In the conditions of the war, the status of a participant in hostilities in Ukraine gained special importance. Thousands of servicemen risk their lives every day to protect the country, and their families bear the heavy burden of war on the home front. That is why the issue of social guarantees, benefits, and rights for military personnel and their children is particularly acute today. Legislation in this area is changing, and new initiatives are designed to make life easier for those who pay the highest price for our freedom.
IA “FACT” turned to the lawyers of the “Repeshko and Partners” Bar Association to find out in detail what legislative changes have come into force for the holders of combatants’ ID cards (UBD) and what is foreseen for their children. The experts explained how to use the rights to free education, medical care and additional guarantees for the children of Ukrainian defenders. It is important to know all these nuances so that military families can receive well-deserved support from the state — without unnecessary bureaucracy and complications.
We would like to inform you that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has made changes to the Procedure for granting the status of a participant in hostilities, expanding the list of persons who can be recognized as UBD. Currently, persons released from captivity who voluntarily and confidentially were involved by the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in carrying out the tasks of the resistance movement can apply for this status, with the exception of those who voluntarily surrendered to the enemy.
The status of UBD provides a number of social guarantees, but now we will talk only about benefits for their children. The main areas of support for children of the UBD relate to education, as well as health and recreation.
The state provides both the participants of hostilities themselves and their children, including children who study full-time in professional (vocational-technical), professional pre-higher and higher education institutions, until such children graduate from educational institutions, but no longer than until they reach the age of 23, state targeted support for obtaining professional (professional-technical), professional pre-higher and higher education in state and communal educational institutions.
At the same time, state targeted support for obtaining professional (vocational and technical), professional pre-higher and higher education is provided in the form of:
- full or partial payment of education at the expense of state and local budgets;
- preferential long-term loans for obtaining an education;
- social scholarship;
- free provision of textbooks;
- free access to the Internet, database systems in educational institutions;
- free accommodation in a dormitory;
- other measures approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
In more detail, within the framework of this direction, children of UBD have the right to:
- full tuition fees for obtaining professional (vocational and technical), professional preliminary and higher education at a certain educational and qualification level (level of higher education) at the expense of funds from the general fund of the state or local budgets – in the case of enrollment in places of the state (regional) order in accordance with the conditions and rules of admission (taking into account the quotas established in accordance with the legislation);
- preferential long-term loans for obtaining professional (vocational and technical), professional pre-higher and higher education;
- priority transfer of education seekers enrolled in accordance with the conditions and rules of admission to study on the basis of agreements concluded with a natural or legal entity to study at places of state (regional) order in state or communal institutions of professional (vocational and technical), professional higher and higher education, obtained due to redistribution by the institution of professional (professional and technical), professional and higher education or the relevant state the customer of the available volumes of the state (regional) order;
- social stipend for persons who study under the state or regional order on a full-time basis.
It should be noted that children of military personnel who study in state and communal universities and colleges can count on support from the state. No benefits are provided for part-time education at the state level. You can count on free education in an educational institution for children of UBD when there are free state places, that is, if they have not yet been taken by other beneficiaries who are also entitled to the corresponding benefits.
Children of UBD can be transferred to vacant places of the state or regional order, if they are enrolled in studies using other sources of funding for an open or fixed (closed) competitive offer. Such children are subject to transfer in order of priority after children, one of whose parents died in the area of an anti-terrorist operation, during participation in the Revolution of Dignity, hostilities on the territory of other states, or during the performance of official duties.
To transfer such a child, it is necessary to contact the educational institution and provide a copy of the UBD certificate and a copy of the child’s birth certificate. The institution forms a request and submits it to the Ministry of Education for obtaining additional places for the transfer of such entrants from the contract to the budget. In case of untimely submission of documents certifying the grounds for obtaining this benefit – transfer to vacant positions of the state/regional order, within the terms determined by the educational institutions, admission commissions and relevant state/regional customers are considered within the limits of the budget positions that remain available.
At the same time, a social scholarship is awarded to students from privileged categories, provided they successfully pass the session, i.e. have no debts for academic subjects. To receive a social scholarship, a student must submit an application in the name of the rector (head) of his educational institution, specifying: full name; date of birth; registration address; a document confirming the right to a scholarship.
The size of the social scholarship in 2025 depends on the category of the student and is:
- orphans and children deprived of parental care aged 18-23 – UAH 4,542 per month.
- orphans under the age of 18 – UAH 4,794 per month.
- other students of higher educational institutions – UAH 1,180.
- students of professional institutions of higher education – UAH 890;
- for students of professional (vocational and technical) education institutions — 450 hryvnias.
In order to receive full or partial payment for education at the expense of state and local budget funds, the child submits an application in person to the head of the relevant educational institution, drawn up in an arbitrary form, specifying the specific types of targeted state support for which the person applies. Certified copies of documents confirming the right to receive state targeted support are attached to the application. State targeted support of a certain type is provided by decision of the head of the educational institution.
It should be borne in mind that the preferential long-term loan for obtaining an education is returned with the payment of 3% of the annual amount owed on the loan for 15 years, starting from the 12th month after the recipient of the loan has obtained the loan in accordance with the established procedure for the appropriate level of education to the state or local budget with the payment of one-fifteenth of the total amount of the loan received and interest for its use each year. To conclude the agreement, the recipient of the loan (if he is a minor, one of his parents or a person who is his legal representative) submits to the educational institution his passport and a certificate on assigning him the registration number of the taxpayer’s registration card.
The next benefit concerns the provision of places in general education and preschool educational institutions. Places in general education and pre-school education are given to children of active UBDs based on their family’s place of residence on a priority basis, regardless of the form of ownership. In order to take advantage of this benefit, it is necessary to contact the head of the relevant institution with an application (samples and forms are provided by the institution itself), attach to it a copy of the UBD certificate, a child’s birth certificate, a medical certificate about the child’s health. Difficulties with the implementation of this benefit may be due to the fact that in preschool educational institutions there are quotas for the number of beneficiaries in the group: there should be no more than 20% of them. A preschool educational institution may refuse if the number of beneficiary children has already been recruited, so you should apply in advance to find out the current situation in your community.
Another benefit concerns free meals in general educational institutions. The fact is that children whose parents have a UBD certificate can be provided with food at the expense of the local budget by decision of the relevant council. Usually, the practice follows the way that free meals are provided only to children in grades 1-4 by decision of the relevant councils. You can find out about the availability of this benefit by contacting the education management bodies (departments, departments, departments of education) of the territorial community. If the specified benefit is available in the given territorial community, it is necessary to contact the management of the educational institution with a corresponding application and provide a copy of the documents confirming the UBD. The educational institution does not have the right to require documents that are not provided for by law to confirm the benefit.
Regarding the health and recreation of children of UBD. Children whose parents have the status of UBD aged 7 to 18 are given priority places in children’s health camps at the place of residence of their families, regardless of the form of ownership of the camp. State bodies provide children of a preferential category with vouchers to sanatoriums and children’s institutions – rehabilitation no more than once a year at the expense of the state budget.
Vouchers to children’s institutions purchased at the expense of the state budget are provided free of charge or with partial payment of the cost (in the amount of 10, 20, 30 and 50 percent of the voucher value), which is paid for by parents (or persons who replace them) or funds of enterprises, institutions and organizations, professional unions and foundations, voluntary contributions of legal entities and individuals, other sources not prohibited by law.
To use this benefit, you need to apply to the social protection department at the place of registration of the applicant/child. The following documents are required to implement the mentioned benefit: a copy of the child’s birth certificate, a copy of the UBD certificate, form of primary accounting documentation No. 079/o “Medical certificate for a child who goes to a children’s health and recreation facility.”
Children of UBD also have the right to sanatorium-resort treatment and rest in sanatoriums, rest houses, boarding houses and tourist bases of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, and law enforcement agencies with preferential payment of the cost of travel tickets in the amounts and order established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, taking into account income no more than once a year. In order to take advantage of this benefit, you need to apply to the military administration bodies with the appropriate application, adding the child’s birth certificate and the UBD certificate.
The main thing we want to emphasize is that if you have reason and desire to take advantage of any of the mentioned benefits, be active! No one anywhere checks whether the parents of a particular child are UBD, such a single register does not exist. State social bodies generally live by the principle – don’t bother us and we will never bother you. Therefore, ask, insist and demand what is guaranteed to you by the current legislation!
