations of state examination procedures and/or if student appellant disagrees with the results of their state examination.
Information about conduction of FSC in 2026 (Defence of Final Qualification Paper):
- Directive about Conduction the Final State Certification (PDF, 161 Kb)
- The Composition of the State Examination Board 2026 (DOCX, 34 Кб)
- The Composition of the Appeals Committee 2026 (DOCX, 34 Кб)
Admition to Final State Certification
Only a student who has completed their degree programme in full is admitted to the FSC process. The admission of a student to FSC is formally recorded by a respective directive. Composition of FSC process
The composition of final state certifcation is determined on the basis of given degree programme. In 2025-2026 academic year final state certification process includes only defence of Final Qualification Paper.
The requirements for writing a thesis and the procedure for meeting them are contained in
Guidelines for the Preparation and Defense of the Final Qualification Paper (DOCX, 206 Кб)
The topic of Final Qualification Paper, its academic supervisor and consultant (if needed) are recorded by respective directive.
Change/clarification of Final Qualification Paper topic ia possible no later than one calendar month before the deadline established in the directive for submitting the final version of the Final Qualification Paper and is recorded by respective directive.
Uploading Final Qualification Paper and checking for plagiarism
Uploading and checking Final Qualification Papers for plagiarism in 2026 is carried out using the Learning Management System (LMS). More detailed information about uploading FQP is in HSE Academic Handbook -> How to upload student papers and theses in Learning Management System (LMS).- If a student (or group of students) has used generative (AI) models in the process of writing the text of their thesis, then the student(s) must declare (disclose) this fact at the same time that they upload the file containing the final version of their thesis making said declaration (disclosure) by placing a check mark in the relevant box (ticking the relevant box) on the special form to indicate that artificial intelligence (AI) was used (labelled “With the use of generative (AI) models”) and by filling in the “Questionnaire on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) When Writing a Thesis” (hereinafter, the “Questionnaire”). The Questionnaire must be filled in within 24 hours of the time that the thesis is uploaded.
- ! If a student (or group of students) has used generative (AI) models for writing the text of a thesis but failed to fill in the Questionnaire by the established the established deadline, the given thesis shall not be accepted for review and assessment and shall be deemed not to have been submitted for legal purposes.
Process of defence of Final Qualification Paper
Defence of Final Qualification Paper takes place in accordance with the schedule approved by directive.
The defence begins with the student's presentation on the topic of the work. The duration of the presentation is no more than 15 minutes.
The presentation should begin with justifying the relevance of the chosen topic, describing the scientific problem, and formulating the purpose of the work, and then sequentially reveal the main content of the work by chapters, paying special attention to the most important issues and the obtained practical results. In the concluding part of the presentation, the general conclusions and proposals (recommendations) formulated by the author as a result of the conducted research are listed, and the scientific novelty and practical significance of the work are noted.
After the presentation, members of the State Examination Board (further - SEB) ask the student questions related to the topic of the thesis and related issues. When answering questions, the student has the right to use their work. After the student answers the questions, one of the SEB members reads out the review(s) of the work.
After the review(s) are announced, members of the SEB may ask clarifying questions to the student. After the discussion ends, the student is given a concluding word. In the concluding word, the student must respond to the comments of the supervisor and the reviewer if there were any in the review(s). After the student's concluding word, the procedure for defending the Final Qualification Paper is considered complete.
Appeal
Students are entitled to submit appeals to the relevant Appeals Committee. appeals may be submited if students appellant believes that there were irregularities in or violations of state examination procedures and/or if student appellant disagrees with the results of their state examination.
Diploma with honours is issued to the recipient graduates provided that the following terms are in place:
- all grades indicated in the supplement to the diploma for courses (modules), independent examinations, and practical training elements (PTE) are either "Excellent," "Good," or "Passed";
- all grades given for FSC results are "Excellent";
- the percentage of "Excellent" grades shown in the supplement to diplomas, including grades for the FSC results, is at least 75% of the overall number of grades, with the exception of "Passed" grades shown in the supplement to a diploma.
