New rules for high schools: The government is changing the curriculum, admissions, and academic tracks starting in September
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved updated regulations on lyceums, which outline new approaches to specialized education, admissions, and the organization of the educational process in upper secondary schools.
This was reported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
The changes are part of the New Ukrainian School reform and will be implemented in phases. Starting September 1, 2026, the new rules will take effect in 150 pilot lyceums, and starting in 2027—in all academic lyceums across the country.
From now on, lyceums are defined as academic institutions. Primary and basic education may remain only in exceptional cases.
It will be mandatory to offer at least three academic tracks: natural sciences and mathematics, languages and literature, and social sciences and humanities. If a lyceum is the only one in a community, it must provide at least one track from each of these areas.
Students will be able to independently choose a profile and create an individual educational path, as well as change their field of study upon request.
Lyceums will gain greater flexibility in organizing instruction—they will be able to create cross-class groups and implement a project-based learning format.
Educational institutions will have the right to choose an assessment system: from a “pass/fail” format to a level-based or traditional 12-point scale.
Competitive selection for 10th grade will be conducted only if the number of applicants exceeds the number of available spots.
Given the state of martial law, the format of instruction will be determined based on the security situation and the availability of shelters.
There is also provision for lyceums to collaborate with higher education institutions and establish separate centers for teaching the subject “Defense of Ukraine.”
In November, the Ministry of Education and Science announcedcompetitions for the positions of rector at Vinnytsia National Technical University, Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University, and Central Ukrainian National Technical University.
Applicants will be able to apply for master’s programs not only based on the results of the 2026 Unified State Exam but also on their 2025 grades.
