The Ministry of Defence clarifies the rules for granting deferments to students and academic staff

Deferment for students pursuing vocational, professional pre-university, or higher education, interns, doctoral candidates, as well as academic staff, is governed by the Law of Ukraine ‘On Preparation and Implementation of Mobilization’ and the ‘Procedure for Conscription of Citizens for Military Service during Mobilization, for a Special Period,’ approved by Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 560, dated May 16, 2024 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Procedure').

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 1558, dated December 31, 2024, introduced significant amendments to the Procedure. The rules for granting deferments to students and educational staff are now clearly defined. 

In particular, students of vocational, professional pre-university, and higher educational institutions, as well as interns and doctoral candidates, will be granted a deferral for the entire semester, but not exceeding six months (September-February and March-August). Research and teaching staff holding an academic degree, as well as educators from various educational institutions, will be granted a deferral until the end of the academic year (or for 12 months if employed permanently).

The key innovation is that students are no longer required to confirm their status with the enlistment offices every three months. Previously, this was mandated by law during the period of martial law and general mobilization.

Information about students is stored in the Unified State Electronic Education Database (USEED). As long as the register indicates that a citizen is pursuing education, they are guaranteed the right to a deferral.

Currently, students can request a deferment for educational purposes via the Reserve+ application. Thanks to the continuous data exchange between the USEED and the Ministry of Defence registers, the deferral extension process is conducted online. This means that students no longer need to apply to the enlistment offices every six months (previously every three months).

An alternative procedure is available for students who are unable or unwilling to use Reserve+. They must obtain an extract from the USEED every six months at their educational institution and apply to the enlistment office to extend the deferral.

For academic staff, the conditions for obtaining a deferral remain unchanged. They must be employed at no less than a 0.75 full-time equivalent, as confirmed by the curriculum for the academic year, which lasts from September 1 to August 31 (including vacations and leave), unless otherwise specified by the Regulations on the Organization of the Educational Process of the relevant institution. 

The Ministry of Defence is currently working on the integration of the registers with the Ministry of Education and Science to enable automatic information exchange and the provision of deferments to research, academic, and teaching staff. This will significantly streamline the process and decrease bureaucracy.

It is crucial to note that vacations and the end of the academic year do not constitute grounds for losing the right to deferment. The amendments to the resolution are intended to simplify the procedure and alleviate the workload of enlistment offices personnel, who previously had to handle a large volume of documents every three months.

The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education and Science reiterate: please trust only official sources. The allegation about the possible loss of deferment by students and academic staff during the vacations is hostile disinformation aimed at dividing society and destabilizing the state.