The Ministry of Education and Science explained for whom the “zero course” is being introduced at universities
14 December 09:35
“Winter admission is an opportunity to take a zero-year course in winter before the main admission campaign. This is not a separate education, but a transitional stage between school and the first year of study: a few months of preparation for the NMT and adaptation to university studies.
Mykola Trofymenko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine for Higher Education, told RBC-Ukraine in an interview, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Who is the “winter admission” for?
Mykola Trofymenko said: “Winter admission is an additional option on the way to university for future freshmen. It is not a separate form of education, but a zero-year course – a few months of preparation for the NMT and adaptation to university studies before the main admission campaign.
“This is a bridge between a school for graduates and others wishing to obtain higher education in Ukraine and the first year of study: a few months of targeted preparation for the NMT and adaptation to the university format,” says the deputy minister.
Those who are planning to enter a bachelor’s program and feel that they have knowledge gaps or a break in their studies due to the war or relocation will be able to take advantage of the program.
“The zero-year state-funded program primarily provides for several categories of applicants: young people from the temporarily occupied or frontline territories who could not enter in the summer, military personnel, veterans and those returning from captivity or demobilized after the main enrollment, applicants who did not pass the NMT for objective reasons, such as forced travel abroad or interruptions in communication and security during testing,” he explains.
What’s the difference between “traditional” and “non-traditional” preparation courses?
According to the deputy minister, classic preparatory courses are internal university initiatives with very different structures and requirements.
“At the same time, the zero course as part of the winter admission is a formalized standard with quality requirements: clearly defined subject blocks, transparent connection with further admission, focus of state support on those who have really “dropped out” of the normal educational process,” he explains.
When will the first enrollment start?
“The model is tied to the 2026 admission campaign, so the first enrollment should start in the winter. The first groups will start studying in January, but the resolution allows programs to be launched until March, so institutions will be able to form one or more streams,” notes Trofymenko.
