Free Practice Questions for Estonian Basic-School Biology Exam

No. The written paper mixes selective-response items (multiple choice, true/false, matching, sorting) with open-response items requiring short answers, data/diagram interpretation, and longer reasoning or dilemma-style answers, graded with partial credit according to Harno's published hindamisjuhend (grading guide) - not selective-response MCQ items alone. This bank is an MCQ study adaptation for learning and checking the underlying content - it is not a simulation of the official mixed-format written paper.

It is one of nine valikeksam (elective exam) choices, not compulsory. Every Grade 9 student must pass an Estonian-language exam, the compulsory Matemaatika exam, and one valikeksam chosen from biology, chemistry, physics, geography, history, civics, Russian language and literature, or English/Russian as a foreign language (B1). Only students who elect biology sit this particular paper.

It is a single 120-minute written paper worth 75 points across 10 weighted content areas, from scientific inquiry and classification through vertebrates, plants, fungi, invertebrates, ecology, microorganisms, human anatomy and physiology (the largest area), heredity, and evolution/general biology. Roughly 50% of points reward knowledge and understanding, and roughly 50% reward application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

At least 50% of the 75 points (roughly 38 points) for the exam to be recorded as 'sooritatud' (completed). Results also map to a 5-point scale: grade 5 (90-100%), grade 4 (75-89%), grade 3 (50-74%), grade 2 (20-49%), and grade 1 (below 20%).

In spring 2026, roughly 900 students registered for the biology valikeksam, making it the third most-chosen elective after English (9,685 candidates) and Ühiskonnaõpetus/civics (1,484 candidates).

None beyond standard writing implements. The eristuskiri does not authorise calculators, periodic tables or any outside reference materials for this paper, and using unauthorised aids or dishonest methods results in disqualification.

The underlying III kooliaste (7.-9. klass) curriculum stays constant, but Harno's annually published eristuskiri can narrow which parts are actually tested in a given year. For 2025/2026, detailed sensory-organ anatomy (eye, ear, smell/taste) and several higher-level genetics skills (solving dominant/recessive allele problems, analysing non-hereditary variability data, evaluating gene-technology/GMO questions, and hereditary-disease-prevention specifics) are explicitly excluded from grading, even though they remain part of the taught curriculum and can return in future years. This bank studies the full curriculum rather than only one year's narrowed scope.

Wednesday, 6 May 2026, starting at 10:00, running 120 minutes with no breaks. It falls within the general valikeksam window of 6-8 May 2026, which also covers the written and oral components of the English B1 elective.

No. Basic education in Estonia is free, and this elective final exam is administered by Harno at no cost to regularly enrolled Grade 9 students who choose it.