Entering higher education during the war: how the simplified procedure works for applicants from occupied and frontline territories

After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the Ukrainian education system experienced an unprecedented challenge. Thousands of children in the temporarily occupied and front-line territories found themselves in not only physical, but also informational and legal isolation. In response to these conditions, the state created a simplified system of admission to institutions of higher education. This is a separate procedure for those who cannot pass the NMT or do not have the opportunity to register for it, as well as those who do not have Ukrainian education documents or even a passport. This year, entrants from the front-line territories and temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine will be able to enter the budget form of education at Ukrainian universities according to a simplified procedure, without taking the national multi-subject test (NMT). This is evidenced by the analysis of the admission conditions and current legislation.

Who can enter under the simplified system

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine determines the list of privileged categories of persons who can enter according to the quota. There are two types of quotas, in particular, Quota-2 – these are budgetary places that are provided for those entrants who either live in the occupied territories, or are in the territory of active hostilities, or were forced to leave such territories in 2025. The amount of the quota depends on the region where the educational institution is located: if we are talking about temporarily relocated universities, as well as higher educational institutions located in the Zaporizhia, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, the quota is 40% of the number of budget places. In other cases, it is 10%, but not less than one place per specialty.

The right to enter under such a quota has not been introduced since the beginning of the war. Until 2020, the law allowed admission under a simplified procedure only to graduates from the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. In 2020, amendments were made to the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”, which expanded the possibility of admission under the quota in the territory of ORDLO. In the future, the legal norms were expanded once again, and now this right is available to entrants from all temporarily occupied territories.

The specific list of territories from which entrants have the right to use Quota-2 may change every year. In 2025, a key criterion is that the entrant’s place of residence must meet the definition of a temporarily occupied territory or an active hostilities at any time between June 1 and September 30. In 2024, this status was taken into account only as of July 1. There are settlements that are not formally included in the list of active hostilities, but are constantly under fire. For example, Kharkiv, which belongs to the zone of possible hostilities. Entrants from this city are no longer subject to Quota-2.

Graduates from the occupied or front-line territories have a choice — they can enter based on the results of the NMT or based on the results of entrance tests organized by a higher educational institution. This right is granted in view of the reality in which it is impossible to pass an independent external assessment (EIA) or pass an NMT due to being under occupation or other circumstances, including the lack of documents for registration.

In addition, applicants from such territories may apply based on a birth certificate only. They are required to conclude a training contract within three months, while other categories of entrants must do so within two weeks. If this deadline is missed, a deduction will be made.

Another feature of the procedure is that young men are not required to provide a military registration document. This is taken into account because it cannot be physically obtained under the conditions of occupation. For other categories of entrants, the absence of this document means the impossibility of enrollment.

For admission under the simplified procedure, it is necessary to apply to one of the educational centers: “Crimea-Ukraine” or “Donbas-Ukraine”. Such centers work at a number of both state and private universities. But not all educational institutions have such a center, and this should be taken into account when choosing a university. However, the mere fact that an applicant belongs to a certain region does not limit his right to apply to any educational center.

If an applicant does not have a Ukrainian certificate of secondary education, he can apply to only one university. Other applicants have the right to apply to several institutions.

In previous years, the number of entrants who used the educational centers “Crimea-Ukraine” and “Donbas-Ukraine” grew. So, in 2017 there were 1,550 people, in 2018 – 1,749. In 2023, according to the special report of the Ombudsman, 6,516 applicants entered, and in 2024 – 11,325.

Low level of awareness remains a problem. People in occupation and even in front-line cities often do not know that they can enter the budget without NMT. Added to this are financial barriers and difficulties with leaving.

Admission conditions

The basic conditions for admission have remained constant for several years: it is not necessary to have a passport, a certificate, to pass the NMT, it is allowed to take exams remotely. But in the conditions of the continuation of the war, it becomes important to extend the deadline for concluding the agreement. The available three-month term often turns out to be insufficient due to difficulties with departure and the impossibility of concluding a contract online without a qualified electronic signature.

After the closure of the Kolotylivka-Pokrovka corridor, it is possible to enter the territory controlled by Ukraine only through Belarus or other third countries. To do this, you need to issue a “white passport”, a foreign passport, which can take up to three months at the consulate.

Documents issued by the occupation administrations of the so-called DPR/LPR or the Russian Federation are not accepted and have no legal force. The applicant must provide a Ukrainian birth certificate. As of now, there are enough such documents, but the situation may change in the future if the occupation continues for several more years.

If the entrant does not have a document on complete secondary education of the Ukrainian model, there is a defined procedure that allows obtaining such a document. To do this, it is necessary to contact one of the educational centers – “Crimea-Ukraine” or “Donbas-Ukraine”. Next, the entrant is sent to a special school, which has the authority to conduct knowledge assessments. There, the applicant submits an educational declaration – it can be made directly at the center or at the school.

Within two days after that, the applicant takes two written exams: on the Ukrainian language and on the history of Ukraine. If the evaluations are positive, the school forms an order for the production of a certificate of education. This certificate is sent back to the educational center, and the entrant will be able to receive it in his hands only after completing his studies at the university. Such a procedure was created exclusively for admission to higher education. If a person from the occupied territory wants to get a school certificate in order to get a job, the process will be different and much longer.

A special point is the need to maintain anonymity. In most cases, families in temporarily occupied territories or in front-line zones do not advertise their preparations for entry. They try to keep it a secret even from their closest circle to avoid danger. Russia, as an occupying power, is interested in young people staying in the territories controlled by it or leaving for the Russian Federation, and not for Ukraine.

In addition, some students have relatives who remain in the occupation. This creates additional risks: if the admission is disclosed, those who remain at home may suffer. It is also important to remember that among the academic subjects studied in Ukrainian universities, there are those that the Russian authorities consider hostile. For example, in schools it is the subject “Defense of Ukraine”, and in universities there are a number of disciplines related to security, jurisprudence, history, and critical thinking. This can be used by the occupation structures to put pressure on relatives.

As for the entrance exams to be taken in 2025, there are exams in the Ukrainian language, mathematics, and history of Ukraine. In addition to them, the entrant must choose one of the additional subjects: foreign language, biology, physics, chemistry or geography. Usually points in Ukrainian language and history are recalculated based on the results of the school certificate. However, if the document is issued in pseudo-republics or Russian administrations, it is not recognized, and subjects from it cannot be counted. That is why the entrant must obtain a Ukrainian certificate by going through the above-mentioned procedure at an authorized school.

Exams in Ukrainian language and history, which take place in this school, are later re-enrolled in the general competition. But exams in mathematics and the chosen additional subject must be taken separately for admission.

If the level of training is insufficient, it creates real risks. There is a persistent myth that entrants from the occupation are enrolled in any case. In fact, this is not true. Applicants from such territories, like others, must undergo competitive selection, successfully pass exams, study, pass sessions, write term papers and theses. In case of a low score during admission, they are not enrolled. They are forced to either re-enroll next year or find other avenues.

Many families living under shelling see their child’s enrollment not just as a continuation of their education, but as a way to secure their lives. For many, it is also a way to get out of the occupation, to get not only knowledge, but also access to social assistance – dormitory, food, scholarships. Often this becomes the decisive factor: the entrant receives not only educational, but also humanitarian support.

Thus, the simplified admission procedure is an adaptation of the education system to the reality of the war in which part of the country is. And although it provides for certain relaxations regarding documents, it does not reduce the requirements for education. For many applicants from TOT, this is the only chance to break out of isolation and get a higher education in the territory controlled by Ukraine.