ˈæftɚ kəmplˈiːɾɪŋ hɜː sˈɛkəndɚɹi ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən, kˈoʊvɐltʃˌʌk ɪnˈɪʃəli plˈænd tə pɚsˈuː ɐ kɚɹˈɪɹ ɪn sˌaɪbɚnˈɛɾɪks ænd ɪntˈɛndᵻd tʊ ɛnɹˈoʊl æt ðə lˈɛnɪŋɡɹˌæd pˌɑːlɪtˈɛknɪkəl ˈɪnstɪtˌuːt.
After completing her secondary education, Kovalchuk initially planned to pursue a career in cybernetics and intended to enroll at the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute.