New scholarship amounts: how student payments will change and when they will be credited

As of September 1, 2026, basic academic scholarships in Ukraine have doubled for students of vocational, professional pre-higher and higher education institutions studying under the state-funded placement system. For university students, the regular academic scholarship now amounts to UAH 4,000 per month instead of UAH 2,000, while certain increased payments exceed UAH 7,000.

At the same time, the increase does not mean that all student payments without exception will double, since social scholarships are awarded under separate rules and have different amounts. UNN examined the issue of payments to Ukrainian students. 

How much student payments have increased since September

In August 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted changes prepared by the Ministry of Education and Science concerning scholarship support. They provide for a twofold increase in basic academic scholarships from the beginning of the new academic year.

For students of higher education institutions, the ordinary, or regular, academic scholarship has amounted to UAH 4,000 per month since September 1, compared with the previous UAH 2,000.

For those studying in fields for which the state has provided an increased academic scholarship, the basic payment has risen from UAH 2,550 to UAH 5,100.

At the same time, students with the best academic results receive even higher amounts. The increased academic scholarship for outstanding academic achievements for higher education students now amounts to UAH 5,820 per month instead of UAH 2,910.

If a student is simultaneously studying in a field for which an increased academic scholarship is provided and is entitled to an increase in the payment for outstanding achievements, they may receive UAH 7,420 per month instead of UAH 3,710.

For university students, the government has effectively provided for several basic levels of academic scholarships:

• UAH 4,000 — regular academic scholarship;
• UAH 5,100 — academic scholarship for fields designated by the state;
• UAH 5,820 — increased academic scholarship for outstanding academic achievements;
• UAH 7,420 — increased scholarship for outstanding achievements for students in fields for which an increased basic amount has already been provided.

The increase also affected students of professional pre-higher education institutions. The regular academic scholarship at colleges has risen from UAH 1,510 to UAH 3,020 per month. For fields with increased scholarship support, the payment has increased from UAH 1,930 to UAH 3,860. The increased scholarship for outstanding achievements now amounts to UAH 4,394, while for students in the respective fields who have outstanding academic achievements, it amounts to UAH 5,618.

For students pursuing vocational education, the regular academic scholarship has also doubled — from UAH 1,250 to UAH 2,500.

Certain named and academic scholarships have also changed. In particular, the academic scholarship established by the Cabinet of Ministers for higher education students has increased from UAH 4,000 to UAH 8,000, for students pursuing professional pre-higher education — from UAH 3,020 to UAH 6,040, and for vocational education students — from UAH 2,500 to UAH 5,000.

In addition, some payments to winners of intellectual competitions have increased. For example, the President of Ukraine’s scholarship for winners of the Petro Yatsyk and Taras Shevchenko competitions for students of higher education institutions has increased to UAH 7,600 per month.

An important new provision concerns students of private universities. As of September 1, 2026, full-time students of private higher education institutions may receive academic scholarships if they study under the state-funded placement system. In March, the government regulated the mechanism for such payments, eliminating a legal gap: previously, there was no properly defined procedure for paying academic scholarships to state-funded students at private universities. 

Who will receive an increased and a social scholarship

The increase in the academic scholarship amount does not mean that it will automatically be received by all students studying under the state-funded placement system. For upper-year students, academic scholarships are awarded according to an academic performance ranking compiled after semester assessments. Before the results of each semester are finalized, the academic or pedagogical council of the educational institution determines the scholarship recipient quota.

 Under the current procedure, it must be the same for the respective faculties, years of study, and specializations, and is set at between 40% and 45% of the actual number of full-time students studying under a state or regional order. This means that, for example, out of 100 state-funded students in a particular year and specialization, approximately 40–45 students who ranked highest will usually receive an academic scholarship after the examination session.

At the same time, a student may lose the right to an academic scholarship if they have academic arrears, fail to complete semester assessment within the established period, or retake assessments to improve a grade they have already received.

Students entitled to an increased academic scholarship for special achievements are considered separately. For them, the amount of the regular academic payment is increased by 45.5%. This scholarship is awarded to students who hold the highest positions in the ranking and whom the educational institution’s scholarship committee has granted the corresponding right. Therefore, having a high grade-point average alone does not guarantee a specific increased amount: the student’s position in the ranking and the decision of the relevant committee are what matter.

A separate mechanism applies to first-year students.

Until they complete their first semester assessment, an academic scholarship is assigned based on the competitive admission score obtained during the admissions process. For first-year students, the educational institution also determines in advance the quota of students who will receive an academic scholarship.

A different principle applies to social scholarships. 

These payments are not awarded for the best grades, but to students from categories for whom the state guarantees additional social support. These include, in particular, orphans and children deprived of parental care, persons from among them, certain categories of persons with disabilities, students from families receiving assistance as low-income families, certain categories of persons affected by the Chornobyl disaster, internally displaced persons, children of fallen defenders of Ukraine, and other categories provided for by law.

For first-year students, a social scholarship until the first semester assessment is assigned without taking into account the academic performance ranking or the competitive admission score. After the first examination session, in order to continue receiving the funds, a student must not have academic arrears or unsatisfactory academic results and must be included in the academic performance ranking.

At the same time, the September doubling applies to academic scholarships and does not mean an automatic twofold increase in social payments.

For most higher education institution students entitled to a social scholarship, its amount is UAH 1,180 per month, while for students of professional pre-higher education institutions it is UAH 890.

For orphans and children deprived of parental care, the social scholarship at higher education institutions amounts to UAH 4,250, while for persons from among them it is UAH 4,026 per month.

If a student is simultaneously entitled to both an academic and a social scholarship, as a general rule, they are paid one type of scholarship of their choice.

An exception is provided for orphans, children deprived of parental care, persons from among them, as well as students who, while studying between the ages of 18 and 23, were left without parents. They may receive academic and social scholarships simultaneously.

When to expect the first payments at the new rates

The resolutions on the new amounts of academic scholarships entered into force on September 1, 2026. Accordingly, if a student is entitled to an academic scholarship in the first semester of the 2026/2027 academic year, the September payment must already be calculated at the new rate. In other words, a higher education institution student who has been awarded a regular academic scholarship should receive UAH 4,000 for September, not UAH 2,000. The new calculations also apply to students with an increased scholarship or those studying specializations with increased payments.

It is also worth remembering that academic scholarships are paid monthly. The specific date on which the funds are received may depend on the financing schedule, the work of the educational institution’s accounting department, and bank processing. Therefore, students should primarily rely on the payment period customary for their university or college.

How to find out the amount of your scholarship

To understand exactly how much a student should receive starting in September, they must first check whether they have been included in the current scholarship ranking. Educational institutions publish the rankings used to award academic scholarships. At many universities, they are published on the official websites of faculties or higher education institutions and may also be available in students’ personal electronic accounts.

In addition to the ranking, it is worth finding the order awarding the academic scholarship. This is the official basis for calculating payments to a specific student.

To determine the amount, a student should answer several questions in sequence:

•  whether they are studying under a state-funded or regional placement;
•  whether they were included within the scholarship recipient quota established by the educational institution;
• whether their specialty is included in the list of those for which an increased academic scholarship is provided;
• whether, by decision of the scholarship committee, they are entitled to an increased payment for exceptional academic achievements.

For a student at a higher education institution, the answers to these questions effectively determine whether their academic scholarship will amount to UAH 4,000, 5,100, 5,820, or 7,420 per month.

First-year students, however, must check the ranking formed based on the admission campaign’s competitive score until their first examination session. After the end of the first semester, eligibility for a scholarship will depend on academic performance.

The mechanism is different for a social scholarship. A student must have confirmed status granting them the right to such a payment and submit the necessary documents to the educational institution.

Since July 1, 2025, the functions of paying social scholarships to students and cadets of professional pre-higher and higher education institutions have been performed by the Pension Fund of Ukraine. However, students do not need to submit a list to the PFU or confirm the accrual each month on their own. The educational institution provides the Pension Fund with information about the students who have been awarded a social scholarship.

Reminder

As UNN wrote, 25 scholarships named after the Heavenly Hundred Heroes will be awarded to young scientists.