August 17, 2026 — this is not just another date in an applicant's calendar, but a critical point of no return. Today, by the end of the day, registration for the specially organized session of the Unified State Exam (ZNO) will close. For thousands of students who have not previously taken the tests, received unsatisfactory results, or simply decided to change their field of study, this becomes the last chance to get the coveted score in the current year. The Ukrainian Center for Assessment of Education Quality (UCAEQ) emphasizes: missing today's deadline could cost admission to your chosen educational institution.
Who is eligible for a "second chance" and how to proceed
The ZNO special session is a mechanism of social support and flexibility in the education system, allowing applicants to adjust their plans. Applicants who have not taken the ZNO before or intend to improve their results can register for this session. However, the registration process requires attention and strict adherence to a sequence of actions. The applicant must personally contact the admissions commission of the higher education institution they plan to attend. There, they will need to submit scanned copies of all necessary documents.
A key stage is filling out the application questionnaire, where it is necessary to clearly specify the settlement in Ukraine where the applicant plans to take the exam. This is important for logistics and the organization of testing. After successful registration, the admissions commission will issue an exam sheet with a unique number and PIN code. These data will serve as a pass to the "Participant's Cabinet of Admission Exams" on the official UCAEQ website, where further interaction with the system will take place.
Financial conditions and payment deadlines
It is important to understand that the conduct of the ZNO special session is carried out at the expense of individuals and/or legal entities, meaning it is a paid service. The cost of participation in the exam is 1578 UAH. Critically important is compliance with the payment deadline: funds must be deposited by August 20, 2026. UCAEQ warns: in case of non-payment within the established period, registration will be automatically cancelled, and the previously issued exam sheet will become invalid. Thus, applicants have only three days after registration to financially confirm their participation.
Timeline of events: from registration to results
After successful payment and registration, the process enters an active phase. Registered applicants by September 7 will receive an official invitation to the testing in their electronic cabinets. The event itself is scheduled for the period from September 11 to 13, 2026. It is on these days that applicants will take the exams. The testing results, which will be evaluated on a scale from 100 to 200 points, must be published by September 21. This will allow students to promptly use the obtained scores to participate in the competition for state-funded and contract places.
Important limitations: what will not be held within the special session
Despite wide accessibility, the special session has its limitations. Within the framework of this event, the Unified Professional Admission Test (UPAT) and the Unified Admission Test (UAT) will not be conducted. This means that applicants for creative specialties or those directions where the submission of profile exams is required will not be able to use this opportunity to take exactly these types of tests. Specialized tests will require separate planning and participation in other sessions.
