Ukraine’s first AI admissions officer is available 24/7 and speaks Ukrainian

The Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (VIKNU) deployed an ElevenLabs agent to handle admissions inquiries around the clock. On day one, it handled 80% of routine questions.

When Viktor Pobedria, Head of Distance Learning at VIKNU, contacted us, the need was clear. His team was managing a constant flow of questions from prospective cadets - entry requirements, physical standards, degree programs, and daily life at the institute. Capacity was limited, and response times were under pressure.

We implemented an ElevenLabs agent to extend the team’s reach without increasing workload.

From email inquiry to live deployment in days

VIKNU trains future officers across disciplines including international relations, military psychology, finance, accounting, and information technology. Today, 45% of cadets are women, reflecting broader participation in Ukraine’s defense since 2022.

We deployed the agent on the institute’s admissions page with 24/7 availability. Using existing website content and internal materials, it was configured to answer questions on requirements, grading, programs, benefits, and cadet life.

Setup, customization, and deployment took two days.

“We were truly amazed by how incredibly fast and seamless the setup process was. Thanks to the intuitive nature of your platform, it took us only a couple of days to fully customise and integrate the agent — without any technical hurdles.” — Viktor Pobedria, Head of Distance Learning, VIKNU

Day one: 32 conversations and counting

On its first day, the agent handled 32 conversations. Within weeks, it consistently managed around 80% of routine admissions inquiries.

This allowed staff to focus on complex cases that require human judgment.

Most users were high school graduates and their parents, often accessing the system outside office hours. The average conversation lasted two minutes, enough to resolve core questions.

Common topics included:

• Physical fitness requirements
• Academic thresholds
• Available degree programs
• Benefits such as accommodation, meals, and career pathways

All interactions were handled in Ukrainian.

Why Ukranian language support matters

Native Ukrainian support was a requirement. For an institution training officers for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, communication must be precise and natural.

Our models generate Ukrainian speech as a first-class output, not a translation layer. This ensures clarity, accuracy, and a local user experience.

A milestone for Ukrainian education

VIKNU is the first educational institution in Ukraine to deploy an AI admissions agent.

The institute announced the launch on social platforms and outlined a broader goal: making AI-supported admissions standard across Ukrainian education.

Ukraine and ElevenLabs: A growing partnership

This deployment is part of a broader collaboration.

In 2025, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation. Our Forward Deployed Engineers are working with government teams in Kyiv to move AI systems from concept to production.

Ukraine’s goal is to build an “agentic state” - where AI systems operate across ministries to support citizens directly. Voice interfaces are a key part of this approach.

Our technology is being explored for integration into Diia, Ukraine’s national digital platform used by millions of citizens.

Looking ahead

This deployment demonstrates a practical use of AI under real constraints. In high-pressure environments, reducing administrative load has direct impact.

ElevenLabs Agents allow institutions to scale access to information without scaling headcount. Prospective cadets can get answers immediately, regardless of time.

Viktor Pobedria summarized the outcome: “We are proud to be the first educational institution in Ukraine to introduce this technology.”

We will continue supporting deployments like this across education and public services.

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