All Disciplines

The U.S. Scholar Program to Ukraine has been suspended through the 2024-2025 academic year. Potential applicants for 2025-2026 need to discuss the status of the U.S. Scholar Fulbright Program to Ukraine with IIE (202-686-4000) before applying.

Ukraine is an ever-changing place and scholars will bear witness to this throughout their Fulbright year. As Ukraine celebrated its 30th year of independence, it continues to struggle to find its rightful place among the European community of nations. Faced with the challenges of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainians are not giving up on their aspirations for a free, democratic, economically strong Ukraine with an open and tolerant society.

The Fulbright experience in Ukraine will be exciting and frustrating as scholars encounter a different set of assumptions about everything from work/life balance, to campus culture, to the teaching profession, to formal/informalities at work, and to the general governance of institutions. The attitude that scholars bring to this challenge will help define their experience and will shape the impact of their tenure as Fulbright scholars on individuals and professional communities in Ukraine.

The academic year runs from September through June and the second semester begins in February. A few institutions, most notably the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the National University of Ostroh Academy, and the Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University in Mykolayiv, are on the trimester system which begins in September and ends in June (the second trimester begins in mid-January).

Applications are welcome in all fields, including the arts, technology, and natural sciences. Preference will be given to projects in the humanities and social sciences especially projects that assist in educational, economic, political, and legal reform in Ukraine, as well as subjects related to the United States. Affiliations are possible with a variety of academic institutions, including older, more established state universities and newer private and public institutions.

Although placements in Kyiv and Lviv are possible, the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv encourage scholars to consider placements in other cities, such as Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kropyvnytsky, Lutsk, Poltava, Rivne, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, and others.

Classes are taught in English. For scholars traveling with children, International English language schools (pre-K-12) are located in Kyiv only. However, Ukrainian schools with English language instruction are available in most major cities.

The Fulbright Program in Ukraine requires that all U.S. Fulbright grantees, regardless of the length of your stay, acquire a Ukrainian “D-05” (international technical assistance) multiple entry visa before their arrival to Ukraine. With the “D” visa you will be required to register with the Immigration Services within 90 days of your first arrival into Ukraine, and will be issued a residency card for the duration of your grant period which will allow free entry to and exit from Ukraine during the period defined by the residency permit (the term of your grant to Ukraine).

Scholars who were born in independent Ukraine (post-1991) and who are now naturalized U.S. citizens and have entered the United States on post-1991 passports of independent Ukraine will be required to show proof that they have formally renounced their Ukrainian citizenship. Otherwise, they will not be issued a Ukrainian visa, as the Ukrainian government will still consider them Ukrainian citizens. Scholars who left Ukraine and entered the U.S. before 1991 on passports issued by Soviet Ukraine will not have a problem receiving a Ukrainian visa and they will not be required to renounce their former citizenship, as they have never held citizenship in independent Ukraine. However, if Scholars have entered the United States after 1991 on a valid passport issued by Soviet Ukraine, the Ukrainian government will still consider them to be Ukrainian citizens, as all valid Soviet Ukraine passports automatically became valid Ukrainian passports after independent Ukraine came into being.

The procedure to renounce Ukrainian citizenship can take up to a year and requires the signature of the President of Ukraine. Those who begin the process and can show official documentation that they have started the process can be issued a visa. For more information, please contact an official at the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States or Senior Consular official at your designated Consulate-General office to confirm the proper procedure to acquire a visa.

If Scholars cannot present the appropriate documentation to verify the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship, they will be denied a Ukrainian visa and will not be able to participate in the Fulbright Program in Ukraine.

University Life

Ukraine's higher education system has been undergoing extensive reform, especially in the social sciences. Newly-introduced disciplines are now being offered throughout the country. At the same time, public education remains financially strapped and professors' salaries are low compared with U.S. salaries.

The public education system is still in development and is not always keeping up with the needs of a market economy, although a good number of universities and institutions are working diligently to foster greater international exchange and involvement with employers. The energy to renew and innovate is remarkable and one of the reasons cited by many scholars and others who come to Ukraine for research and study.

Globally the American higher education system is considered to be a model to follow, so scholars may find themselves serving as a consultants on a variety of subjects. Lecture loads will vary by university and department, though generally will be one to two courses per week. Class sizes also vary, from lecture halls with over 100 students, to small seminars with only a handful of students. For Fulbrighters, most classes have ranged from 8-20 advanced students and faculty from the department.

Scholars should expect to lecture on the topics outlined in their project proposals. Eighty percent (sometimes even more) of courses taken by Ukrainian undergraduates are determined by the Ministry of Education and Science and are part of a national curriculum.

Scholars should be prepared to talk about life in the United States and answer questions about educational exchange, the teaching profession, and other subjects as a "cultural ambassadors" for the United States in Ukraine. Ukrainians are voracious readers with a strong verbal tradition. The IIE/Kyiv Office encourages Fulbrighters to take part in roundtables, lectures, and workshops at their host institution and to travel to other universities to hold presentations. It also will provide Fulbrighters with opportunities to make presentations in their field of expertise.

Schooling for Dependents

In Ukraine, there are both public (state) and private schools just like in many other countries. In contrast to the United States, parents in Ukraine can choose to send their children to any public school they wish; the school system does not have districts with residency mandates.

Kyiv has had English language schools (K-8 and high school) with a western curriculum for several years. If scholars have school-age children who will be attending local schools, they should bring each child's transcripts and medical records with them.

Some expats send their children to Ukrainian public schools. Many others send them to prestigious international schools attended by other children of foreign birth and the children of upper-class Ukrainians. Attendance at these schools can cost up to $2000 USD per month; there is hope that the situation will become more equitable in the future. International schools in Ukraine are quite different from Ukrainian public schools. They may combine Ukrainian and foreign curriculum requirements, and they provide a variety of extracurricular activities similar to western schools. Many schools offer a choice of languages for instruction. Even if the instruction is in English, students will have Ukrainian classes, which is important for adapting to the country.

Kyiv International School: https://kyiv.qsi.org/ 

Pechersk School International Kyiv: https://enrol.psi.kyiv.ua/

The British International School, Kyiv, Dnipro: https://britishschool.ua/   

Housing

The Fulbright office in Kyiv usually asks each host university to assist with finding housing for Fulbrighters (if requested to do so by you). Fulbright grants include a housing allowance for private room or apartment rental for Fulbright scholars and their dependents as an alternative to university housing. Most American Fulbrighters have chosen to exercise this option. The Fulbright Office asks host universities to assist Fulbrighters if they wish to rent an apartment. Due to housing and financial concerns, host universities are not obliged to provide cost-free housing to Fulbright family members. Grantees who bring dependents should prepare to pay for any extra rooms provided by the university or to rent private accommodations.

There are several strategies for finding housing in Ukraine.

1. Contact host institution and see if they can help to find an apartment. Scholars should be quite clear about what sort of housing they are looking for – location (proximity to the university, to markets, to metro or bus/tram lines, etc.), number of rooms, level of remodeling (European standards – modern bathroom with shower, washing machine, modern kitchen, etc. – is called Euro-remont). The potential problems with this strategy are that the host institution representatives may not understand scholars needs and the standards for housing they require or are willing to accept (could range from too low to too high). So shcolars should be quite clear of thier needs.

2. Contact rental agencies Teren Plus Real Estate Agency and/or Airbnb. Often scholars will be able to get a look at the apartments online. These agencies generally represent high-end rentals, but if shcolars call them or correspond with them, they will generally try to accommodate their needs and budget. Rental agencies usually charge one month’s rent as a service fee. Scholars should make sure they are willing to register for in the apartments they are renting.

3. Scholars may also want to check with the IIE/Kyiv office, as the Office sometimes is aware of private individuals from the US or elsewhere who own apartments in Ukraine and who are willing to rent to Fulbright scholars. The IIE/Kyiv Office does not act as a housing broker. The Office offers this information as helpful assistance for scholars and take no responsibility for any consequences that might follow from their rental agreements with the landlords.

Medical/Health Care

Many hospitals and clinics outside of Kyiv are not well equipped and there are shortages of certain medicines. Scholars should bring enough of their own supply of prescription and over-the-counter medicines to last their stay. European over-the-counter medications and vitamins and local analogues are generally available.

There are American-style medical clinics in Kyiv and some other large cities. However, the fees are often high and scholars should consider these alternatives for emergency use only. Payments are in cash or by credit card. Some clinics will accept payments from medical insurance companies, but shcolars should be ready to pay for medical care and then seek reimbursement from the medical insurance they have been provided by ECA or the medical coverage from their university or employer in the U.S. Consult your local telephone directory when looking for a healthcare service provider or search on-line.

The number of private and medical/dental care companies in Ukraine is increasing and there is a variety of quality treatment. Before seeking treatment, we encourage scholars to consult with PAS of the U.S. Embassy-Kyiv, their hosts, or members of the American community in the city where they will be living.

Scholars can consult the website of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine for information on medical care in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine, but it is mostly focused on Kyiv, and merely lists available services. Embassy staff is not allowed to recommend or promote one service provider over another.

United States Embassy – Kyiv, Ukraine
U.S. Embassy
4, A. I. Sikorsky St. 
Kyiv 04112 Ukraine
Main tel.: (+38044) 521-5000 (for all departments)
Web address: https://ua.usembassy.gov/ 

Institute of International Education • Kyiv Office 
20 Esplanadna St., 9th floor, Suite 904, Kyiv, 01001, Ukraine

tel: +380(44) 287 0777, office.ukraine@iie.org

Web address: www.fulbright.org.ua

For additional information, please contact:

Jessica Zychowicz, Ph.D., Director, Fulbright Program in Ukraine, Institute of International Education ∙ Kyiv Office, jzychowicz@iie.org.

Veronica Aleksanych, Program Officer, Fulbright Scholar Programs, Institute of International Education ∙ Kyiv Office, valeksanych@iie.org.