---
title: "High School Reform in Ukraine: 150 Lyceums Pilot a New Specialized Model Starting in 2026"
description: "From September 1, 2026, 150 academic lyceums in Ukraine are piloting a new specialized high school model with three clusters, while the nationwide launch of the reform is set for September 1, 2027."
date: 2026-09-16T14:04:02.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-high-school-reform-2026
tags: [ukraine-education, school-reform, academic-lyceum, stem-education, nmt]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# High School Reform in Ukraine: 150 Lyceums Pilot a New Specialized Model Starting in 2026

![High school students in a computer lab: a girl takes notes in a notebook while a boy works on a laptop, illustrating the new profile-based model of senior secondary education in Ukrainian lyceums](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/17/reforma-starshej-shkoly-ukraina-2026/reforma-starshej-shkoly-ukraina-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The pilot of the new high school model began on September 1, 2026, in 150 academic lyceums; the full launch is scheduled for September 1, 2027.
- High school is becoming specialized: at least three specializations in the STEM, linguistic-literary, and social-humanities clusters, with an adaptation period in grade 10.
- STEM spaces are being created in 250 schools across 22 regions with a 1.9 billion hryvnias subvention under the Modern Learning Spaces project.
- Experts warn that more than 200 hromadas may fail to open lyceums due to staffing and infrastructure constraints.

A new stage of the high school reform has begun in Ukraine. From September 1, 2026, 150 academic lyceums across the country have moved to piloting a new educational model for grades 10–12, while the full nationwide launch of the reform is scheduled for September 1, 2027. Accordingly, the 2026/2027 school year will serve as a trial run: it is in these institutions that new curricula, specializations, elective courses, and mechanisms for building individual educational trajectories for students will be tested.

### Specialized Model: Three Clusters and an Individual Path

The key change is that high school is becoming specialized. Students will be able to choose a field of study and subjects for in-depth learning in line with their interests and future career plans. A lyceum is required to offer at least three specializations belonging to three clusters: the natural-mathematical (STEM), the linguistic-literary, and the social-humanities cluster. Grade 10 includes an adaptation period during which a student may change their chosen field. After completing grade 9, graduates have two main paths: continue their education at an academic lyceum or enroll in a college.

### Modern Learning Spaces: 1.9 Billion Hryvnias for STEM Laboratories

The changes affect not only curricula but also the educational environment. Under the Modern Learning Spaces project, modern STEM spaces and laboratories are being created in 250 educational institutions across 22 regions, with 1.9 billion hryvnias of state subvention allocated for their setup. These are laboratories and classrooms for natural sciences where students will be able not only to study theory but also to conduct experiments, work on projects, and develop practical skills. The space itself is planned to be more flexible: with mobile furniture, separate laboratory zones, and interactive surfaces.

### Textbooks and Synchronization of the Transition

The educational base will be updated in stages, in sync with the transition to the new model: textbooks for grade 10 are to appear in 2027, for grade 11 in 2028, and for grade 12 in 2029. Based on the piloting results, the Ministry of Education and Science plans to adjust the necessary decisions and prepare the system for the nationwide launch. The reform's context is reinforced by NMT-2026 data: according to the publication, nearly 40,000 participants failed to reach the minimum score in mathematics, which is attributed not only to the difficulty of the test but also to gaps in foundational knowledge—an argument in favor of a more practice-oriented approach to teaching.

### Contradictory Data

The Ministry of Education's official plan calls for a large-scale launch and a pilot in 150 lyceums, but experts point to implementation risks at the local level. According to specialized publications, more than 200 hromadas (local communities) may fail to open academic lyceums due to a shortage of staff, infrastructure, and funding. Thus, one side emphasizes the system's readiness and the allocated subvention, while the other warns that the reform's geographic scope may fall short of what was announced, and some territories will be left without a specialized high school within the planned timeframe.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Major changes are being prepared in Ukraine's schools: what awaits students in grades 10–12](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/shkolah-ukrayini-gotuyut-veliki-zmini-shcho-1789566441.html) - Подтверждает пилотную модель старшей школы и изменения для 10-12 классов.
- [High school reform: what opportunities will open up for students from 2027](https://ura-inform.com/obshhestvo/2024/10/24/reforma-starshej-shkoly-kakie-vozmozhnosti-otkroyutsya-dlya-uchashhihsya-s-2027-goda/) - Согласуется с запуском реформы и возможностями для учащихся с 2027 года.
- [NUSh is changing high school: what will happen to villages, lyceums, and subjects](https://glavred.info/osvita/nush-menyaet-starshuyu-shkolu-chto-budet-s-derevnyami-liceyami-i-predmetami-10732352.html) - Отражает влияние реформы на лицеи и предметы; указывает на региональные различия.
- [More than 200 hromadas will not be able to open lyceums: an expert explains what is happening with the high school reform ...](https://zn.ua/EDUCATION/bolee-200-hromad-ne-smohut-otkryt-litsei-ekspert-rasskazal-chto-proiskhodit-s-reformoj-starshej-shkoly.html) - Экспертное предупреждение о том, что 200+ громад не откроют лицеи; не опровергает пилот, но ограничивает географию — учтено в разделе противоречивых данных.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: When will the full launch of the high school reform begin?
**A:** The nationwide launch is scheduled for September 1, 2027, while the 2026/2027 school year will be a pilot year for 150 academic lyceums.

### Q: How many specializations must an academic lyceum offer?
**A:** At least three specializations belonging to the natural-mathematical (STEM), linguistic-literary, and social-humanities clusters.

### Q: What happens to students after grade 9?
**A:** They have two main paths: continue their education at an academic lyceum or enroll in a college.

### Q: When will new textbooks for the specialized school appear?
**A:** Textbooks for grade 10 in 2027, for grade 11 in 2028, and for grade 12 in 2029.