Final day of eighth-grade exams: the combined test is today
The third day of the lower secondary exams has arrived. Today, June 17, eighth-graders sit the combined test, with the first results due on June 19. Here is a practical guide for parents and pupils.
- The final exam runs from Monday, June 15, to Wednesday, June 17, and today eighth-graders sit the combined test on an elective subject.
- The combined test is worth up to 12 points; the Serbian and maths papers carry 14 each, so the whole exam is worth up to 40 of a total 100 points.
- Preliminary results arrive on June 19, final results on June 22, and the final placement on June 29.
- Secondary school enrollment runs from June 29 to July 2.
Is your child sitting the last exam paper today? Then the hardest part is already behind you, because the third day is usually the calmest one. After Serbian on Monday and maths on Tuesday, today, June 17, eighth-graders sit the combined test on an elective subject: biology, geography, history, physics or chemistry.
This year the final exam in Serbia runs over three days, from Monday, June 15, to Wednesday, June 17. Each paper has a clear place in the points total, so both parents and children should know exactly what counts before they start working out where to enroll. Here is a practical, step-by-step guide with the precise calendar.
How many points does the third paper carry and what is on today?
The combined test, the one sat today, is worth up to 12 points. The Serbian paper, or the mother-tongue paper, carries up to 14 points, and maths also up to 14. Add it all up and the exam is worth a maximum of 40 points.
Those 40 points are only part of the story. The remaining 60 points come from the average of grades earned in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. That is why children who stayed consistent over three years walk into enrollment with a solid cushion, even if one paper does not go perfectly. The total, then, adds up to 100 points, and that figure decides which secondary school a child can enroll in.
Our practical tip for exam day is simple: a light breakfast, documents and supplies ready from the night before, and arriving on time without a rush. A child who walks into the classroom calm solves the paper better than one who sprinted to school. Before you leave, check that there is a spare pen and the ID record the school requires.
When do results arrive and how does secondary school enrollment work?
This is the part that worries families most, so here it is by date so nothing slips past.
Preliminary results are published on June 19. These are the first, still unofficial points, and this is the moment to check every paper and, if you think something was scored wrongly, file an appeal within the window the school announces. Final results arrive on June 22, when the points are settled and filling in the wish list begins.
The final placement across schools is published on June 29. On that date a child finds out which secondary school they have been assigned to, based on total points and the order of preferences. Enrollment itself runs from June 29 to July 2. That is a short window, so it is wise to prepare all the paperwork in advance and not leave the school visit for the last day.
The lived experience of many parents says the biggest stress is actually the wait between the papers and the first results, not the test itself. So it helps to use the stretch from today until June 19 for something relaxing, a day trip, time with friends or simply rest, rather than rehashing the questions. The wish list is filled in only once the points are known, so there is no need to rush decisions before the numbers are in.
So how does your family handle the days of waiting for results, with a calm plan or with constant checking?
