Mobilization deferment for students and pupils: new restrictions and rules in 2025

In September 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is considering draft law No. 13634, which significantly changes the approaches to granting deferments from mobilization for students and pupils during martial law. The issue was brought to the fore following a surge of abuses of educational status as a means to avoid service, as well as the need to set clear and fair criteria to protect the rights of genuine learners and the state’s defense capability.

Background to the New Restrictions
Recent months have seen a significant increase in the number of men over 25 enrolling in colleges or vocational schools mainly to obtain a deferment. According to the Ministry of Education, such cases occur both due to the lack of clear legislative regulation and the possibility of repeated or interrupted studies at any age. Legislators aim to block such abuse and reserve deferments for those genuinely pursuing education for the first time within standard age and academic limits.

Key Changes: Who Will Be Affected
The new draft law sets out the following basic restrictions:

• Deferment for students and pupils is granted only for first-time pursuit of the corresponding level of education (bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, etc.—but only the first time).
• The age of starting studies matters: the right to deferment remains for those who begin their education up to a year before reaching the critical draft age (usually 25) or are studying in full-time or dual programs.
• Pupils of vocational and pre-university institutions who enrolled after the age of 25 automatically lose the right to deferment.
• University students and pupils who have had breaks in their studies, re-enrolled in a program, or failed to complete within the standard time frame also lose their deferment.

Education Workers: Deferment with Conditions
Deferment for academic, research and teaching staff is retained—but now only for those who have an academic degree or work in an educational institution at least 0.75 FTE. These exceptions have sparked debate, as previously all educators had a right to deferment regardless of workload or academic status.

Legislative Motivation and Official Position
According to explanations from the Ministry of Education and Science and the parliamentary committee, the changes aim to:

• eliminate abuse and fictitious enrollment for study at an older age;
• balance the right to education with military duty;
• maintain equality for genuine students studying full time or in dual formats;
• optimize the personnel resource by clearly designating categories of strategic importance.

Automation of Deferment Renewal
One technical innovation is a simplified system for confirming student status: data are sent to the Unified State Electronic Database on Education and automatically synchronized with the registers of the Ministry of Defense and military enlistment offices. Students no longer need to visit the recruitment office in person every three months—once every six months is enough, and deferment status is also updated in the “Reserv+” application.

Expected Consequences for Students and Pupils

• Reduced opportunities for “technical” enrollment solely to avoid mobilization.
• Standardized approaches: the right to deferment is only guaranteed to those studying for the first time within legal time limits.
• Increased responsibility for educational institutions for data transfer and avoiding fictitious students.
• Higher risk of mobilization for those trying to circumvent the system through repeated enrollment or delays.

Criticism, Risks, and Discussion
Among experts, students, and educational institutions, the new restrictions have drawn mixed reactions:

• Many welcome the fight against abuse, but critics warn of “one-size-fits-all” risks, as those genuinely wishing to retrain may also lose deferments.
• Concerns also exist about the impact on lifelong learning and retraining in the challenging context of martial law.

Prospects and Future Changes
Draft law No. 13634 has already been adopted in the first reading and is likely to be amended before final adoption, considering feedback from the public, students, and educators. At the same time, the deferment system itself may become more technological, with new online services, electronic registers, and automated student verification.

In the new conditions of martial law, deferment from mobilization for students and pupils will no longer be a universal guarantee but an exception—with strict verification requirements and no repeat use through educational loopholes. The state is gradually building a more just and transparent system meant to protect only genuine learners, not those abusing the law to avoid national duty.

Svitlana Krutorogova — Attorney, “WINNER” Law Firm.