--- title: "Ukraine tightens control over students over 25: fighting fake education for mobilization deferment" description: "πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ Ukraine is tightening control over students over 25 to prevent fake education for mobilization deferment. Education Minister Andriy Butenko stated that the goal of a university is to study, not to evade. A bill on depriving automatic deferment is being prepared for second reading. #Ukraine #Mobilization #Education #Students" date: 2026-08-18T16:18:04.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-tightens-control-over-students-over-25-fighting-fake-education-for-deferment tags: [ukraine, mobilization, education, students, military-draft, andrei-butenko, sergei-babaka] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukraine tightens control over students over 25: fighting fake education for mobilization deferment ![Student working on a laptop in a library: Ukraine strengthens control over students over 25](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/18/ukraine-student-control-over-25-mobilization-deferral/ukraine-student-control-over-25-mobilization-deferral-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ukraine is strengthening control over students over 25 to identify fake education for mobilization deferment. - Education Minister Andriy Butenko stated that the goal of a university is real learning, not evasion of service. - A bill on depriving automatic deferment is being prepared for second reading, but has not yet been adopted. - There are contradictions in assessing the scale of the problem: authorities speak of rare cases, experts β€” of systemic abuses. Amidst ongoing mobilization, Ukrainian authorities are taking new measures to prevent abuses of the education system. The Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Andriy Butenko, announced plans to strengthen control over students over the age of 25 to identify cases of enrollment and studying solely for the purpose of obtaining a deferment from the draft. This decision is a response to growing concerns that universities may be used as a tool to evade military service. ### The goal of control is real education, not fiction According to Andriy Butenko, the main goal of a person's presence in a university is to acquire knowledge and professional training. However, in his opinion, in the current situation, some applicants use educational institutions solely as a way to legalize deferment from mobilization. "We will strengthen control so that this is real learning, not fake," the minister emphasized. He also noted that there is currently no mass influx of applicants over the age of 25, but those who do enroll are doing so within the framework of the law and take the NMT (National Multidisciplinary Test). ### Deferment for students over 25: how it works now As of today, men over the age of 25 who have enrolled in higher education institutions in Ukraine have the right to deferment from mobilization for the duration of their studies. This rule has been in effect for several years and was introduced to support the education system and preserve human capital. However, in the context of war and the need to replenish the ranks of the armed forces, the authorities have begun to reconsider their approach to this issue. Now the key factor is not the fact of studying itself, but its reality and quality. ### Bill on deprivation of deferment: preparation for second reading As early as January 2026, it became known that deputies of the Verkhovna Rada are preparing legislative changes that could deprive men over the age of 25 of the automatic right to deferment based solely on the fact of enrollment in a university. According to the draft law, deferment will be granted only upon confirmation of real learning, attendance, and academic performance. The head of the Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, Serhiy Babaka, reported that the draft law is being prepared for second reading. However, as of August 18, 2026, no official changes to the legislation have been adopted yet. ### Contradictory data There are disagreements regarding the scale of the problem. On the one hand, the Ministry of Education claims that cases of fake education have not yet been identified on a mass scale. On the other hand, representatives of the public and some experts point out that the system is already being used to evade mobilization, especially in regions where there is a high level of dissatisfaction with the draft. Furthermore, there is no unified statistics on the number of students over 25 who actually do not attend classes or take exams but are formally registered at universities. These contradictions require further monitoring and transparent reporting from educational institutions. ### What's next: strengthening control and possible reforms In the near future, the implementation of new control mechanisms is expected: regular attendance checks, analysis of academic performance, interaction with military commissariats, and the possible introduction of mandatory interviews for students over 25. The possibility of creating a unified student database integrated with the mobilization system is also being considered. All these measures are aimed at ensuring a balance between the right to education and the duty to defend the country. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why is Ukraine strengthening control over students over 25? **A:** To prevent cases of fake education for the purpose of obtaining deferment from mobilization. ### Q: Can students over 25 get a deferment now? **A:** Yes, but only on the condition of real learning and compliance with academic requirements. ### Q: Has the bill on deprivation of deferment been adopted? **A:** No, as of August 18, 2026, the bill has not yet been adopted, but is being prepared for second reading. ### Q: Who is responsible for controlling students? **A:** The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in cooperation with military commissariats and educational institutions.