What are the educational needs of Ukrainian veterans? What motivates them to pursue education after their service, and what education formats interest them most?

Find out in the results of a survey conducted by the Rating Group and the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in December 2025.

Education needs

• A quarter of veterans indicated a need for education after discharge from service.
• However, the majority reported that there was no such need.

Motivation and decision to pursue education

• Among respondents who reported a need for education, the most frequently cited purpose of pursuing education after service was self-development and personal growth – 60%.
• One-third of respondents – 33% – mentioned a change of occupation compared to their activities before military service. Increasing competitiveness in the labour market was selected by 22% of respondents. Rapid entry into the labour market and meeting new people/socialisation were each mentioned by 17%.
• More than half of respondents who had a need for education – 57% – did not participate in educational programmes for veterans. A total of 28% completed an educational programme, while another 15% reported that they had started but did not complete their studies.
• Among those who had a need for education and used educational opportunities, 65% chose formal education – higher education, professional pre-higher or vocational education and training. Professional training and retraining courses were completed by 42% of respondents. Non-formal education – trainings, seminars, consultations and online courses – was used by 27%. Grants and financial support for education were mentioned by 19%.
• Respondents who had a need for education but did not participate in training most often cited lack of time as the main reason – 32%. Lack of funds was mentioned by 26%, while bureaucratic barriers and health problems were each selected by 21%. Lack of information about educational opportunities was reported by 18%. An educational environment not adapted for people with disabilities and the fact that the need had already been fulfilled were each mentioned by 9%.

Perception of education opportunities

• When speaking about factors that make educational opportunities more appealing, 28% of veterans mentioned support with subsequent employment. Affordable cost or free education, as well as the opportunity to combine education with work, were each selected by 25%.
• The opportunity to study online was mentioned by 19%. Receiving a certificate was selected by 14%, while a practical learning format – projects, case studies and internships – and a flexible asynchronous schedule were each mentioned by 11%. Mentoring support was reported by 8%, and the reputation of the organisation or instructors by 7%. At the same time, 27% did not select any of the listed factors.
• Support with subsequent employment as a factor making educational opportunities more appealing was mentioned more often by respondents from frontline territories, younger respondents aged 21–35, women veterans and low-income respondents. Affordable education was more often mentioned by respondents from central regions, younger respondents, women veterans, and respondents with medium or sufficient income levels. The opportunity to combine education with work was mentioned somewhat more often by respondents from western and central regions, women veterans, respondents with medium or sufficient income levels, and people with higher education.

Education formats

• Formal education was selected as the preferred education format by 34% of respondents. Professional training and retraining courses were selected by 27%, while non-formal education was chosen by 23%. The option “none” was selected by 18%.
• Formal education is more appealing to residents of frontline territories and younger respondents aged 21-35. Professional training courses were more often selected by veterans from western and central regions, women veterans and respondents without disabilities.
• Non-formal courses were mentioned somewhat more often by veterans from central regions and by low- and medium-income respondents.
• As for the optimal duration of educational programmes, respondents’ opinions were divided as follows: 20% consider 3-6 months to be optimal, and the same share – 20% – selected programmes lasting more than one year. A duration of 1-3 months was mentioned by 18%, while 6-12 months was selected by 15%. Programmes lasting less than one month were chosen by 4%. A total of 23% were undecided.

Perception of education providers

• According to respondents, the preferred providers of educational services are state educational institutions – 45%.
• Private educational companies and resources, as well as educational programmes offered by civil society organisations and donors, were each selected by 18% of respondents. Educational programmes offered by businesses were chosen by 15%. A total of 19% of surveyed veterans were undecided on this issue.
• State educational institutions were more often selected by respondents from frontline regions, younger respondents aged 21-35, women veterans, low-income respondents and people with higher education.
• Educational programmes offered by civil society organisations are more appealing to veterans from central regions and older respondents aged 46 and above.
• Private educational companies and resources are relatively more appealing to respondents from frontline regions, younger respondents, women veterans and higher-income respondents.

Themes of interest

• Among educational opportunities by area of interest, surveyed veterans most often mentioned information technology and digital professions – 17% – and construction, architecture and design – also 17%. Engineering, manufacturing and industry were selected by 16%. Military affairs, security and the defence industry were mentioned by 14%.
• Transport, logistics and aviation/maritime affairs were selected by 13%; law, public administration and policy by 12%; and economics, finance and entrepreneurship by 11%.
• Education, culture and humanities were chosen by 10%; medicine, pharmaceuticals and social services by 9%; the agricultural sector and food industry by 8%; and services, hospitality and restaurant business and tourism, as well as communications and media, by 6% each. The option “none of the above” was selected by 16%.
• The breakdowns by age and gender show notable differences. Information technology and digital professions; military affairs, security and the defence industry; and economics, finance, entrepreneurship and business administration were more often selected by younger respondents aged 21-35. Transport, logistics and aviation/maritime affairs were more often chosen by older respondents aged 46 and above. Construction, architecture and design were selected more often by men veterans, while military affairs, security and the defence industry; law, public administration and policy; education, culture and humanities; and especially medicine, pharmaceuticals and social services were more often selected by women veterans.

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Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys both within Ukraine and abroad. The group includes: Rating Sociological Group, Rating Lab research laboratory, Rating Online platform, and Rating Call Center.