National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"
Національний технічний університет України «Київський політехнічний інститут імені Ігоря Сікорського»
Ukraine's largest technical university, founded in 1898, on a walkable 120-hectare campus near central Kyiv.
- Students
- 21,500
- International
- 2%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 11.1:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $2,000
- From · 2025-26
- Founded
- 1898
About Igor Sikorsky KPI
Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was founded on 31 August 1898 as the Kiev Polytechnic Institute of Emperor Alexander II, with four departments and 360 students; Dmitri Mendeleev helped with its founding. Its early community included aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky, whose name it has carried since 2016, and it later educated rocket designer Sergei Korolev. Today it is a self-governing national research university and describes itself as Ukraine's largest technical university, with more than 21,500 students.
Teaching is organised in 14 faculties and 10 educational and research institutes, together with research institutes and centres, covering computer science and AI, software engineering, mechanical, aerospace, chemical, nuclear and power engineering, materials science and welding (in the E. O. Paton institute), electronics and radio engineering, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, and management and economics. International students can take bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes taught in English, or a Ukrainian-language foundation year.
KPI has kept teaching and admitting students during the war in Ukraine. It suits applicants who want a serious, large-scale engineering or IT education with Ukrainian and international recognition at a comparatively low fee. In a May 2025 notice KPI said international students could study on campus in Kyiv, online or in a hybrid format, with in-person classes run under wartime security rules; check its current guidance before deciding how to study.
Why students choose Igor Sikorsky KPI
In a May 2025 post KPI said it ranked first in Ukraine in QS subject areas including Engineering and Technology, Computer Science and Information Systems, and Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering.
International bachelor's fees in KPI's official 2025-26 schedule are $2,000-3,000 a year ($2,300-3,000 for English-taught programmes), among the lower fees for an engineering degree in Europe.
KPI's May 2025 notice to international students offers study on campus in Kyiv, online, or in a hybrid format where lectures run for in-person and remote students at the same time.
The campus has 20 dormitories next to a university park, plus sports grounds, a swimming pool and a large library.
Admissions
2027-28 entry
Selectivity
KPI does not publish an acceptance rate. Ukrainian applicants compete on National Multi-subject Test (NMT) scores; international applicants are admitted on entrance exams after applying through the state Study in Ukraine portal.
Typical entry requirements
| Ukrainian school leavers | NMT results (2023-2026 results accepted for 2026 entry) in Ukrainian, mathematics, history of Ukraine and a fourth subject such as physics, a foreign language, chemistry or biology |
|---|---|
| International applicants | Complete secondary education certificate, passport and application via apply.studyinukraine.gov.ua, followed by KPI entrance exams; applicants without Ukrainian can take the Foundation Year first |
Deadlines
- International applications open (all levels) Non-binding1 July
Annual date published by KPI's Centre for International Education.
- International bachelor's and master's document deadline Non-binding15 October
Entrance exams run from 1 July to 15 October; enrolment until 15 October. Foundation Year arrivals are accepted from 25 August to 30 November.
- International application deadline (KPI FAQ) Non-binding31 August
KPI's international FAQ gives 31 August as the deadline for submitting applications; the admission-rules page accepts documents until 15 October.
These are KPI's standing annual dates for international applicants (its FAQ and admission-rules page differ: 31 August vs 15 October, so treat 31 August as the safe target); for 2027-28 entry they would fall in July-October 2027. Invitation timing depends on visa processing times in your country, so apply early. Ukrainian applicants' dates follow the national NMT calendar (for 2026, registration ran from 5 March to 2 April and the main NMT session from 20 May to 25 June).
How to apply
International applicants choose KPI and a programme, register on apply.studyinukraine.gov.ua and pay the 3,100 UAH state registration fee (up to 20 applications). After an educational offer (which can take up to a month) and a document check, KPI issues an official invitation used for the visa; the tuition contract is signed and paid separately. KPI's Centre for International Education can help prepare documents via its online form. Ukrainian applicants apply through the national admissions system with NMT results.
What admissions looks for
- Passing results on KPI's entrance exams (language of study, mathematics, geography, history of Ukraine) for international bachelor's applicants.
- Strong NMT scores for Ukrainian applicants, especially in mathematics for engineering and IT programmes.
- A complete secondary-education certificate and correctly submitted documents on the Study in Ukraine portal.
Tips for applying to Igor Sikorsky KPI
- 1 Use KPI's online help form before registering on the state portal: the Centre for International Education checks your documents first.
- 2 Budget time: the state system can take up to a month to issue an educational offer, and the invitation must then go through visa processing.
- 3 If you do not yet speak Ukrainian, consider the Foundation Year or choose one of the English-taught programmes.
- 4 Decide early whether you will study on campus, online or hybrid, and check the current security rules for in-person study in Kyiv.
Costs & financial aid
2025-26 · figures in USD
KPI does not advertise university scholarships for international students on its admissions pages; foreigners may study under interstate agreements or Ukrainian Ministry of Education programmes. The only fee paid before admission is the 3,100 UAH registration in the state Study in Ukraine system; tuition is paid after signing the contract. Ukrainian students compete for state-funded places and the university's grant programmes.
- 3,100 UAH (covers up to 20 applications)
- State application registration fee (international)
- $2,300-3,500 a year (Ukrainian-taught); $2,500-3,700 (English-taught)
- Master's tuition, full-time (international, 2025-26 schedule)
- $4,100-4,500 a year
- PhD tuition (international, 2025 admission campaign page)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters
Software Engineering of Information Systems (English-taught)
Offered to international students in the Faculty of Informatics and Computer Engineering, part of KPI's top-ranked computer science area.
Aircraft Production Technologies
Continues the aviation tradition of Igor Sikorsky and Sergei Korolev, both of whom studied at KPI.
Engineering and Computer Modeling in Materials Science
Taught in the E. O. Paton institute, named after the pioneer of electric welding who taught at KPI.
Medical Engineering
An English-taught option in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering.
Engineering of Intelligent Electrical and Mechatronic Systems
One of the programmes chosen by this year's new international students, according to KPI's Centre for International Education (September 2026).
International Business Management
A management programme in the Faculty of Management and Marketing, taken by international students.
Research
- In 1909 the Kyiv Society of Aerial Navigation was founded at the institute, involving Igor Sikorsky.
- E. O. Paton, inventor of electric welding techniques, led KPI's bridge department from 1904 to 1938 and organised a welding laboratory there in 1929.
- In September 2026 KPI announced the TRIUMPH research infrastructure and a new reverse-engineering laboratory in its Faculty of Robotics and Instrumentation.
- Alumnus Yury Gogotsi, who earned his MSc in metallurgy at KPI, is a co-discoverer of MXene materials.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Informatics and Computer Engineering
- Faculty of Applied Mathematics
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering
- Faculty of Management and Marketing
- Faculty of Robotics and Instrumentation
- E. O. Paton Educational and Research Institute of Materials Science and Welding
- Educational and Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering
- Educational and Research Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management
Student life
KPI's campus is a self-contained student town in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district, with 20 dormitories next to the university park, sports grounds, a swimming pool, a large library, cafés and the State Polytechnic Museum. International students settle in university dormitories after a medical check and a residence agreement with the campus administration. In its May 2025 notice KPI said that, because of the war, classes pause or move to equipped shelters during air-raid alerts and in-person teaching can be adjusted to the security situation, and that international students can also study online or in hybrid classes; the campus page links an interactive map of shelters.
- 20 dormitories on campus, next to the KPI park.
- Hybrid lectures streamed to remote students alongside in-person classes.
- Annual events such as the Japanese Autumn charity festival (fourth edition in September 2026).
- 54 international bachelor's graduates from more than 10 countries graduated in July 2025.
Housing. International students can live in the university's dormitories after a medical examination and signing a residence agreement; the fee is paid to the dormitory commandant.
Location
Kyiv is Ukraine's capital and largest city, on the Dnipro river. KPI's campus is at 37 Beresteiskyi Avenue in the Solomianskyi district, close to the city centre. As of September 2026 the war was continuing and life in Kyiv included air-raid alerts and security restrictions, so check current official travel and security advice before deciding to study in person.
Notable alumni
- IS Igor SikorskyAviation pioneer and helicopter designer; enrolled at the Mechanical College of the Kiev Polytechnic Institute in 1907
- SK Sergei KorolevChief designer of the Soviet space programme; attended KPI's aviation branch in 1924
- AL Arkhip LyulkaSoviet jet-engine designer; graduated from KPI in 1931
- VC Vladimir ChelomeyRocket and missile designer; admitted to KPI in 1932
- VH Valeria HontarevaFormer Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine; graduated from KPI in 1987
- YG Yury GogotsiMaterials scientist at Drexel University and co-discoverer of MXenes; MSc in metallurgy from KPI (1984)
Frequently asked questions
Is Kyiv Polytechnic Institute admitting international students?
Yes. As of 30 September 2026, KPI's Centre for International Education was admitting international students to English-taught bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes and its Foundation Year for 2026-27, and its home page welcomed this year's new international students from countries including Türkiye, China, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the USA.
Can I study at KPI online during the war?
In a notice dated May 2025 and still on its international site in September 2026, KPI said international students can study on campus, online or in a hybrid format, and that because of the war in-person classes follow security rules: they pause or move to shelters during air alerts and may be adjusted to the security situation. Check KPI's current guidance, as arrangements can change.
How much does KPI cost for international students?
KPI's official 2025-26 fee schedule (the latest published) lists $2,000-3,000 a year for full-time bachelor's programmes ($2,300-3,000 for English-taught ones) and $2,300-3,700 for master's; its 2025 campaign page gave $4,100-4,500 for PhD programmes. There is also a 3,100 UAH state application fee.
What entrance exams does KPI require for international bachelor's applicants?
Exams in the language of study (English or Ukrainian), mathematics, geography and history of Ukraine.
What is the application deadline for international students at KPI?
KPI accepts international applications from 1 July. Its FAQ gives 31 August as the application deadline, while its admission rules accept bachelor's and master's documents until 15 October, so aim for 31 August to leave time for the invitation and visa.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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