The KSE Institute has published the results of a survey of first-year students regarding their satisfaction with the scores of the National Multi-Subject Test (NMT). The study, reported by RBC-Ukraine, covered 3,700 respondents and was conducted in two stages from February to mid-May 2026. Therefore, the results refer to last year's admission campaign, following which the respondents became first-year students.
Majority satisfied, but a quarter missed the target
Based on the test results, 62% of first-year students stated that they were satisfied with their scores. For 76% of respondents, the NMT results allowed them to enroll simultaneously in their desired specialty and desired university. At the same time, almost every fourth student — about a quarter of the participants — could not combine both wishes: the desired study program and the dream educational institution.
Breakdown by admission scenarios
The survey shows how the "mismatches" were distributed. 14% of first-year students enrolled in their desired specialty but at a different university. Another 6% ended up in their desired educational institution, but in a different specialty. Finally, 4% changed both their specialty and university due to the NMT results. In total, these groups account for about 24% — those who missed their exact target.
Math and foreign language are the most "unsatisfactory"
The level of satisfaction with scores varied noticeably depending on the subject. Participants gave the highest ratings to the results in geography and Ukrainian literature. The lowest ratings went to mathematics and foreign language: it was these disciplines that most often caused disappointment among first-year students.
Context: scholarships and in-demand specialties
Recall that earlier we talked about which specialties became the most popular among applicants in 2026. In addition, starting September 1, scholarships in universities and colleges doubled, making the issue of successful admission and the NMT score level even more significant for students.
