The NMT may be extended to two days and retakes may be allowed
The Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA) is considering changing the format of the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) in 2027. Among the options are splitting the test into two days and allowing applicants to retake some sections of the exam if they do not score the required number of points. No final decision has been made yet—the new formats are still being discussed with the Ministry of Education and Science and the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada.
The National Multisubject Test could be changed as early as next year. The Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment is considering several options for administering the 2027 NMT. One of them is a two-day format. In this case, applicants would not take all four subjects at once. Under the proposed model, on one day, an applicant would take two subjects over approximately two hours. They would take the remaining two exams on a separate day.
In other words, instead of one long testing session, the organizers want to spread the workload over two days. Currently, the 2026 NMT takes place in a single day: a total of 240 minutes is allotted for the four subjects, or 60 minutes for each. Another possible change is the partial retake of the NMT.
This refers to situations where an applicant received an insufficient score on one of the subjects and did not reach the minimum passing score. In such cases, applicants may be allowed to retake not the entire test, but only the specific subject exam. “Several models for administering the National Multisubject Test are currently being developed. Among the announced changes is the potential implementation of a two-day testing model,” Vakulenko said. According to her, the possibility of a partial retake in the event of a failing or insufficient score is also being considered, particularly if the applicant did not reach the minimum passing score.
Why the Idea to Change the NMT Arose
One of the reasons for revising the format is the conditions under which Ukrainian high school students take the entrance exam. Due to the war, testing must be conducted with safety in mind and the ability to respond quickly to air raid alerts. The Ministry of Education and Science also reported that it is prepared to work with lawmakers, the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA), universities, and other stakeholders in the educational process to develop potential changes to the NMT for the 2027 admissions cycle.
This year, there were situations where it was difficult to administer the test under normal conditions. In particular, Vakulenko mentioned Odesa, where some applicants were unable to complete the assessment normally due to a prolonged air raid alert and the inability to continue the test in a shelter. That is precisely why a two-day format could give applicants more time and make taking the test less dependent on a single specific day.
But there is another problem here. If we add the option to retake the exam to the two-day NMT, the burden on temporary testing centers will increase significantly. “If we apply a two-day model to this, combined with the option to retake the test, there will actually be more problems, because, unfortunately, there aren’t yet enough shelters to support the entire assessment model,” Vakulenko explained. Therefore, when drafting the new rules, it will be necessary to take into account not only the wishes of applicants but also the number of testing centers, the availability of shelters at those centers, and the admissions campaign schedule.
When will the details of the 2027 National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) be announced?
Currently, the two-day format and the option to retake the exam are not yet finalized. The Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA) continues to develop various models in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science and the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada. According to Vakulenko, the most likely options are planned to be put up for public discussion in the near future. After that, the final model for conducting the NMT in 2027 will be determined.
Therefore, prospective applicants should not yet consider a two-day NMT or retakes as guaranteed changes. At this point, these are merely options that still need to undergo discussion and final approval. Tetyana Vakulenko, director of the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA), spoke about this during the roundtable discussion “Results of the 2026 Admissions Campaign: Challenges, Achievements, and Prospects.”
Students in grades 10 and 11 will be able to complete their general secondary education at the schools where they began their studies, even if the school’s status changes from a lyceum to a gymnasium. This provision is included in the revised draft law No. 15082-d, which was developed by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation.
