Students may lose deferral after 25 years — draft law registered in the Verkhovna Rada

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered a draft law No. 13634-1, which deprives some students who have reached the age of 25 of the right to deferment from mobilization. This includes those who have entered colleges and those who have exceeded the term of their academic program.

This is stated in the billʼs title card.

The initiator of the draft law was a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, a member of the MP from the “Servant of the People” party Roman Hryshchuk.

The Peopleʼs Representative proposes to amend the law "On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization" and to establish that certain categories of students are not subject to mobilization, namely:

• students of vocational (vocational and technical) education institutions and applicants for professional pre-higher education who entered studies no later than the year in which they turn 25;
• higher education students within the estimated term of completion of the educational program who are studying full-time or dual form of education;
• doctoral students and doctors (pharmacists) – interns, doctors – residents.

These categories of students will be eligible for deferment only if they are pursuing an education at a level higher than the level they were previously pursuing.

In addition, some categories of scientific and pedagogical workers who are employed in educational institutions at 0.75 rates or more will receive a deferral from mobilization:

• researchers of higher education institutions, scientific institutions and organizations who have a scientific degree;
• scientific and pedagogical workers of institutions of higher and professional pre-higher education;
• teaching staff of institutions of higher, professional pre-higher education, vocational (vocational and technical) education and general secondary education.

"Thus, expanding the categories of granting deferrals to pedagogical and scientific-pedagogical employees of higher education institutions, regardless of the presence of a scientific degree, will not lead to a significant reduction in the stateʼs mobilization potential," the MP explains.

At the same time, the right to deferment from mobilization remains with graduate students, doctoral students, as well as teachers and university lecturers.

• Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been under martial law and general mobilization. This means that all men between the ages of 25 and 60 are subject to mobilization unless they have grounds for deferment. Martial law and general mobilization were last extended until November 5, 2025.

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