In the first reading, the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) supported the governmentʼs initiative No. 10399 on the reform of higher education financing, which provides for the introduction of training grants.
The MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported this.
Grants will be of two formats: fully and partially covering studies. The amount of the grant will be determined based on the results of the ZNO/NMT [external independent certification]. Excellent ones will allow you to apply for state grants that will fully cover the cost of studying in specialties that are in demand on the labor market. High and average exam results — for its partial coverage. The student will co-finance the other part with his own money or will have the opportunity to get a preferential long-term study loan.
At the same time, the state procurement system will also be preserved. Entrants on a competitive basis will also have the opportunity to obtain free education at the places of state and regional orders. However, the government initiative is designed to provide greater freedom for students in shaping their individual educational trajectory, without limiting their choice to the availability of budget places.
It is expected that thanks to this initiative, over the next five years, the share of students who can receive full or partial state financial support for full-time higher education will increase by 40%.
- The system of grants for higher education is a common global practice that operates in the USA and Europe. At the center of the higher education system is the student, not the university. The entrant will be able to choose for himself which university to give his money to and which specialty to enter, and not choose a specialty only because there are budget places there.