Studying in Ukraine in 2027: is it still possible?

Information checked on 20 October 2026.

Situation on 20 October 2026: yes, Ukrainian universities still enrol international students, and a large share of programmes can be followed remotely. But France, Belgium and Germany advise against all travel to Ukraine, whatever the purpose, studies included. The country is at war, its airspace is closed and strikes can hit the whole territory. This article does not push you to go, nor to give up your plans: it gathers what official sources say, the risks you would take and the other routes to studying in Europe.

Studying in Ukraine: official advice strongly warns against going

Three European foreign ministries say the same thing, in similar words.

• France. The « Conseils aux voyageurs » (travel advice) page of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, updated on 29 September 2026, recalls that travellers remain « formally advised » against going to Ukraine, whatever the reason for their trip. It describes alerts « day and night », strikes across the whole Ukrainian territory and possible outages of electricity, communication and water networks.
• Belgium. The Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs writes in its update of 14 October 2026: « All travel to Ukraine is advised against. » It adds that there is no guarantee the Belgian authorities can provide consular assistance, and that travel and repatriation insurance may not cover a stay in a war zone.
• Germany. The Auswärtiges Amt, the German Foreign Office, maintains a travel warning. It reports almost daily air attacks that can hit every region, night-time curfews in Kyiv and other cities, and « very limited » options to help its own nationals.

These notices are addressed first to the citizens of those countries. Yet they describe a situation that applies to everyone: a Cameroonian or Ivorian student in Kyiv hears the same sirens as a French student. Before taking any step, also check the position of your own country's foreign ministry and of its embassy responsible for Ukraine.

What this changes in a student's life

Do Ukrainian universities still accept international students?

Yes. The official Study in Ukraine portal, run by the Ukrainian State Center for International Education, offers three study formats: full-time, part-time and online, at a distance.

The rules published on that portal:

• Distance learning is possible in every field except medicine. One page of the portal says « MBBS/Medicine », another refers to the field « 22. Health care »: for any health programme, ask the university for the exact rule.
• Admission in person and/or remotely.
• Enrolment twice a year for bachelor's and master's degrees: until 1 November for the autumn semester, until 1 March for the spring semester. Each university sets its own dates and publishes them on its website.
• PhD, foundation year, transfers and reinstatement: all year round.

Numbers have fallen sharply since the invasion. Here are the figures of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science, compiled with the State Center for International Education and reported in February 2026 by the Ukrainian portal education.ua:

In 2025-2026, these students are spread across 369 institutions and come from 127 countries. Morocco is the only African country named among the top ten countries of origin.

The official portal also describes its safety measures: universities teaching on site must have equipped shelters, and many institutions from the east and south have moved to the west of the country. That is the host country's presentation. It does not replace the advice of the foreign ministries quoted above.

How to study in Ukraine: the official steps

If you are still considering enrolment, especially remotely from your own country, the official procedure goes through the Study in Ukraine portal.

Documents issued in another country must be legalised and come with a certified translation into Ukrainian, or into English if Ukrainian is not possible. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on the entry regime tells you whether your nationality needs a visa.

The application is submitted on the official portal itself. Be wary of any intermediary who promises guaranteed admission or a fast visa: the Belgian Foreign Affairs service also calls for vigilance against fraud and corruption.

2022: what became of the evacuated African students

When the invasion began in February 2022, international students left Ukraine by road. Africanews reported on 2 March 2022 that Nigeria was preparing evacuation flights from Poland, Romania and Hungary, that Ghana was bringing its students home, and that several African students said they had been pushed aside at the borders in favour of Ukrainians. The African Union said it was concerned by these accounts.

To continue their studies in Europe, these students hit a decisive rule: the European Union's temporary protection, triggered on 4 March 2022, generally did not cover them.

• In France, the Interior Ministry instruction of 10 March 2022 grants it to third-country nationals only if they lived in Ukraine with a permanent residence permit and cannot return to their country in safe and durable conditions. Those who can go home are excluded; the prefecture then examines their right of residence through ordinary channels. Since a student residence permit (titre de séjour d'études) is not a permanent permit, most African students fell into that second case.
• In French-speaking Belgium, circular 8552 of 20 April 2022 from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (French-speaking Community) opened enrolment on the same terms as Belgian students, exemption from increased tuition fees and free recognition of qualifications. But these measures target beneficiaries of temporary protection only.
• In Hungary, the government created the Students at Risk sub-programme of the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship. According to the Hungarian embassy in Sofia, it allowed Ukrainian and international students, citizens of the programme's partner countries, who had fled Ukraine, to continue at a Hungarian university the studies they had started in Ukraine, after a successful application.

On the Ukrainian side, the Study in Ukraine portal accepts transfers and reinstatement all year round: a student who left in 2022 can resume their course, on site or remotely depending on the field.

We found no official source giving a numerical record of African students transferred to other European countries. Be wary of figures circulating without a source.

The risks to weigh before enrolling

• Your safety. On site, this is the main risk, and it is what the three ministries quoted above describe.
• Consular help. Your embassy may not be able to help or evacuate you. If your country has no embassy in Kyiv, find out which one is responsible.
• Insurance. Valid health insurance is required for the visa, but travel and repatriation policies may exclude a war zone. Ask the insurer for a written answer before paying anything.
• Recognition of the degree. A Ukrainian degree, especially one earned remotely, will be judged by the country where you want to work or continue studying. Before enrolling, ask that country's ENIC-NARIC centre, or your own country's higher education ministry, how it treats such a degree. For a regulated profession such as medicine, this question comes before all others.
• Continuity of classes. The power cuts described by Germany also affect universities and the teachers who teach from Ukraine. A distance programme can therefore be interrupted.
• Intermediaries. Pay nothing to an agent who promises admission or a guaranteed visa.

Studying in Ukraine or elsewhere: alternatives in Europe

If you chose Ukraine for its costs or its admission conditions, other European countries welcome African students, with clear rules and no travel warning.

• Overview: our guide to studying in Europe from Africa compares the main destinations.
• France: the complete Campus France guide describes the procedure, from choosing programmes to the visa. To assess your profile for free, use our Campus France simulator (in French). See also how to choose your programmes and how to prove your resources for the student visa.
• Belgium: read our article on studying in Belgium from Africa, our guide to studying in Belgium from the Maghreb, and discover the Belgian cities where diaspora communities live.
• Germany: our guide to studying in Germany sets out the steps.

Wherever you go, you can join your community before you leave and put your questions to those who took the same path. Compatri is neither Campus France nor an admissions agency: for a specific case, the embassy of the country you are aiming for and the university remain your official contacts.

Official sources

• France Diplomatie: Conseils aux voyageurs (travel advice), Ukraine
• Belgian Foreign Affairs: latest update on Ukraine
• Belgian Foreign Affairs: general safety in Ukraine
• Belgian Foreign Affairs: transport in Ukraine
• Auswärtiges Amt: Ukraine, safety and travel warning (in German)
• Study in Ukraine: important information about admission
• Study in Ukraine: rules of admission to Ukrainian universities
• Study in Ukraine: how to apply
• Study in Ukraine: visa requirements
• Study in Ukraine: life in Ukraine and safety
• Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: entry regime for foreign citizens
• education.ua: Ukrainian ministry figures on international students (February 2026, in Ukrainian)
• French Interior Ministry: instruction of 10 March 2022 on temporary protection (PDF)
• Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles: circular 8552 of 20 April 2022 (PDF)
• Hungarian embassy in Sofia: students enrolled in Ukrainian universities
• Africanews: African students stranded in Ukraine (2 March 2022)
• ENIC-NARIC network: qualification recognition centres