Educational benefits for service members and their families in 2026: key points

One of the areas of state support for service members is educational benefits. The Ministry of Defence reminds service members and their families of the education-related benefits available in 2026.

Education-related benefits for service members

Under the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Social and Legal Protection of Military Personnel and Their Family Members’, service members are entitled to education, including postgraduate education and professional development, at:

• higher military educational institutions;
• military training units affiliated with higher educational institutions;
• institutions of specialized pre-higher military education;
• other higher educational institutions;

Service members serving as commissioned officers under contract may pursue studies at other higher education institutions without interruption of service after completing a term of service equivalent to the duration of their prior higher education studies.

Other categories of service members may pursue studies at other higher education institutions without interruption of service, in accordance with the procedures defined by the relevant regulations on military service for citizens of Ukraine. These provisions also apply to service members between the ages of 18 and 25 who do not hold a higher education degree.

At the same time, this benefit does not apply to service members undergoing basic military service; cadets undergoing military service (studies) at higher military educational institutions or higher education institutions that include military institutes, military training faculties, military training departments or divisions; or officers serving under conscription.

Individuals who were called up for basic military service or for military service by conscription of officers while studying at higher education institutions of accreditation levels I–IV, upon discharge from military service, are reinstated to continue their studies at the educational institution they attended before conscription, regardless of the form of study.

When service members serving under contract or on career military service change their duty station, as well as upon discharge from military service due to age, health reasons, or staff reductions or organizational measures, their family members who are studying (or being educated) at state educational institutions have the right to transfer to state educational institutions located closest to the new duty station or place of residence.

Educational benefits for children of service members

At their families’ place of residence, children of service members are granted priority placement in general secondary and preschool educational institutions and in children’s recreational camps, regardless of the ownership type of these institutions and facilities.

An individual whose parent is a service member with 20 or more years of service calculated on a calendar basis; an individual whose parent is a citizen discharged from military service due to age, health reasons, or staff reductions or organizational measures, with 20 or more years of service calculated on a calendar basis; or an individual whose parent is a service member who acquired a disability as a result of a disease related to military service, is entitled to preferential admission to:

• military lyceums;
• lyceums with advanced military and physical training;
• higher military educational institutions or higher education institutions that include military institutes, military training faculties, military training departments or divisions;
• institutions of specialized pre-higher military education.

This is subject to successful completion of entrance examinations and compliance with other admission requirements and rules of the relevant educational institutions, within three years following attainment of the level of general secondary education required for admission.

An individual whose parent (including an adoptive parent) was a service member who was killed or declared missing in action by a court while performing military service duties is, within three years after obtaining the relevant level of general secondary education, admitted outside the competitive selection process, based on their personal choice of specialty, to state and municipal higher and vocational education institutions of Ukraine for study funded from the state and local budgets.

Under the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection’, the state provides holders of combatant status (or individuals with disabilities resulting from war) and their children, including children enrolled in full-time study at vocational, professional pre-higher, and higher education institutions, with targeted state support for obtaining vocational, professional pre-higher, and higher education at state and municipal educational institutions, until such children complete their education, but not beyond the age of 23. 

Targeted state support for obtaining vocational, professional pre-higher, and higher education is provided in the form of:

• Full or partial coverage of tuition fees funded from the state and local budgets;
• Preferential long-term loans for pursuing education;
• Social scholarships;
• Provision of textbooks at no cost;
• Free access to the Internet and institutional databases at educational institutions;
• Free accommodation in dormitories;
• Other measures approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. 

The procedure and conditions for providing targeted state support for vocational, professional pre-higher, and higher education to the specified categories of citizens are established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.