State-funded places for postgraduate studies will be reduced by almost 30%
24 April 12:54
In 2025, there is likely to be a reduction in the number of state-funded places for applicants to postgraduate programs. Deputy Minister of Education Mykhailo Vynnytskyi said this during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“A kind of innovation for this year’s postgraduate admission will be the use of electronic offices. Like last year, postgraduate studies at the expense of the budget will be held only on a full-time basis.
If an applicant wants to study part-time or in the evening, he or she will have to sign a contract.
Last year, 7,000 state-funded places were allocated for postgraduate studies, while this year this figure will be approximately 5,000, the exact figures are still being calculated. Thus, the number of state-funded places will be reduced by almost 30%.
Preference will be given to engineering and natural sciences, as these are the areas that are currently most needed by the state.
According to Vynnytsky, such a significant reduction in the number of state-funded places at the postgraduate level is due to their excessive number. After all, last year’s rush for postgraduate studies was more about deferment from the army than a real desire to enroll.
This year, the rush is expected to be much less, so everyone who really wants to innovate and conduct research should have a place in a graduate program. However, it is important that there are not too many such places, so that the postgraduate program is not misused.
The final test in Ukrainian and foreign languages will become mandatory
From now on, all postgraduate students in their third year of study are required to take a state final exam in Ukrainian and a foreign language. This form of control aims to ensure an adequate level of proficiency in the languages required for research, dissertations, and participation in international academic exchanges.
External independent testing (EIT) technologies will be used to conduct the test, which guarantees transparency, objectivity and uniform standards of knowledge assessment across the country.
International certificates no longer exempt from the exam
Another innovation is the abolition of exemptions for applicants with international language certificates. Previously, applicants who had, for example, TOEFL or IELTS could not take the entrance exam in a foreign language, but now this requirement must be met by everyone without exception.
This means that all candidates must pass a language test when applying to a postgraduate program, regardless of their previous language skills. This step is intended to ensure a level playing field for all applicants and provide an additional tool for assessing their academic potential.
Why are these changes necessary?
These changes will help to
- improving the overall level of training of scientific personnel;
- reducing subjectivity in the assessment of knowledge;
- strengthening the position of Ukrainian science in the international space.
In addition, the unification of rules will allow higher education institutions to more effectively organize the educational process and interaction with postgraduate and doctoral students.
In 2024, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine introduced new rules for admission to graduate school.
According to them, it was possible to enroll in a contract only for part-time or evening programs, which did not give the right to deferment.
The Ministry of Education also increased the number of state-funded places from 3,200 to 7,000.
According to Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi, this was done in order “not to cut off the possibility of admission for the real, motivated and capable.”
Later, the Ministry of Education suspended the enrollment of students in full-time or dual postgraduate programs at the expense of individuals and legal entities until January 1, 2025. In addition, the renewal of full-time or dual-time postgraduate students and their transfer from other forms of study to full-time will be suspended.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that these admission rules are legal.
