The higher education system consists of the state-owned and private higher educational institutions. There are 979 higher educational institutions of I-IV accreditation levels (Universities, institutions, academies, colleges, vocational and technical schools). There are 664 higher educational institutions of I-II levels of accreditation including 593 state-owned ones and other 71 with other forms of ownership.

The higher educational institutions of III-IV accreditation levels numbers 315 establishments including 223 state-owned ones.

The Higher educational establishments of Ukraine participated in the project assigned by the UNESCO for determining the most professional and prestigious Institutes and Universities in Ukraine in 2008.

There was ranking of Universities by several indicators of academic or research performance. Indicators assess the universities of such criteria as teaching quality, research output, international activities, and quality of student's training.

Scores for each indicator are weighted and then arrive at a final overall score for an institution. The scores are then placed in descending order.

The list of the top15 Educational Institutes of Ukraine<:

1. National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"

2. National Taras Shevchenko University of Kiev

3. Bogomoltsa National Medical University of Kiev

4. National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy

5. Kharkiv National V.N.Karazin University

6. National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute"

7. Kiev National Agrarian University

8. National Juridical Academy of Ukraine named by Yaroslav the Wise

9. Lviv National Forest-Technical University

10. Donetsk National University

11. Dnipropetrovsk National University

12. East-Ukrainian National University named by V.Dahl of Lugansk

13. Odessa I.I.Mechnykov National University

14. Dnipropetrovsk National Mining University

15. Donetsk M.Gorkogo National Medical University