How long an ALES score stays valid, and when to retake it

An ALES score is valid for five years from the date of the exam. That single fact shapes a lot of decisions candidates make around ALES, including which cycle to sit, whether to retake it, and how to time applications to graduate programmes or academic cadres against a score that is quietly counting down.

What the five-year window actually covers

The validity period runs from the exam date itself, not from when the score is reported or first used. A candidate who sat ALES in a given month can use that same score for any application that accepts ALES scores at any point within the following five years, across as many different graduate programmes or academic cadre applications as they want, as long as each one reads the score type the candidate holds. There is no limit on how many times a single valid score can be submitted within that window.

Why candidates retake ALES anyway

Retaking the exam inside the validity window is common, but not because the old score expired. Candidates retake ALES to try to raise a specific score type, Sayisal, Sozel or Esit Agirlik, when their target programme or cadre reads one they scored lower on, or when a more competitive threshold requires a stronger number than their existing result. The difference between the three score types, and which fields tend to ask for which one, is explained in the difference between ALES verbal, quantitative and equal weight scores.

Choosing which cycle to sit

Because OSYM runs multiple ALES cycles a year, and a score stays usable for five years afterward, most candidates do not need to sit every cycle. The practical approach is picking the cycle that lands comfortably before the application deadline of the graduate programme or academic cadre being targeted, leaving enough buffer for the score to be processed and reported before that deadline. What the exam is used for across its two main pathways, graduate admission and academic staff recruitment, is covered more broadly in what ALES is actually used for.

What happens when a score expires

Once five years pass from the exam date, that specific sitting’s score can no longer be submitted for a new application. It does not affect anything the candidate already did with it while it was valid, past admissions or hiring decisions already made stand, but any new application from that point forward needs a fresh, currently valid score. Candidates planning a longer academic timeline, applying to a master’s programme now with an eye on a doctorate several years later, for instance, need to factor this window into that planning rather than assuming one sitting will cover the entire path.

Validity and the score thresholds you are aiming for

Knowing how long a score lasts only matters alongside knowing what score you actually need. For graduate school admission the required minimum varies by programme, commonly in the 55 to 80 range, covered in how ALES is used for master’s and doctoral applications. For academic staff cadres, the governing regulation sets a floor of 70 for most positions, covered in the minimum ALES score for academic staff positions.

FAQ

How long is an ALES score valid for? Five years from the date of the exam it was earned in.

Can I use the same ALES score for multiple applications? Yes, as many as you want within the five-year window, as long as each one accepts the score type you hold.

Does retaking ALES cancel my previous score? No. Each sitting produces its own independently valid score; a new sitting does not erase an older one that is still within its validity window, though most applications will ask for your most recent or highest result if you have sat more than once.

Do I need to retake ALES if my target programme changes score type? Only if your existing score in that specific type, Sayisal, Sozel or Esit Agirlik, does not meet what the new target requires; otherwise the same sitting already produced all three scores.

Is there a limit on how many times I can sit ALES? No formal limit tied to attempts is set by the exam itself; candidates sit as many cycles as they judge useful, subject to OSYM’s own cycle calendar and application windows.