In Ukraine, upper secondary non-tertiary education includes: specialised secondary education as a level of complete general secondary education, vocational education and training (VET) and professional pre-higher education (PPHE). There are also alternative structures for obtaining education in specialised secondary schools and VET institutions.
Specialised secondary education is the third level of complete general secondary education, requiring learners to meet the learning outcomes defined by the State Standard for Specialised Secondary Education. This level of education is provided in various types of lyceums. The goal of specialised secondary education is personal development by reinforcing Ukrainian national and civic identity. The aim is also to develop learners' competences for resilience, independence, responsibility, communication, collaboration, entrepreneurship, informed decision-making about future life paths, lifelong learning, professional activity and self-fulfilment. Education in specialised schools lasts three years. The total duration of complete general secondary education is 11 years for learners who began their studies before 2018 and 12 years for those who started after 2018. This change aligns with the reform of the New Ukrainian School (NUS), introduced in 2018 (Розпорядження Кабінету Міністрів України ‘Про схвалення Концепції реалізації державної політики у сфері реформування загальної середньої освіти ‘Нова українська школа’ на період до 2029 року’). As part of this reform, the three-year specialised secondary education (grades 10–12) is scheduled to be implemented from 2027.
VET is a component of the Ukrainian education system and is provided at VET institutions. The goal of VET is to develop an individual's professional competences required for work in a specific occupation within a particular field. It aims to ensure competitiveness in the labour market, foster adaptability and support career growth opportunities throughout life. VET lasts from 1.5 to 4 years. For persons with a complete general secondary education, the educational period is 1.5 years; for persons who have completed basic general secondary education and are completing a complete general secondary education, the educational period is 4 years.
PPHE is a level of education that ensures the formation and development of educational qualifications. These qualifications confirm a person's ability to perform specialised tasks in a particular field of professional activity. The goal of PPHE is to develop and refine educational qualifications that demonstrate an individual’s ability to perform typical specialised tasks within a specific professional field. It focuses on preparing a new generation of competitive specialists to meet the needs of society and various sectors of the national economy, ensuring mobility within the European space. This education aims to equip learners with competences in the socio-economic aspects necessary for managing technological processes and fulfilling administrative functions. It also supports the conscious selection of educational pathways by Ukrainian citizens, fostering creative and professional self-realisation through early career guidance. It aligns the National Education System with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED).
PPHE can be pursued after completing basic secondary education, specialised secondary education, VET, PPHE or higher education. Institutions offering PPHE: professional colleges, military colleges for sergeant training, professional colleges with specialised learning conditions and VET institutions.
Organisational variants and alternative structures of specialised secondary and vocational education in Ukraine are regulated by the Law on Education and related legislative documents. Specialised secondary education can be provided in institutional forms, including full-time (day or evening), part-time (distance) and network learning, as well as in individual forms, such as external, family (home) and pedagogical patronage education. VET institutions also offer institutional, individual and dual forms of education and training, following structures similar to those of specialised secondary education.
Main laws of Ukraine on upper secondary non-tertiary education:
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Law on Complete General Secondary Education (Закон України ‘Про повну загальну середню освіту’);
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Law on Vocational Education and Training (Закон України Про професійну (професійно-технічну) освіту);
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Law on Professional Pre-Higher Education (Закон України про фахову передвищу освіту).