In 2026, 172,365 students were enrolled in professional higher education institutions in Ukraine. According to data from the Ministry of Education and Science, cited by RBC-Ukraine, this is over 38,000 people more than the previous year, representing an increase of approximately 29%. In total, over 412,000 applications were submitted—according to updated Ministry data, 412,182—which is more than 143,000 higher than during the previous year's campaign. Thus, the influx of applicants to colleges has not only been preserved but has visibly accelerated, making 2026 one of the most intense periods in recent times.
Record Application Influx and Its Structure
Traditionally, graduates of 9th grade remain the largest group: they submitted 230,139 applications, compared to 158,536 in 2025. The number of applicants after the 11th grade also grew significantly, reaching 154,151 applications compared to 90,673 a year earlier. In addition, 26,500 applications were submitted by individuals with vocational education, and another 1,392 by applicants who already hold a professional junior bachelor, junior specialist, or junior bachelor degree. Collectively, this forms one of the most diverse student bodies in recent years.
Who Was Enrolled: Distribution by Education Levels
Among the actually enrolled students, 90,507 previously studied after the 9th grade, 66,612 after the 11th grade, 14,193 after vocational education, and another 1,053 applicants held other educational degrees. It is evident that the share of those enrolled after the 9th grade remains dominant, confirming steady demand for professional higher education immediately after incomplete secondary school. Meanwhile, the growth in the number of enrollees after the 11th grade indicates that more full-school graduates are choosing colleges as a fast track to qualification.
Most In-Demand Specialties
Among all enrolled students, management became the absolute leader in popularity, chosen by 23,452 people. According to the Ministry, compared to last year, there was an increase in applicants choosing electrical engineering and accounting and taxation, while mechanical engineering was added to the list of popular fields for the first time. This indicates a shift in applicants' interests toward engineering and management profiles in demand on the labor market.
Budget and Paid Education
State and regional budget funds will cover the studies of 70,717 enrolled students, while 101,648 people will receive education at the expense of individuals and legal entities. Among those admitted to state-funded budget places, nursing became the most popular field, chosen by 7,469 students. This is followed by construction and civil engineering (4,085), electrical engineering (3,847), road transport (3,374), and food technologies (3,201). The top ten most in-demand budget specialties also included mechanical engineering, agroengineering, computer engineering, software engineering, and accounting and taxation.
Context: University Results and the Grant Issue
Growth in colleges is happening against the backdrop of similar dynamics in universities: 226,932 applicants were admitted to bachelor programs in 2026, which is 31,770 more than the previous year, with 64,625 people studying at budget expense. Separately, the Ministry reported that certificates for university study grants would arrive later than planned by the agency, and new document submission deadlines had not been announced at the time of publication. Together, these data paint a picture of steady, and in some segments accelerated, growth in demand for professional and higher education in Ukraine.
