Students who fail army exam cannot continue HE – Official

Ukrainian university students who fail the basic military training exam or refuse to swear the military oath will not be permitted to continue their studies, Deputy Defence Minister Serhii Melnyk said on 18 January, writes Abbey Fenbert for The Kyiv Independent.

Melnyk’s comments follow the Defence Ministry’s announcement on 17 January that basic military training for students enrolled in higher education institutions will begin in September 2025. “I would like to emphasise that [basic military training] is mandatory for everyone,” Melnyk said. “And if students cannot pass the exam for some reason or pass it unsatisfactorily, if they refuse to take the military oath, they will not be able to study in higher education institutions in the future.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky approved an updated version of the law on military service in Ukraine that stipulates systematic basic military training for students. The course will consist of 90 academic hours of theoretical study and 210 academic hours of practical training. The theoretical portion is compulsory for both men and women, ages 18 to 25. The practical course is mandatory only for men.
Full report on The Kyiv Independent site