On August 7, 2026, the official acceptance of applications for master's studies began. For applicants planning to continue their education, a key stage has commenced: documents must be submitted via the applicant's personal cabinet by 18:00 on August 22. This is the first and most important condition for participating in the competition for state-funded and contract places.

Key dates: from document submission to enrollment

The schedule for the 2026 admission campaign is strict, and missing deadlines could cost you a spot at the university. The first recommendations for candidates for state-funded (budget) places will be published no later than August 25. After receiving a positive recommendation, the applicant must fulfill all enrollment requirements — provide original documents and pass the medical commission — by 18:00 on August 28.

For those who have already been admitted on a contract basis but have the right to transfer to vacant budget places or places funded by targeted preferential state loans, a separate deadline is set. The transfer will be made no later than September 7. Recommendations for applicants on a contract basis will be announced no earlier than August 30. Full enrollment for studies funded by individuals or legal entities must be completed by September 14.

Additional intakes and the role of entrance exams

It is important to note that the main wave of admissions is not the only one. Universities retain the right to conduct additional contract intakes within their own admission rules. Such stages may continue until October 15, and the work of applicants' electronic cabinets will also conclude by this date.

Before the start of the application submission, future masters should have already passed the necessary entrance exams. The results of these exams will be the decisive factor in the competitive selection for both budget and contract places. Depending on the specialty and admission conditions, applicants took various tests, the results of which will now be used to form the ranking.

Rising tuition costs: new realities of 2026

Parallel to the opening of the admission campaign, a significant increase in tuition fees is being recorded in the education sector. In particular, some universities in Lviv have raised contract costs, with the most noticeable jump affecting popular specialties in IT, law, economics, and management.

The trend of rising costs is observed in other regions as well. It was previously reported that V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University raised tuition fees by almost 40%, while prices at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv increased by almost 27%. This forces applicants to plan their budgets more carefully and consider the possibility of obtaining preferential loans.

Contradictory data

In the context of the general situation regarding admission in 2026, there are differences in the interpretation of deadlines and rules for different regions. While the master's admission campaign in Ukraine is clearly regulated by August dates (until August 22 for submission), in certain regions of Russia, according to sources from Primorye, new rules and reforms are being discussed that may affect document submission deadlines and the conduct of exams (OGE/EGE) differently than in previous years. Applicants need to check the local rules of the specific university, as the unified federal calendar may have regional features.