Study in Ukraine
If you're looking to study at a university in Ukraine, you will find numerous higher education choices with strong academic traditions and a focus on modernisation. Higher education in Ukraine provides developed training, scientific and social infrastructure and is ready to give equal opportunities to international students. Study courses are offered at different levels of education. A wide range of proficiency improvement courses and advanced courses are available.
The system of higher education in Ukraine has a flexible structure, corresponds to modern trends and tendencies to those in advanced countries recognized by UNESCO, UN Organization and many other international organizations. In order to stimulate the application of general European educational standards, cooperation has gained depth with the Council of Europe, UNESCO, and other international organizations that work under the TEMPUS program.
Over one thousand occupational schools offer over 800 professional specializations. Students may choose among 313 (220 state and 93 private) universities, academies, and institutes as well as 658 (589 state and 69 private) educational institutions with first or second degree of accreditation. 500 educational institutions can offer supplementary education and the improvement of qualifications.
Higher education system
Since 1992, the whole system of Ukrainian post-secondary education has been regarded as "Higher Education".
According to the "Law on Education" of higher education, Ukraine has several categories of higher educational institutions, which correspond, as a rule, to different levels of accreditation:
- Level I - Vocational Training Schools
- Level II - Technical Secondary Schools and Colleges
- Level III - Universities, Academies, Institutes
The levels of accreditation represent the hierarchy of degrees according to the qualification of graduates: Junior Specialist, Bachelor, Specialist and Master.
The higher educational institutions of III-IV levels of accreditation in Ukraine include over 180 state ones. About 40% of school-leavers have the opportunity to get higher education.
General application requirements
Prospective students who wish to attend a university in Ukraine should first file the university Application Form
Here is the list of Documents and information required to get official invitation letter:
- Name, Surname, middle name
- Citizenship, country of residence
- Date & place of birth, sex
- Passport number and validity (date of issue & expiry)
- Permanent address, where you stayed last 6 months, mobile number, e-mail address
- Name of the Country where you are going to obtain your visa
- Scan copy of the international passport (pages with the photograph, date of birth and passport validity (date of issue & expiry)
- Scan copy of mark-sheets and certificate of Higher Secondary Education
- The copy of birth certificate signed by a notary
- Medical certificate that states you have no health problem or infectious diseases
Prospective students for Master’s and Doctor’s programmes should present a Bachelor diploma or a Master diploma, respectively. Every year application for official invitation letter is accepted from the first week of April to the first week of November. Before applying make sure you ask for detailed application information from the university international office.
Find more information about the admission process in Ukrainian universities.
State academic structure
The structure of State higher education in Ukraine is:
- Universities (classical, technical & technological, economic, medical, agrarian, pedagogical, P.T. & sports, military, internal affairs)
- Academies (law, technical & technological, economic, medical, agrarian, culture & arts, military, internal affairs
- Institutes (technical & technological, economic, medical, agrarian, pedagogical, law, culture & arts, P.T. & sports, military, internal affairs)
Staff & students
Higher educational institutions possess powerful scientific and teaching potential. Scientific and teaching staff accounts about 80,000 persons; among them - 4,500 doctors of science, 33,000 candidates of science, more than 5,000 professors and around 27,000 assistant professors.
Graduates of higher educational institutions who have outstanding inclinations for scientific-research work have an opportunity to continue their studies at the post-graduate and doctorate course.
The vast network of post-graduate courses on different majors satisfies the needs in highly qualified specialists for different branches of industry, economics, science, culture and education. Training is carried out for 20 branches of science and 366 majors and it includes all the branches of training of the specialists of high qualification.
There are 16,000 post-graduate students and around 1,000 persons working for a doctor's degree. Training on majors, which determine the reform processes in the country (economics, law, social and political studies) is expanded now.
Russian language courses in Ukraine
Find a wide selection of Russian language courses offered in Ukraine in order to meet Russian language requirements for university admission. Compare all types of language learning options in Russian language schools in Ukraine, from general or intensive Russian lessons, exam preparation Russian classes, business Russian courses, teacher training, and more. Select one of the diverse Russian class options in main cities in Ukraine:
- Russian language courses in Kyiv
- Russian language courses in Odessa
Living in Ukraine
- Monthly expenses are about $150 to $200 per month.
- In order to live comfortably while you are in all over the Ukraine, the student will need to have about 1200 USD to 1500 USD per year available for living costs, in addition to the cost of the tuition. The cost of living is cheaper, lot more than other European cities.
- Rent for shared hostel accommodation is around 300-600 USD per year.
- Rent for a flat in a private apartment per Month is 700-900 USD per year.
- You’ll also have the opportunity to visit some of Ukraine most famous and historical cities and sights, including Yalta, Odessa, red sea, etc.
- Indulge yourselves into social activities and organise theatre visits, meals, parties and trips to parks and paintballing venues.
- Moderate Climate around the year.
- Taking Three Months Jobs during the summer vacation in countries like U.K., Sweden, etc.
- Ukraine is a big agricultural country with different cooking traditions.
- Different food can be bought in shops, supermarkets, agricultural markets. Cafeterias, restaurants and fast food restaurants propose different cuisine. Indian and Pakistani mess is available.
- Students can spend as little as 70 to 100 USD per month on food.
- Kiev is the capital of modern Ukraine on the river Dnieper. Ancient churches, beautiful landscapes and a variety of cultural facilities can be found here.
- The city of Odessa is the largest trading center in Ukraine. It contains a variety of resorts at the Black Sea.
About Ukraine
* Given the ongoing conflict, international students should inform themselves carefully and be in touch with their consular services for advice. Here’s a link to Studyportals’ statement on the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. Ukraine borders the Russian Federation to the east and northeast, Belarus to the northwest, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south and southeast. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest European country after Russia.
In terms of population (47 million as of January 1, 2006), Ukraine ranks fifth in Europe The population density per one square kilometre amounts to an average of 85.6 people, the European average being 67.
The largest mountain system is the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains, which are part of the Eastern Carpathians. The mountains stretch to the west within the territories of the Transcarpathian, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions.
The medieval state of Kievan Rus was established in the 9th century as the first historically recorded East Slavic state. It emerged as a powerful nation in the Middle Ages but disintegrated in the 12th century. By the middle of the 14th century, Ukrainian territories were under the rule of three external powers—the Golden Horde, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Kingdom of Poland. By the 19th century, the largest part of Ukraine was integrated into the Russian Empire, with the rest under Austro-Hungarian control.
A period of incessant warfare ensued, with establishment of internationally recognized independent Ukrainian People's Republic in 1917. Then Soviet intervention followed, which resulted in Soviet rule for more than 70 years. In 1945, the Ukrainian SSR became one of the founding members of the United Nations. Ukraine became independent again when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
In its ethnic composition, Ukraine is a multi-ethnic Republic, inhabited by more than 110 ethnic groups, of which Ukrainian (72.7%) are the largest, followed by Russians, Jews, Belarussians, Moldovans, Bulgarians, Poles and Hungarians.
The country remains a globally important market and, as of 2012, is the world's sixth-largest grain exporter. Ukraine has a well-developed manufacturing sector, especially in the aerospace and industrial equipment field.
The considerable remoteness from oceans and continental Siberia tells favourably on the climate of Ukraine. Almost al of its territory is located in the temperate zone. Overall, the climate is temperately continental, and only on the southern shore of Crimea is it subtropical.
How to Apply to a Master's in Ukraine
If you've decided to study a Master's degree at a university in Ukraine, you will have to gather the right documents to prove that you fit the university requirements. Provide complete personal information, previous qualifications, financial information, and a personal statement.
What documents do I need to provide to apply in Ukraine?
To apply to a university in Ukraine you will likely be asked to provide some of the following documents:
- birth certificate;
- recent photos;
- your passport or national identity card;
- one or more reference letters from past employers or teachers;
- copies of past diplomas or certificates, including your graduated Bachelor's degree;
- academic transcripts;
- letter of intent;
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Some form of proof that you can support your stay in the country during your studies.
Depending on the subject or specialization of your chosen Master's, you might also be asked to provide scores for additional tests like the GRE, GMAT or LSAT. Check if your programme requires any of these, or others.
The list of documents depends on the specific requirements of universities in Ukraine so you might be asked to include additional documents. It’s also likely you’ll have to provide official English translations of your documents, or translations in the local language.
Prove your English skills
Because you’ll study an international degree in English, you'll have to present a language certificate. Some popular options for international students are IELTS, TOEFL or C1 Advanced language certificates. You’ll have to meet a minimum language score set by the university, and your test scores shouldn’t be older than 1-2 years. If you don’t meet the minimum language requirements, you will have to improve your skills and scores by taking an English preparation course.
Application deadlines for Ukraine
The deadlines for applying to a Master's in Ukraine are usually during summer (June-July), or in winter (January-February). Keep in mind that some universities don’t have application deadlines, which means you can apply whenever you are ready.
To avoid delays or missed deadlines send your required documents with plenty of time in advance.
