Ukrainian Education Ministry Rejects Proposal to Lower National Test Minimum Score Amid War Conditions

Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science has refused to lower the minimum competitive score for university entrance from 150 to 130 points, insisting that any such change requires comprehensive professional assessment. The decision comes in response to a proposal from Dmytro Lubinets, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, who argued that wartime conditions—including air raids, evacuations, and extended shelter stays—have severely impacted students' ability to perform on the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) in 2026.

Lubinets submitted his recommendation after receiving 21 complaints in June 2026 alone regarding testing difficulties, though he believes the actual number of affected students is substantially higher. He also proposed other measures, including restoring the right to appeal incorrect test questions, publishing tests and correct answers after completion, and ensuring access to exams for children in places of detention.

The Ministry acknowledged the extraordinary challenges students face during their fifth year of full-scale war but maintained that entrance campaigns cannot operate on ad hoc decisions without thorough analysis of consequences. The ministry emphasized that higher minimum scores for certain specialties—particularly medicine, law, international relations, and economics—were introduced gradually to ensure quality preparation of future professionals whose work directly affects citizens' rights, state institutions, and Ukraine's international representation. The competitive scores were set through established procedures involving universities, professional communities, and stakeholders, and institutions have already structured their admissions based on these rules.

The Ministry noted that while it remains open to dialogue, entrance rules must be predictable, fair, and serve long-term national interests rather than respond to immediate pressures. For students facing documented hardship, the ministry pointed to the availability of an additional NMT session. Officials also clarified terminology, explaining that the often-cited "passing score of 150" technically refers to a minimum competitive score that grants eligibility to compete for admission in specific programs, not an absolute threshold for test completion.