The new rules for applying to postgraduate programs in Ukraine will significantly affect the number of deferrals for men. Find out how the requirements have changed and what it means for applicants in 2024

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The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has changed the rules for admission to postgraduate programs due to the rapid growth in the number of male applicants of military age. It is now possible to enroll in a contract only for part-time or evening studies, which do not give the right to deferment from the draft. Instead, the number of state-funded places will increase significantly: from 3,200 to 7,000. 

The head of the Ministry of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, announced changes to the Procedure for admission to bachelor's, master's, doctoral/philosophy/doctoral degrees in 2024, based on a special order of the Ministry of Education and Science adopted on the basis of the powers granted by the Law on Education for the period of martial law.

Read this article to find out how many men of military age entered universities in 2023.

Reasons for the changes or why contract graduate students will no longer have a deferment

Over the past two years, the number of male students of military age enrolled in postgraduate or doctoral programs has increased dramatically. The Ministry of Education and Science seeks to prevent fictitious studies used to evade the draft.

"It's no secret that in the last two years the number of male students of conscription age who suddenly remembered that they needed a second or third higher education, postgraduate or doctoral studies, has increased rapidly. The thirst for knowledge is great. Fake education is not. Therefore, we are changing the rules for postgraduate studies in 2024," the minister said.

Oksen Lisovyi also noted that before the start of the full-scale war, about 7-8 thousand people were enrolled in postgraduate programs every year. In 2024, 246,189 people registered for the EMI, 79% of whom were men. There are 91,561 applicants for postgraduate studies, which is a record number.

"Of course, I would like science to become so popular in Ukraine one day. For real. And we are taking steps in this direction. But now such figures look more like an anomaly. An anomaly that harms the quality of education, the economy (fictitious education creates new schemes and millions of dollars in the shadows), and most importantly, national security. The fact that the education system has become such a "hole" for evasion shows the symptoms of its neglect," says Lisovyi.

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Changes in the rules of admission to graduate school

In addition, as the Minister noted, in 2024, the Unified Entrance Exam (UEE) will be mandatory for admission to graduate school. Previously, it was enough to pass exams directly at higher education institutions. The passing score for the TGAC (test of general academic competence) is 160. However, a foreign language is required for admission to a master's degree program, but not for postgraduate studies.

The Minister emphasized that fake education harms the quality of education, the economy and national security. The new system of rules is aimed at eliminating these problems and improving the quality of education in Ukraine. Increasing the number of state-funded places is an additional solution and that is why full-time education has been prioritized.

"In order not to cut off the possibility of admission for the truly motivated and capable, we are increasing the number of state-funded places - from 3,200 to 7,000," the minister said.

We remind you! The testing period for admission to higher education institutions has started in Ukraine. This year, quite a few Ukrainians have decided to apply for postgraduate studies. As it turned out, studying for this degree is not a cheap pleasure. Read our previous article to find out how much it costs to study in a PhD program at different universities in Ukraine.

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