Since 2025, Ukrainian universities have been obliged to comply with the new rules for forming the cost of contract training. The government resolution adopted in 2020 came into force and led to a sharp increase in prices - for certain specialties up to 99 thousand UAH per year.
The Cabinet of Ministers Resolution of March 3, 2020 introduced the concept of "indicative cost" - the minimum cost of training, below which universities are not entitled to set prices on the contract. From 2025, this mechanism has become mandatory for all higher education institutions.
The indicative cost is calculated for each specialty separately and is based on the average expenses of the state for the preparation of one student-budget.
According to the publication the economic truth , at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, prices for contract training in 2025 range from 31 thousand UAH to 99 thousand UAH per year. For comparison, the expenditures of the state per student-budgetary in the same higher education make 117 thousand UAH.
The most expensive are such specialties as dentistry, law, economics, journalism, tourism. In some cases, the price increased by 25%.
The new rules cover 38 out of 110 educational areas, but in fact they will affect at least 290,000 students in the 2025-2026 academic year.
Such an increase can be an obstacle to many entrants who are unable to join the budget and are not ready to pay for increased contracts.
The introduction of indicative cost, according to government officials, should contribute to improving the quality of education and the economic feasibility of financing. However, experts warn of the risks of reducing access to education, especially for students from regions or low -income families.
ZVO can no longer reduce the prices of the specialty to attract entrants. This means new rules of playing in the educational market - less flexible and more expensive.
