Mobilization during holidays: what are the key features of deferment for students, graduate students, and faculty, according to the Ministry of Education.

Students, graduate students, and faculty members are no longer required to visit recruitment centers (RC) every three months to renew their deferment from mobilization. Relevant amendments have been made to previously adopted regulatory acts, which should make life easier for these categories of Ukrainians. Details of the new Cabinet of Ministers decree concerning the threat of conscription were written about on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (MoD).

The ministry clarified the details regarding mobilization and deferments for students and other education-related categories of military personnel. They referenced the law "On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization," Cabinet Resolution No. 560 dated May 16, 2024, and the recent resolution №1558 dated December 31, 2024. In particular, they improved the "Procedure for Conscripting Citizens for Military Service by Mobilization." It was also noted that there will be no mobilization during school breaks. Furthermore, the rules for obtaining deferments have been simplified, thereby easing the burden for Ukrainians who will now need to visit the RC less frequently.

"Holidays and the end of the academic year do not constitute grounds for losing the right to deferment. The changes to the decree are aimed at simplifying the procedure and reducing the workload on RC and SP staff, who previously had to process a vast amount of documents every three months," the ministry stated.

Mobilization of Students — Explanation from the Ministry of Defense

The rules for mobilization and deferment for higher education applicants (students, graduate students, interns, doctoral candidates) and for faculty members (working at least 0.75 FTE) are as follows:

• these categories of Ukrainians retain the right to deferment from mobilization (the deferment must be formalized and then periodically confirmed);
• for students (graduate students, doctoral candidates), the deferment is granted for a semester, but not longer than six months. The MoD provided a specific example of the timeframes in question. These refer to the periods when a person is studying: the consecutive months of the year. Therefore, the deferment is granted from September to February (the first six months) and from March to August (the next six months, which also include breaks). Alternatively, it can be granted until the end of the last semester's month when the diploma is awarded (for example, from March to May) — at which point the right to deferment is lost;
• faculty members can obtain a deferment until the end of the academic year or for 12 months (if they are employed on a permanent basis). The academic year spans from September 1 to August 31, meaning they are also protected from conscription during breaks.

The agency's portal specifically highlights what the innovation entails. Previously, according to the law, individuals had to renew their deferment every three months. Now, visits to the RC are required less frequently — every six months.

How a student can confirm their deferment from mobilization:

• submit a request through the "Reserve+" application. In this case, a request is sent to the educational database, and the deferment is automatically extended;
• or obtain a paper extract from the educational database at the dean's office, take it to the RC, and receive the deferment.

What the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution Says About Students and Mobilization

Following this, the head of the Ministry of Education, Oksen Lisovyi, made a statement. The official noted that there will be no mobilization of students, graduate students, and faculty members. He also mentioned that if any contradictions arise in the laws, they will be revised.

We remind you that on January 21, the head of the district recruitment center explained why there are issues with mobilization among residents of Kharkiv.