The Council approved the format of the 2026 admission campaign: what will change for applicants
3 December 21:12
The Verkhovna Rada has adopted a law that defines the rules for admission to higher education institutions in 2026. The document continues the special format of educational assessments introduced during the full-scale war and fixes the refusal of the state final examination (SFE) at all levels of secondary education, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the information from the card of the draft law No. 13650, MPs supported the decision that the State Final Examination will not be held for security reasons for both students and employees of educational institutions. This continues the practice of previous years, when testing was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later due to the war.
NMT remains a key selection tool
The format of the national multi-subject test (NMT), which will effectively replace the EIT in 2022, has also been preserved. As before, it will contain three main blocks – Ukrainian language, mathematics, and history of Ukraine – and one additional subject of choice: a foreign language, biology, geography, physics, chemistry, or Ukrainian literature.
Applicants will also be able to submit NMT results from previous years, starting in 2023, which expands opportunities for those who plan to re-enter or postpone their enrollment.
How the assessment system has changed
NMT is a computer-based online exam that takes place in one day at specially equipped centers in Ukraine and abroad. It was introduced as a temporary alternative to the External Independent Testing, but it has remained the main selection mechanism for four years in a row.
The state final certification, which used to be held in grades 4, 9, and 11, was suspended in 2019 due to the pandemic, and its resumption became impossible after 2022 due to security risks.
