Ukraine expelled 50,000 students over 25 years old
During large-scale inspections of universities and colleges in Ukraine, about 50,000 students aged 25 and older were expelled.
This was reported by Ruslan Hurak, head of the State Service for Education Quality, in an interview with Zn.ua.
Hurak noted that after the start of the full-scale war, the number of students aged 25+ sharply increased. While until 2022 their number was steadily around 30,000, over the past three years it has grown to approximately 230,000.
According to him, “from 2022 to 2025, this figure has remained at the same level with minor fluctuations.” The analysis conducted by the State Service for Education Quality covered all levels—from vocational pre-higher education to postgraduate programs—and confirmed that the sharp increase occurred after February 2022.
The service assumes that some of the new students are trying to avoid mobilization. “For those enrolling to avoid conscription, three things are important: it should be easy to enter, easy to study, and inexpensive,” Hurak said.
He emphasizes that medical and law programs are not in demand among these entrants: “First, admission to these programs requires at least 150 points on the National Multi-Subject Test. Second, tuition fees are very high, and studying there is not easy.”
As a result of the inspections, the State Service for Education Quality expelled about 50,000 students aged 25+ who enrolled in violation of the law. According to Hurak, this number is not final.
Law enforcement has already opened eight criminal cases against education officials and detained deans and rectors of some universities. The State Service for Education Quality submitted reports to the Ministry of Education recommending the revocation of licenses for two institutions. The Ministry of Education is currently preparing about 20 inspectionsregarding identified violations.
Despite the large-scale expulsions, the overall situation in the system has not changed: “Over 200,000 students over 25 years old still remain in the education system, and their numbers grow with each enrollment campaign,” Hurak concluded.
