The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has announced the launch of a competition to award Cabinet of Ministers scholarships to young scientists. According to the ministry, 190 scholarship places are allocated for the current year, and the application deadline is 13 October 2026. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing an official statement from the Ministry of Education and Science. The competition is aimed at researchers who meet the definition of a "young scientist" under the Law of Ukraine "On Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activity," and is designed to encourage the most promising scientific talent in the country.
Who Can Participate and How Candidates Are Nominated
A scholarship applicant must be nominated by the scientific, academic, scientific-technical, or technical council at their main place of work or study. Nomination requires written recommendations from at least two doctors of science who are familiar with the candidate's research results and abilities. The decision to nominate is made by secret ballot: at least two-thirds of the council members present must vote in favor of the candidate. This mechanism is intended to ensure an objective selection process based on the expert assessment of colleagues within the professional community.
Document Submission Procedure and Candidate Requirements
Documents can be submitted exclusively in electronic form through the NAUKA system. Access to upload documents opens on 16 September, and the final submission deadline is set for 13 October 2026. The applicant independently uploads electronic copies of the required materials to the system. After the scholarship is awarded, winners are required to submit the original documents to the Ministry of Education and Science, the payment details of their institution or organization with the Treasury in IBAN format, as well as consent to the processing of personal data. Scholarships are awarded for two years by a decision of the presidium of the Committee for the Boris Paton National Prize of Ukraine and are paid at the main place of work or study in addition to the position salary, a named or regular academic scholarship, and any allowances or surcharges.
Attestation of Current Scholarship Recipients and Restrictions
In parallel with the new competition, the Ministry of Education and Science is conducting an attestation of the scientific work of young scientists who already receive Cabinet of Ministers scholarships. Higher education institutions and scientific institutions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education and Science must complete this procedure by 13 October 2026. Following the attestation, each scholarship recipient is required to independently upload a report on the work completed to the NAUKA system; submitting this report is a mandatory condition for the continuation or termination of the scholarship payment. The ministry also emphasizes that it is not possible to simultaneously receive a Cabinet of Ministers scholarship for young scientists and a state scholarship based on the rating in the National Researcher System of Ukraine.
Digitalization Plans and the Context of the Science Support Reform
The Ministry of Education and Science intends to change the competition procedure itself: the next selection round, scheduled for March 2027, is to be conducted exclusively through the system, with information on research results to be compiled based on researcher profiles without the need to resubmit paper documents. This is part of a broader course to modernize the system of state support for scientists, in which the key tool becomes the rating of researchers, at the end of which the most productive specialists receive state scholarships. Previously, the ministry also updated the rules for competitive funding of scientific research, providing separate priorities for young scientists and scientific institutions in frontline regions, with funding to be awarded to projects that meet the established quality criteria.
