An applicant (postgraduate) is a person with a higher professional education attached to an organization or an establishment that has a postgraduate training and preparing thesis for a MSc\PhD (master of sciences\philosophy degree) without full-time / correspondence pursuing in postgraduate studies.
Applicants for a scientific degree (MSc\PhD) do not pass entrance exams (as opposed to postgraduate students), but are attached to the establishment by a decision of the Academic Council. They may attend classes with postgraduate students or may independently prepare for the applicant minimum examinations.
An applicant does not receive a scholarship.
Current and final certification of applicants is carried out similarly to the certification of graduate students.

Training of advanced degree researchers is carried out both at the expense of the republican budget, and at the expense of organizations, individual entrepreneurs or other individuals, including the citizen’s own funds.
If an applicant is admitted to the postgraduate studies for the place stipulated by the admission target figures from the republican budget, then, accordingly, his training, including training in general education disciplines for passing postgraduate exams and tests, is financed from the budget .

Persons entering postgraduate studies under special degree programs should have:
higher education;
propensity to research, as evidenced by scientific publications, participation in research and innovation projects, conferences or by other submissions;
practical experience of at least two years in positions requiring higher education.
Foreign citizens, entering postgraduate studies, should have a higher education at the level of a Master of Science (Arts).

Getting post-university education in postgraduate studies under special degree program does not require passing an entrance exam /.

The requirement to have a higher education at the level of a Master of Science (Arts) at the time of admission to postgraduate studies under special degree program is applied only to foreign citizens.

A special degree program as a form of training advanced degree researchers at the I stage of postgraduate education along with mastering the educational program of postgraduate study also includes the preparation and passing of entrance postgraduate exams and tests in general educational disciplines in cases where people who do not have a master’s degree are studying under special degree programs.

During the period of postgraduate study under special degree program a student should pass his entrance postgraduate exams in a foreign language, philosophy and methodology of science, as well as a differentiated test in the basics of information technology.

An applicant has the right to independently master a content of educational programs of postgraduate studies and (or) carry out a thesis research without an appointment of a supervisor (academic adviser). An applicant is informed in writing about a decision of the head of the of the postgraduate educational establishment.

Every year, until the 1st of July, the Scientific and Practical Center publishes an announcement of admission to postgraduate studies in one of the following newspapers: "Советская Белоруссия" (Sovetskaya Belorusia), "Рэспублiка" (Respoublika), "Звязда" (Zvyazda), "Народная газета" (Narodnaya Gazeta), "Белорусская нива" (Belorusskaya Niva).

Submission of documents for entering postgraduate studies is carried out from the 1st of August till the 30th of September.

Persons entering the postgraduate study shall submit to the head of the Scientific and Practical Center an application of the established form to which the following documents are attached:
• a personal record sheet;
• a resume;
• a copy of a diploma of higher education and an extract from the test examination sheet attached to it or a copy of a document of education confirming the acquisition of education equivalent to the 1st stage of higher education in the Republic of Belarus with an indication of the studied disciplines and marks (points) obtained on them;
• copies of a master's diploma and an extract from the credit examination certificate or a copy of the education certificate confirming the acquisition of education equivalent to the 2nd stage of higher education in the Republic of Belarus, indicating the studied disciplines and marks (points) obtained on them (if any);
• copies of entrance examinations certificates for postgraduate studies (differentiated tests) and entrance postgraduate exams in general education subjects (if available);
• recommendations of an Academic Council (a Council) or a faculty of the higher education establishment (for persons entering postgraduate study to obtain the scientific qualification "Researcher" in the year of getting higher education in this educational establishment);
• a copy of an employment record or other documents confirming the work experience; application of an organization recruiting the personnel (if available);
• a list and copies of published scientific works and, in case of their absence, a scientific abstract on a profile of the specialty for which training is carried out in the Scientific and Practical Center;
• documents confirming participation in the implementation of research and innovation projects, copies of materials and / or abstracts of reports at scientific, research and practical conferences, congresses, symposia and other similar events (if any);
• conclusion of a laboratory’s scientific seminar (department meeting) on the relevance of the topic, the quality and volume of the independently carried out research on the topic of the thesis prepared by;
• documents giving the right of priority to enroll in postgraduate studies to obtain the scientific qualification "Researcher" (if any); two photographs 4 x 6 cm;
• a document on coordination with the President of the Republic of Belarus, a head of a state body or other state organization of the thesis research (for persons referred to in paragraph 39 of the Regulations on awarding scientific degrees and awarding academic degrees in the Republic of Belarus, approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of November 17, 2004, No 560);
• medical certificate in the form established by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus for entering higher educational establishments (for citizens of the Republic of Belarus);

Identity document and original documents on education are presented by a person entering postgraduate studies in one’s own person.

Identity document and original documents on education are presented by the person entering postgraduate studies in one’s own person.
Other documents may, if needed, be submitted remotely.

Notarization of documents’ copies submitted for admission to postgraduate studies for citizens of the Republic of Belarus is not required.

A decision on the persons’ enrollment for postgraduate studies is made by the Admission Committee on the basis of the conclusions of the laboratory’ scientific seminar (chair meeting), submitted by an applicant, about the relevance of the topic, quality and volume of research on the topic of the thesis being prepared by this person independently, taking into account the grades in the extract from the test and examination sheets attached to the higher education diploma. . p>

The period of training in postgraduate studies under special degree program is 5 years..

During the postgraduate course an applicant should fulfill an individual performance plan, including passing an entrance exam for postgraduate studies in a special discipline in accordance with the minimum curriculum approved by the Higher Attestation Commission, conduct scientific research and summarize the results obtained in order to prepare and submit thesis for a master’s degree (PhD). An applicant is also obliged to pass the entrance exams for postgraduate studies and tests for general educational disciplines.

In an applicant’s individual performance plan should be defined arrangements for mastering a content of the postgraduate study educational program which provides for obtaining the academic qualification "Researcher" and the deadlines for their implementation, including:
passing an entrance postgraduate exam in a special discipline in accordance with the scientific specialty and branch of science for which the educational program of postgraduate study is implemented;
passing an entrance postgraduate exams in general education subjects;
stages of the thesis research on the topic (specific content);
materials’ registration according to the results of research in order to test them for publication in scientific journals;
processing case-study manuscripts and heads of speeches’ reports at conferences (an applicant for a scientific degree of a master of science (PhD) should have at least three academic papers published in scientific journals included in the list of publications or in foreign scientific journals);
steps taken to prepare thesis for the degree of a master of sciences (PhD) in the form of a special manuscript and an abstract.