Significant changes are brewing in Ukrainian higher education. The Union of Rectors of the country's universities has sent an official appeal to the Minister of Education, Oksen Lisov, requesting a review of the admission campaign rules. The key proposal is to lower the minimum competitive score for admission to a number of specialties. This initiative is dictated by the difficult situation in which applicants find themselves this year.

The impact of the war on exam results

The authors of the appeal justify their position with the real conditions under which learning and preparation for the National External Independent Evaluation (NMT) took place. Rectors point to three critical factors that could have distorted the test results:

  • A long period of distance learning, which disrupted the usual rhythm and quality of material assimilation.
  • Regular power outages that hindered concentration and exam preparation.
  • A high level of stress and anxiety due to security threats during the tests.

"Low test results may be due not to the level of preparation, but to high psychological stress and the instability of the educational process in wartime conditions," emphasize representatives of the Union of Rectors. In their opinion, strict elimination criteria under current conditions could be unfair to talented students traumatized by the war.

Risk of youth outflow abroad

In addition to the humanitarian aspect, the initiative has a pragmatic background. Rectors fear that maintaining high requirements will lead to a mass exodus of applicants abroad. Lowering the admission score threshold is seen as a tool to preserve the country's educational potential. This will allow more Ukrainian youth to receive quality education in domestic universities rather than seeking opportunities outside their homeland.

Awaiting a decision from the Ministry

The final decision on amending the admission rules rests with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The parties intend to continue a constructive dialogue to approve the final conditions of the 2026 admission campaign before it begins. If the proposal is approved, the rules of the game for thousands of applicants could change significantly as early as next year.