In Ukraine, the admission campaign to professional colleges has started - what you need to know

In Ukraine, the admission campaign to professional colleges begins - registration of electronic cabinets for applicants to institutions of professional pre-higher education based on 9th grade has been opened, reported on June 25 the Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, on social media, writes UNN.

Today, the admission campaign to professional colleges started — registration of electronic cabinets for applicants has begun

Professional pre-higher education, the minister noted, gives a young person a specific profession and qualification of a professional junior bachelor, with which the graduate immediately enters the labor market. "Such specialists are exactly what the country needs today," he emphasized.

Last year, according to his data, over 134 thousand applicants began studies in professional colleges in 68 specialties. Among the most popular specialties are nursing, software engineering and computer engineering, construction, electrical engineering, and road transport. "These are professions for which there is a steady demand, and with reconstruction it will only grow," the head of the Ministry of Education and Science stated.

"At the same time, in Ukraine, approximately one-third of graduates choose professional pre-higher and vocational education after 9th grade, while in EU countries it is about half. We are working to ensure that this path is chosen consciously: they see in it a profession that allows them to feel confident in the labor market, and a foundation for further growth. Therefore, the development and prestige of professional education are among the priorities," noted Lisovyi.

Registration for 9th grade graduates, he indicated, is already open. 

According to the Ministry of Education and Science, registration will last until October 15, but it is advised to focus on the deadlines for accepting applications. For applicants based on 9th grade, this is the period from July 1 to July 20, 2026. A cabinet can be created both before and during the submission of applications.

The key dates of the admission campaign are collected in the 2026 Applicant's Guide to Professional College via the link.

How to register a cabinet

Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the instructions for creating an electronic cabinet and submitting applications.

• text version of the instructions;
• video instructions.

Step 2: Go to the official page "Admission-2026" on the Unified State Electronic Database on Education website.

Step 3: Click on the button "Electronic cabinet of the applicant" above the block "Professional pre-higher education".

What is needed for registration

• an email address to which you have access: it will be the login for entering the cabinet, and a letter with an activation link will also be sent to it;
• a password for entering the cabinet — it must be created and remembered;
• data of the document on basic secondary education: series (2 letters) and number (8 digits);
• number of one of the documents: passport of a citizen of Ukraine, birth certificate, foreign passport, taxpayer identification number.

After registration and activation of the cabinet, add your contact phone numbers and your own photo to it. "Important! No documents need to be uploaded to the cabinet," the Ministry of Education and Science emphasized.

If you were unable to register an electronic cabinet, you can contact any institution of professional pre-higher education to receive an in-person consultation at the admissions committee.

If you have already registered and activated the cabinet, recommended for applicants after 9th grade do the following before July 1:

• familiarize yourself with the competitive offers on the website "Admission-2026";
• find out from the selected colleges whether a motivational letter needs to be added to the application (a motivational letter is NOT mandatory for admission, but may be provided for by the admission rules of a specific educational institution);
• if you have benefits for admission, you need to contact the educational institution with supporting documents to enter this information into the Unified State Electronic Database on Education before submitting the first application;
• familiarize yourself with the list of specialties for which a creative competition (competition of creative and/or physical abilities) is provided for admission.

Who can apply to professional colleges

For obtaining professional pre-higher education, the following are accepted:

• graduates of 9th grade (based on basic secondary education) — in full-time (dual) form of education simultaneously with completing the educational program of complete general (profile) secondary education of a professional direction;
• graduates of 11th grade (based on complete general secondary education) — for the first year of study under the educational-professional program of a professional junior bachelor;
• applicants based on a diploma of a qualified worker: 

1. If they do not have complete general secondary education, they can study only in full-time (dual) form of education simultaneously with completing the educational program of complete general (profile) secondary education of a professional direction.
2. If they have obtained complete general secondary education, they can enroll in the first year of study under the educational-professional program only with a shortened study period;

• applicants based on a previously obtained level of 'professional junior bachelor' (National Qualifications Framework level 5), as well as bachelor (NQF level 6) and master (NQF level 7). Applicants based on NQF5, NQF6, NQF7 for obtaining professional pre-higher education in a different specialty can enroll in the second (third) year of study or in the first year of study under the educational-professional program only with a shortened study period.

For admission after 11th grade, electronic cabinets will start working from July 1.