Ukrainian schoolchildren who are abroad because of the full-scale war can obtain a Ukrainian certificate of completion of secondary education without having to repeat the full educational program. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said this during his speech in parliament on October 16, UNN reports.
To this end, the state has provided for the possibility of recognizing the results of education at foreign schools in combination with the study of Ukrainian studies subjects.
Details
The issue of providing education to Ukrainian children abroad was raised by Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondratiuk. According to her, based on estimates cited in a report by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Accounting Chamber for September 2026, between 320,000 and 400,000 Ukrainian children are currently studying outside Ukraine. Kondratiuk emphasized that one of the state's key tasks remains preserving these children's connection with the Ukrainian education system, as well as creating conditions for their return after the war ends.
In particular, she asked how effectively the mechanisms for reintegrating schoolchildren, simplifying the recognition of education documents, and providing opportunities to study the Ukrainian language at educational institutions in other countries are working.
Answering the question, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi emphasized that Ukrainian children abroad remain one of the priorities of the state's education policy.
Our children abroad are our children; they are Ukrainian children. And we must do everything so that, once the danger of war has ended, they return to Ukraine and support and develop the Ukrainian economy
According to the head of government, education is one of the most important tools for preserving the younger generation's connection with Ukraine. At the same time, he acknowledged that children who are already studying at schools in their host countries often do not have the opportunity to fully master the Ukrainian educational program in parallel because of the excessive workload.
How Ukrainian schoolchildren abroad can obtain a certificate
To solve this problem, the state proposed a Ukrainian studies component that makes it possible to combine education at a foreign school with the study of subjects necessary to preserve ties with Ukrainian education. According to the head of government, the relevant program can be completed either directly at educational centers abroad or remotely through Ukrainian schools.
It (the program, — ed.) can be completed at verified centers operating in other countries—there are already more than 120 of them that have been verified by the Ministry of Education. It can also be done remotely through Ukrainian schools operating in a remote-learning format
The program provides that, in their free time outside their main studies, Ukrainian children study the Ukrainian language, the history of Ukraine, the geography of Ukraine, cultural studies, as well as individual subjects of their choice. In other words, schoolchildren do not need to repeat the entire program they are already studying at educational institutions in their host countries.
As the head of government explained, under the agreements reached, the Ukrainian side may recognize the results of education obtained abroad. After completing the Ukrainian studies component, the child will also be able to receive a Ukrainian document certifying completion of secondary education. This, in particular, opens the possibility of admission to Ukrainian universities and allows schoolchildren to remain part of the Ukrainian educational and cultural environment.
In addition, the government is cooperating with Ukrainian communities abroad, including religious communities, to support the activities of educational centers and provide them with educational literature.
Ukrainian as a second foreign language in European schools
Particular attention during the discussion was devoted to the possibility of studying Ukrainian as a second foreign language in schools in European countries.
Olena Kondratiuk noted that the relevant practice already exists in a number of countries that have taken in Ukrainian refugees. According to her, approximately 45 Polish schools are already working in this direction. Similar approaches are being applied in certain educational institutions in the United Kingdom and Austria. The lawmaker also noted France's active involvement. In her view, expanding such opportunities will allow Ukrainian children to take relevant exams in their host countries while maintaining their knowledge of their native language.
Kondratiuk also emphasized that introducing Ukrainian as a second foreign language could become an alternative to studying Russian in European schools. She urged the Ukrainian authorities to intensify cooperation with the education ministries of European Union states to expand this practice.
Some Ukrainian children abroad may remain outside the education system
Another problem highlighted by the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada was the absence of some Ukrainian children from education institution registration systems.
Kondratiuk emphasized that meetings with the education ministers of European countries revealed that some Ukrainian children are studying neither in local schools nor remotely at Ukrainian educational institutions. She called this a serious gap requiring the attention of the Ukrainian authorities and the education agencies of the host countries.
In Kondratiuk's view, Ukraine should maintain regular contact with such children, ensure their access to education, and create conditions enabling them to remain part of the Ukrainian educational space even during an extended stay abroad.
Previously
Earlier, UNN reported that due to the war and the search for prospects, female graduates are leaving Ukraine en masse to study abroad.