According to the results of the 2026 National Multi-Subject Test (NMT) published by the Ukrainian Center for Higher Education Quality Assessment (UCHEQA), 48,590 participants failed to clear the threshold score in at least one subject. This accounts for 14.8% of all those who actually took the test. In total, nearly 360,000 people registered for the 2026 NMT, while 329,709 participants actually sat the test. Thus, more than one in seven test-takers failed to reach the minimum threshold in at least one subject, making mathematics the key "filter" for university admissions.
Mathematics — the Main Admissions Barrier
The most problematic subject turned out to be mathematics: 39,888 participants failed to clear its threshold, representing 12.1% of all those who took this test. For comparison, 6,217 people failed the Ukrainian language, while only 1,283 failed the History of Ukraine. This means that more than 82% of all failures were due to mathematics. Since mathematics is a mandatory NMT subject for all applicants, it is this subject that most significantly affects the total number of applicants who are denied access to the competition for higher education institutions.
Who Scored the Maximum on the Test
Despite the difficulty of the test, 4,324 participants managed to achieve the maximum score in at least one subject. The highest number of "perfect scorers" was recorded in English — 2,194 people — and in mathematics — 1,152. The maximum score in the History of Ukraine was achieved by 366 participants, in Ukrainian — 267, in Ukrainian literature — 175, and in physics — 52. The fewest maximum scores were recorded in French — just 2 — and in Spanish — 5.
Context: the Push for a 2027 NMT Reform
The test results came amid discussions of changes to the exam format. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier called on the Ministry of Education and Science to review the format of the 2027 NMT in order to reduce the burden on children during the war. Education and Science Minister Andriy Boutenko stated that the ministry is already working out changes. Among the likely innovations are greater flexibility in testing, the possibility of retaking the exam, and measures to reduce stress for applicants.
What This Means for Applicants
The 2026 NMT statistics confirm that mathematics remains the decisive factor in admissions: it is precisely a failure in this subject that eliminates from the competition the overwhelming majority of those who did not clear the threshold. At the same time, a high level of preparation in a number of subjects is maintained, as evidenced by the thousands of maximum scores. For those applying in 2027, the key question will be what specific changes to the testing format and retake policy the Ministry of Education adopts in response to the president's directive.
