Please be informed, that on August 27, 2025, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine decided to introduce cognitive ability testing as part of the qualification exam for candidates for the position of local court judge and judges who have expressed their intention to be transferred to another local court, and set a schedule for its conduction. The Commission also determined the specifics of the procedure for conducting cognitive ability testing and the methodology for assessment of results.
The schedule for cognitive ability testing can be found in the “Testing Schedules” sub-section of the “Qualification Exam” section of the “Selection for the Position of Local Court Judge” subsection, announced on 11.12.2024” in the “Selection for the position of local court judge” section of the Commission’s official website or at the link:
If a person has changed their surname, they must immediately notify the Commission and send a copy of the document certifying the change. Notifications with supporting documents can be submitted in the “Candidate’s Appeal” section of the judicial career e-cabinet on the Commission’s official website or sent to the Commission’s e-mail: inbox@vkksu.gov.ua
In order to facilitate the participation of candidates for the position of judge and judges who are military personnel in the testing, the Commission has determined that, upon written request from a participant who is a member of the military, the date of the cognitive abilities test may be changed within the established schedule.
Given the large number of test participants and the limited number of places in the room where the test is held, military personnel who need to change the specified date and time of the test are asked to contact the Commission no later than two days before the desired test date. The request should be submitted in the “Candidate’s Request” section of the judicial career e-cabinet on the Commission’s official website (ksk.vkksu.gov.ua).
The test will be held at the premises of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine at the following address: 9 General Shapoval Street, Kyiv.
To register, it is obligatory to have a Ukrainian passport.
The cognitive abilities test will be conducted using computer technology.
The cognitive abilities test will last 30 minutes.
There will be 40 questions in the cognitive abilities test.
The maximum possible score for the cognitive abilities test is 60.
The average passing score for the third stage of the qualification exam (cognitive abilities test) for candidates for the position of local court judge and judges who have expressed their intention to be transferred to another local court is 55 percent of the maximum possible score, or 33 points.
The passing score for the third stage of the qualification exam (cognitive abilities test) has been determined, taking into account that participants who have scored no less than 55 percent of the maximum possible score are admitted to the fourth stage, in a number not exceeding: 2,800 candidates for the position of local general court judge and judges who have expressed their intention to be transferred to a local general court; 400 candidates for the position of judge of a local administrative court and judges who have expressed their intention to be transferred to a local administrative court; 400 candidates for the position of judge of a local commercial court and judges who have expressed their intention to be transferred to a local commercial court.
If two or more candidates for the position of judge and judges receive the same lowest passing score in the third stage of the qualification exam, all such candidates for the position of judge and judges are admitted to the fourth stage.
The individual code and workstation for taking the cognitive abilities test are determined randomly using the blind selection method, with the participant choosing from printed options placed randomly in front of him/her.
Information materials on testing
Features of the procedure for cognitive abilities testing and the methodology for assessment of results