Ukrainian Parliament Approves Law on New Higher Education Funding Model

The Ukrainian Parliament has approved a law on a new model for financing higher education, which includes the preservation of budgetary places, the introduction of state grants, and consideration of labor market needs. The new approach envisages several sources of state support: state orders, state and regional budget places, as well as state grants for education. Deputy Minister Mykola Trofymenko noted that the choice of education should depend on the abilities and motivation of the applicant. The state order will be maintained for training specialists in the field of security, while budget places for civilian specialties will be determined based on the needs of the economy. Regions will be able to create their own budget places to train the necessary specialists. The law introduces state grants as a mechanism to support students who pass a competitive selection. Academic grants, grants for veterans, social grants, and grants for achievements in arts and sports are provided. During the experiment, more than 25,000 students received grants, with an average amount of 23,600 UAH. The law also expands opportunities for lifelong learning for people with certain conditions. The provisions for academic grants will come into effect one month after the publication of the law, while other changes will take effect on January 1, 2027.