Founded in 1898, KPI is one of the largest and oldest technical universities in Ukraine and Europe. It is a leading research university offering a wide range of engineering and technical programs. Named after its famous alumnus Igor Sikorsky.
The National Technical University of Ukraine Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, KPI, is the largest technical university in the country. It was founded in 1898 by a decree of Emperor Nicholas II as the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, and since 2016 it carries the name of the aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky, who studied there. It has about 25,000 students and 6,000 staff, and around one student in ten comes from abroad. The campus on Peremohy Avenue is one of the largest in Kyiv, with the Main Building from 1902, laboratories, residences and a park.
Igor Sikorsky enrolled at the institute in 1907 before moving to Paris and later building helicopters and flying boats in the United States. Sergei Korolev, the chief designer of the Soviet space programme, studied at the polytechnic in the 1920s, and the welding specialist Yevhen Paton was a professor, whose work led to the Paton Electric Welding Institute. These links make the school an important place in the history of Ukrainian engineering.
The institute teaches in around two dozen faculties and institutes. They cover mechanical engineering, electronics and telecommunications, electric power engineering, computer science and applied mathematics, chemical technology, biotechnology, physics and mathematics, aerospace, architecture, printing and publishing, and sociology. Information technology, electronics, power engineering and mechanical engineering are in particularly high demand, and many graduates work in the Ukrainian software industry.
Ukrainian applicants enter through the national multi-subject test and compete for state-funded places or pay contract fees. Foreign students normally pay a contract fee, and many begin with a preparatory year in Ukrainian. Fees vary by programme, so check the current tariff. Teaching is in Ukrainian, with a number of programmes in English. Since 2022, teaching has been adapted to wartime conditions, with a mix of online and in-person classes, so check the current situation before applying.
The campus has its own metro station nearby, and student residences are available. Kyiv offers many internships in technology companies.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Electrical and Electronics, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Numerous partnerships with universities and companies worldwide, including programs like Erasmus+, Horizon Europe. Collaborates with major tech companies.
Research:
Extensive research in areas like aerospace engineering, materials science, information technology, energy, and nanotechnology. Hosts multiple research institutes and laboratories.
Famous Alumnis:
Igor Sikorsky, Sergei Korolev, Evgeny Paton, Boris Paton
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
6000
Current students***:
25000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
300000
Pros
Highly prestigious, wide range of technical specializations, strong research base, large alumni network, active international cooperation.
Cons
Large university bureaucracy, some facilities may require modernization, highly competitive.
National Technical University Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute takes a similar route through mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials, and it covers chemical engineering and thermodynamics as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 20,000 students against roughly 25,000 here.
In terms of fields, Lviv Polytechnic National University is the nearest neighbour, with mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and software engineering again at the core; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers geotechnics and civil engineering as well.
National Aviation University overlaps with this university on aerospace, telecommunications and mechanical engineering, so the two are easy to compare, and it covers logistics and automation as well, and has almost the same size, at about 25,000 students.
Odesa National Polytechnic University takes a similar route through mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Where this institution leans on mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials, Dnipro University of Technology does the same, and it is smaller, enrolling about 12,000 students against roughly 25,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Looking internationally, South Ural State University in Russia is where aerospace, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics get a comparable treatment; it covers engineering as well, and has almost the same size, at about 27,000 students.
University of Limerick (Ireland) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly aerospace, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics; it covers robotics and manufacturing as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 17,500 students against roughly 25,000 here.
Linköping University (Sweden) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly telecommunications, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers logistics and industrial design as well.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on aerospace, mechanical engineering and materials is Northwestern Polytechnical University in China, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Students considering a move abroad can look at Orenburg State University in Russia, where aerospace, mechanical engineering and materials also form the core, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers transportations and ecology and sustainability as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is KPI?
At 37 Peremohy Avenue in Kyiv, Ukraine.
When was it founded?
In 1898, by a decree of Emperor Nicholas II.
Who is it named after?
Igor Sikorsky, the aircraft designer who studied there and built helicopters and flying boats. The name was added in 2016.
How large is it?
About 25,000 students and 6,000 staff.
Who studied there?
Igor Sikorsky enrolled in 1907, and Sergei Korolev studied there in the 1920s.
What does it teach?
Mechanical engineering, electronics, telecommunications, power engineering, computer science, chemical technology, biotechnology and architecture.
How do Ukrainian applicants enter?
Through the national multi-subject test, competing for state-funded places or paying contract fees.
How do foreign students enter?
They normally pay a contract fee, and many begin with a preparatory year in Ukrainian. Check the current tariff.
In which language are courses taught?
Mainly in Ukrainian, with a number of programmes in English.
How has the war affected teaching?
Since 2022, teaching has been adapted with a mix of online and in-person classes. Check the current situation before applying.
Aerospace, Engineering, Information Technology (IT), Innovation, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Research and Development, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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