University tuition fees to rise in Ukraine: what we know

Ukrainian universities will continue to raise tuition fees in 2026. The Ministry of Education and Science attributes this to rising faculty salaries and the need to ensure educational quality. Find out how prices will change and what this means for prospective students

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In 2025, the cost of tuition for private students at Ukrainian higher education institutions rose by nearly 30%. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, this trend will continue into the next academic year—tuition fees at universities will continue to rise.

Why is higher education becoming more expensive?

Deputy Minister of Education Mykola Trofimenko announced this during a briefing on March 31. According to him, the main reason for the increase in costs is the need for educational institutions to establish special funds.

In addition, a key factor has been the increase in salaries for university staff:

as of January 1, 2026 — by 30%;

as of March 1 — by another 20%.

“We cannot engage in price dumping — we must ensure an adequate price for higher education,” the official emphasized.

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Additional Funding and Its Impact

The government has also increased funding by 10% for vulnerable categories of universities, particularly those relocated from frontline territories. However, this increase will not be included in the calculation of the cost of education.

According to Trofimenko, these changes allow for balancing the funding system and supporting educational institutions under difficult conditions.

Oleg Sharov, Director of the Directorate for Higher Education and Adult Education, emphasized that quality higher education requires significant financial resources.

“Higher education comes at a high cost: the state pays for state-funded students, while families pay for contract students,” he noted.

He also added that Ukrainian education remains cheaper compared to many European countries. If tuition fees do not rise, there is a risk of a brain drain of faculty members abroad.

Changes in Applicants’ Choices

In 2025, there was a decrease in the number of unconfirmed state-funded recommendations, indicating growing interest among applicants in tuition-free education.

The trend looks like this:

2022 — 5.7%;

2023 — 8.8%;

2024 — 10.8%;

2025 — 4.3%.

According to Sharov, the previous increase in budget rejections was linked to the popularity of contract programs, especially after the introduction of tuition grants in 2024.

At the same time, the share of unconfirmed contract offers currently stands at about 25%, though the Ministry of Education and Science expects it to gradually decrease.

What does this mean for students?

The expected increase in tuition costs means that:

contract-based education will become even more expensive;

competition for state-funded spots may increase;

families will have to plan their education expenses in advance.

Despite this, the Ministry of Education and Science is convinced that raising prices is a necessary step to maintain the quality of education and support the development of Ukrainian universities.

Are you planning to enter one of the world's leading universities in 2026? Visit Ukraine's educational lawyers will help you understand the document requirements, admission procedure, and legal stay abroad to ensure that your studies abroad are safe and legally correct.

Reminder! As we previously reported, starting September 1, 2026, the minimum amount of the academic scholarship may increase to 4,000 UAH, and the pool of recipients will expand. The new rules will apply to students enrolled under state-funded programs. Learn more about who will be eligible for the increased payments.

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