Up to 70% of schools will provide in-person learning, shelters are available in 82%, and in kindergartens in 83% — how the academic year will begin

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine reported how the new school year is beginning in Ukraine, UNN writes.

How schools will operate

"More than 8,000 schools will operate in person, while another 2,211-plus will use a blended format. In 1,306 institutions, the educational process will be organized remotely," the Ministry of Education and Science reported.

The format, as indicated, is determined based on the security situation and the availability of shelters, so that children can remain in the Ukrainian education system regardless of their place of residence.

"More than 82% of schools operating in person have access to their own or another equipped shelter," the statement says.

Kindergartens

As of September 1, 11,622 preschool education institutions will operate in Ukraine: 9,301 in person, 1,111 in a blended format, and 1,210 remotely. This year, 712,987 children are beginning their studies in preschool education institutions

"All kindergartens operating in person or in a blended format have access to a shelter. (...) Currently, 83% have a shelter directly on the premises or within 100 meters," the Ministry of Education and Science reported.

It was noted that the first underground kindergarten built with state funds and co-financing from the local budget has already begun operating in the Kharkiv region.

Under the law, from September 1, 2026, the study of English in senior groups (for children aged 5–6) will become a mandatory component of the educational process in all preschool education institutions. 

General secondary education

This year, more than 3.5 million students are beginning the school year at 11,940 schools. Among them are 243,398 first-graders

Of these, according to the Ministry of Social Policy, 148,065 are receiving a schoolchild's package.

The educational process is provided by more than 366,000 teachers.

The implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform continues. The assessment system has been simplified for students in grades 5–9. A teacher may record ongoing grades without being required to indicate result-group indices, and may assign one grade in a subject or integrated course for the semester. This reduces the workload on teachers while preserving the competency-based approach and teachers' academic freedom. In grades 7–9, the number of hours devoted to history and civic education is increasing, while approaches to organizing education are becoming more inclusive and barrier-free. At the same time, students who began upper secondary school under the program in effect before the NUS was introduced will be able to complete their studies under that same program.

Studying abroad

Ukrainian children living abroad also maintain ties with the national education system. There are 120 verified educational centers operating for them in different countries. In total, about 315,000 Ukrainian children study outside Ukraine. The updated state standards establish a Ukrainian studies component for them—the study of the Ukrainian language, literature, history, and other subjects that help maintain ties with their homeland and the Ukrainian education system.

Children from the temporarily occupied territories

Recognition of learning outcomes has been simplified for children and young people from the temporarily occupied territories. An application in any form can be submitted to a Ukrainian school in person or remotely. Results in most subjects will be credited automatically on the basis of an educational declaration, without additional assessment. Knowledge will need to be confirmed only in subjects belonging to the Ukrainian studies component, including the Ukrainian language and literature, the history of Ukraine, geography, law, and civic education.

Specialized upper secondary education 

The transition to the third and most important stage of the NUS—the specialized upper secondary school—is beginning. From September 1, more than 10,500 tenth-grade students are beginning their studies at 150 pilot academic lyceums as part of the pilot program for the specialized upper secondary school.

From now on, upper secondary students will have more influence over their own education. They will be able to choose a track, subjects, and courses in line with their interests, abilities, and plans for the future, and study their chosen areas in greater depth. The specialized school will help teenagers explore different fields, better understand their own interests and abilities, and consciously plan their next educational step. 

Career education advisers will work in pilot lyceums. They will help teenagers identify their strengths, better navigate educational opportunities, and plan an individual learning trajectory.

Before the pilot launch, the State Standard for Specialized Secondary Education and the standard educational program for grades 10–12 were approved. A total of 150 lyceums were selected, training for teachers and management teams was launched with the support of the World Bank, and a practical guide on organizing the work of an academic lyceum was prepared. 

Throughout the school year, the lyceums will pilot new programs, profiles, and elective courses, develop individual educational trajectories, and test the work of career advisers. Feedback from students, parents, teachers, and institution heads will help improve the model before its nationwide implementation in 2027.

For teachers, specialized schools provide more space for author-designed courses, new work formats, and in-depth teaching of subjects. As stated, communities must form a capable network of lyceums, organize student transportation, prepare educational spaces, and ensure that institutions have teachers.

Update to the Defense of Ukraine subject

There are already 1,027 Defense of Ukraine centers in operation, with training reaching approximately 80% of upper-secondary students. At the centers, students learn tactical medicine, drone piloting, firearms training, and tactics.

Under the updated Defense of Ukraine program, 2,322 male and female teachers have upgraded their qualifications, including 426 male and female veterans. This year, UAH 500 million has been allocated to establish and further equip the centers, and another UAH 28.8 million to train teachers.

"Mriia"

"Mriia" is already used by 670,000 students, parents, and teachers in 4,600 schools across Ukraine. 

Before the start of the school year, "Mriia" received new tools. The updated builder helps the administration of an educational institution automatically create a timetable taking into account the availability of teachers, classes, and classrooms. Students will be able to submit homework directly in the app, while teachers will be able to check it and record grades. Parents will have access to electronic certificates confirming a child's absence and to the history of changes in the average grade.

This autumn, "Mriia" will also launch a pilot of Ukraine's first national education gamification system. In the app for students at pilot schools, the Mriiky in-app currency, daily Kmitlyvky quizzes, and the Kramnychka rewards shop from partners will appear. Mriiky can be earned by completing quizzes and homework, viewing educational content, and performing other useful activities, and then exchanged for cinema tickets, master classes, tutoring sessions, certificates, and other development and leisure opportunities from partners.

The "Mriia.Extracurricular" section already offers more than 8,000 clubs and sections in sports, art, science and technology, music, dance, programming, scouting, and other areas. More than 350 schools have created their own clubs and groups in the system, so families can find additional activities in one place.

A separate area is "Mriia.Preschool," which is being piloted in 40 preschool education institutions in six regions of Ukraine. The new area helps simplify daily processes in kindergartens, reduce paperwork, and improve communication with parents. 

Extracurricular education

In the 2026–2027 academic year, the systematic reboot of extracurricular education continues: updating the content and network of institutions, digitalization, and creating new opportunities for developing children's competences. The main focus is on access to quality extracurricular education, practical learning, STEM, national and patriotic education, and the opportunity to participate regardless of place of residence.

In 1,134 extracurricular education institutions, 51,053 clubs, sections, and creative associations operate. They bring together 769,981 participants, students, and learners, while classes are conducted by 14,252 teaching staff members. 

The game "Falcon" ("Dzhura") is being updated: modern methodological approaches, safety standards, training requirements, practical training formats, and a network of regional training programs are being introduced. For the "Defence of Ukraine" centers, the Ministry of Education and Science has also developed rules for an all-Ukrainian competition with unified approaches to participation, assessment, and awarding.

In "Mriia. Extracurricular Activities," families can find more than 8,000 clubs and sections — sports, art and music, programming, science, technology, and scouting. More than 350 schools have already created their own clubs and groups in the system.

The Science Museum and the "KUBOID" Mathematics Museum continue to give children the opportunity to explore mathematics and the natural sciences through practical activities, while the traveling format brings interactive exhibits directly to communities. Children in Ukraine and abroad can independently join the Olympiad movement, open stages, Minor Academy of Sciences competitions, the GENIUS Olympiad, and other research and creative competitions.

Free meals

Approximately 3 million students in grades 1–11 at municipal schools who study in person or in a blended format will receive free hot meals. To this end, 2,023 school food-service facilities have already been modernized, while work is ongoing at another 272. 

Professional and professional pre-higher education

Approximately 1,200 institutions of professional and professional pre-higher education help young people acquire the practical skills and professions needed by communities and the country's recovery. As part of the "100 Workshops" project, 200 workshops are already being renovated, and another 100 workshops, laboratories, and classrooms in colleges are planned for renovation.

Higher education

About one million higher-education students are beginning the new academic year, studying at different levels and in different formats. 

This year, applicants submitted 1.2 million applications for first-year bachelor's and medical master's programs — the highest figure since the beginning of the full-scale war. 

A total of 294,831 people were admitted to bachelor's and master's programs (preliminary data; the admissions campaign is ongoing). Of these, 98,564 were admitted on state-funded places. At the same time, 49,475 admissions were to specialties receiving special support — 50.2% of all state-funded admissions. Under Quota 2, 6,132 applicants from among internally displaced persons, residents of temporarily occupied territories, and residents of territories where active hostilities are taking place have already been admitted.

From September 1, financial support for student youth is being increased. From now on, academic scholarships for students at higher and professional pre-higher education institutions will double. Certain scholarships for winners of intellectual competitions and talented young artists are also being increased.

The academic grants program is continuing. For the first time, applicants to master's programs will receive state support of UAH 27,000 or UAH 40,000 per academic year. The grants will help fully or partially cover the cost of contract-based tuition for those who achieved the best results in the entrance examinations.

Universities determine their study schedules and formats independently, taking into account the security situation, the condition of the energy system, the specifics of their educational programs, and their own infrastructure.