Starting in 2025, Ukrainian universities will be required to adhere to new rules for setting the cost of contract education. A government resolution adopted in 2020 came into effect and led to a sharp increase in prices - up to UAH 99,000 per year for certain specialties.
The Cabinet of Ministers' resolution of March 3, 2020 introduced the concept of "indicative cost" - the minimum cost of education, below which universities are not allowed to set prices in 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 state costs for training one state-funded student.
According to the publication Economic Truth , at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the prices for contract education in 2025 range from UAH 31,000 to UAH 99,000 per year. For comparison, the state's expenses for one state-funded student at the same university are UAH 117,000.
The most expensive majors remain dentistry, law, economics, journalism, and tourism. In some cases, prices have increased by 25%.
The new rules cover 38 out of 110 educational areas, but will actually affect at least 290,000 students in the 2025–2026 academic year.
Such an increase could become an obstacle for many applicants who are unable to enroll on a budget and are not willing to pay increased contracts.
The introduction of indicative cost prices, according to government officials, should help improve 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.
Higher education institutions can no longer lower prices for majors to attract applicants. This means new rules of the game in the educational market — less flexible and more expensive.
