According to Interfax-Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has published the admission procedure for higher education in 2026, which sets out the rules for the admissions campaign to higher education institutions for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.
According to the ministry, key changes in the 2026 admissions campaign include the following: applicants may submit up to 10 applications in total, of which no more than five may be for state-funded spots; the priority system now applies not only to bachelor’s programs but also to master’s programs, including contract-based programs; for most creative majors, the creative competition coefficient has been increased to 0.7; interviews and creative competitions are conducted in person, with exceptions provided for certain categories of applicants, particularly those residing in temporarily occupied territories, serving in the military, or representing Ukraine in international competitions; the results of national final exams from European countries may be accepted in lieu of the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) for Ukrainian citizens; motivation letters are no longer a mandatory component of the application.
It is noted that for admission to bachelor’s programs, NMT results remain the primary selection criterion, and applicants may also use test results from previous years (2023, 2024, and 2025).
“The competitive score is calculated using a formula in which each subject has its own weight depending on the major. This means that the same applicant may have a different competitive score depending on the chosen major. This approach allows for consideration of which knowledge is key for a specific field of study. At the same time, applicants and parents are advised to pay attention to the weighting of subjects (subject coefficients) for a specific major before submitting applications,” the Ministry of Education stated.
Also this year, applicants for bachelor’s and master’s programs will rank their applications—that is, indicate which educational institution is their top choice (this rule also applies to contract-based programs).
“It is important to decide on a major and institution in advance, as the priority cannot be changed later,” the ministry noted.
For Ukrainians who graduated from high school in Europe in 2025 or 2026, the results of national graduation exams (such as the Polish matura) will be accepted for admission to Ukrainian universities instead of the NMT results.
Additionally, the following groups will undergo only an internal university interview instead of the NMT: war veterans (including individuals with war-related disabilities and combatants); individuals who have been imprisoned as a result of armed aggression against Ukraine; and applicants who were denied registration for the NMT due to the inability to provide special accommodations.
Certain categories of applicants are eligible for benefits but must take the NMT: orphans and children deprived of parental care; other categories admitted under Quota 1.
Among other things, separate state-funded spots under Quota 2 are provided for applicants from temporarily occupied territories and active combat zones.
“At the same time, admission requirements depend on the date of relocation. For example, if an applicant left after October 1, 2025 (or will be there during the admission campaign), they are eligible for an interview instead of the NMT and to compete for a state-funded spot. If an applicant left before October 1, 2025, they will be admitted based on their NMT results but are still eligible for quota 2.
In addition, the Ministry of Education has prepared a guide for applicants that explains the key stages and new changes in simple language: https://mon.gov.ua/news/hid-vstupnyka-2026-pokrokova-instruktsiia-do-zdobuttia-vyshchoi-osvity
