Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference ―Science at the Turning Point of History‖ (May 25-27, 2026) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Lviv, Ukraine, 2026. - 362 p.

42 SOCIALWORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE UDC 364.4:378.091.212 Kornuta Anna Bachelor‘s student in Social Work Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy Kolomiiets Olena Doctor of Philosophy, associate professor Cherkasy, Ukraine SOCIAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE CATEGORIES OF STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS Abstract. The study examines the issue of social vulnerability among student youth within the contemporary higher education environment and substantiates the relevance of social diagnosis as a tool for identifying students‘ adaptation-related, social, and psycho-emotional difficulties. The paper presents the results of a social diagnosis conducted in September 2025 among first-year students of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy during the initial stage of their adaptation to university education. The findings indicate that a significant proportion of students experience adaptation difficulties, demonstrate elevated levels of anxiety, and require comprehensive social and psychological support. The obtained results confirm the necessity of developing support systems for vulnerable categories of students within the educational environment of higher education institutions.