Analytical Report on the Findings of a Study on the Integration of Students from the Temporarily Occupied Territories into Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine
Access to Ukrainian education for applicants from the temporarily occupied territories has remained one of the key mechanisms for maintaining their connection with Ukraine throughout all the years of Russian aggression. Despite restrictions on freedom of movement, information isolation, and systemic pressure from the occupation administrations, young people from the TOT continue to enter Ukrainian educational institutions — either in person or remotely.
Stable admission trends among applicants from the TOT demonstrate that, despite security risks and administrative barriers, young people consistently choose the Ukrainian educational environment. The number of admitted applicants fluctuates each year — influenced by the security situation, the availability of routes for leaving the TOT, access to information, and changes in the list of occupied or frontline territories.
However, one thing remains unchanged: even under challenging conditions, young people continue to consciously choose Ukrainian education as a way to preserve their connection with the country and define their future.
This choice depends on safety, the possibility of leaving the TOT, access to reliable information, and individual family circumstances. At the same time, the very fact that thousands of applicants enter Ukrainian institutions every year demonstrates that Ukrainian education remains a space of trust, opportunity, and identity for young people from the TOT.
In these circumstances, the state must not only guarantee the right to education but also create conditions for safe departure, access to information, and comprehensive support. Supporting applicants from the TOT is about people whose futures largely depend on state decisions — and about our shared responsibility to preserve their connection with Ukraine.
This young generation will become the foundation of the future recovery of the de-occupied regions. They will return with education, a profession, and the experience necessary to rebuild their communities.
The report focuses on the real experiences of students from the TOT. It explains the challenges applicants face — from finding information and possibilities to leave the TOT to adapting to a new environment and the need for institutional support. A separate section provides recommendations for state authorities, educational institutions, and partner organisations aimed at improving access to Ukrainian education for young people from the TOT.
This report was prepared by the research agency Info Sapiens at the request of the Centre for Civic Education “Almenda” and upon the request of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. The analytical report was developed within the project “Defending childhood: justice & reintegration for children from TOT” The project is implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic under the Transition Promotion Program. The views expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
