To Study In Ukraine

Study in Ukraine Language Choice Analysis

admin — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:57:53 +0000

The choice of study language is a vital decision students need to make during their journey of studying in Ukraine. As is expected, most students prefer to study in languages that are native to them, for example English language for native English speakers. However, while some courses are available for study in English language, a good majority of the courses are only available for study in the native Ukrainian or Russian language. This article is not about the courses available for study in English or the native Russian language, but some vital information the student ought to know prior to making a decision on the language choice, when such a choice exists. We’ll start with the historical evolution.

Historical Evolution:

Ukraine, as a former Soviet republic was part of an exchange program operated by the former Soviet Union, in which international students of member countries were offered scholarship education. With Russian language as the central medium of communication amongst the Soviet states, student beneficiaries of the scholarship exchange program had to go through a mandatory one year intensive language program in order to acquire the language proficiency required for enrolling into the main university program.

Implications:

This meant a Russian language foundation course and in other subjects having direct relevance to the student’s future course of interest. This resulted to an additional one year in the student’s overall study period, with a reward of an additional certificate of proficiency in Russian language upon successful completion of the degree program.

The Twist:

With the break up of the Soviet Union, many hitherto member countries of the Soviet Union could not sustain the scholarship program, and had to introduce a payment module for international students, and also started introducing the use of their indigenous native languages besides the former central Russian language. In Ukraine, Ukrainian language was introduced as an official national language, became adopted in schools and universities and is gradually replacing Russian language as a study language.

International Students Called Out:

With international students having to henceforth pay for their tuition, came the request from these students to introduce foreign languages such as English language, for study purposes. Some universities responded, and introduced this in the most popular faculties amongst international students. First, this was in the medical faculties, and later to computer science / engineering and gradually into some social science / management courses. Notice the use of “some universities”, as even presently, many universities are yet to introduce foreign language as a means of study, and even those that have, do not have such provision in many other courses not so popular amongst foreign students.

But Then:

It is important to note that these faculties were set up specifically to cater for the international students’ community, as it is still mandatory for indigenous Ukrainians to study in the native language. Due to the obvious additional logistics and cost implications, these faculties are usually more expensive than their counterparts in the native language.

Consequently:

The three most popular languages for teaching mediums became the native Ukrainian / Russian language, and English language where available. International students are at a liberty of choosing amongst any of these for studies whenever applicable.

And Now:

With an understanding of the background evolution, let us look at the comparative peculiarities of studying in English language and in the native Russian of Ukrainian language

English language Peculiarities:

Pros:

- Studying in a familiar language, with ease of understanding for native speakers of the language.

- No need for a one year language program, saving time and associated cost.

- Easy professional integration in an English language society, being already conversant with professional terminologies.

Cons:

- More expensive than same course in the native language, excluding the cost of language program.

- Losing the chance to learn from established professors, who can only deliver lectures in the native language

- Poor networking and cultural integration with fellow Ukrainian students, as the faculties are set up specifically for foreigners

Russian Language Peculiarities:

Pros:

- Less expensive for the same course in English language

- Soft landing for international students enabling better integration and acclimatization prior to enrollment into the main program

- Good knowledge of another foreign language, with an additional certificate of proficiency offered upon graduation

- Study with indigenous citizens enabling better integration and future networking with professional colleagues

- Chance to learn from seasoned professors, with vast knowledge and years of experience

Cons:

- Additional Time spent on learning the language with associated cost:

- Need for terminology familiarization upon practice in English language society.

Drilling Deeper:

Comparative Financial Analysis of Tuition for English and Russian program for a course, Computer Engineering, studied in English language and in the native language for the 2010 academic year in the Donetsk National Technical University (DonTU). The arbitrary choice of DonTU for analysis is due to their narrow gap in the tuition fees for the same course in English and the native language.

Comparative Tuition Analysis For Same Course Studied In English and Native Language At DonTU

Year	English Language (€)	Russian Language (€)
Preparatory Faculty	-	€1150
First Year Tuition	€1850	€1700
Second Year Tuition	€1850	€1700
Third Year Tuition	€2000	€1850
Fourth Year Tuition	€2000	€1850
Total	€7700	€8250

Difference: €(8250- €7700) = €550

Integrating an estimated annual upkeep and accommodation fee of $1500, the total price for a lifetime knowledge of an additional language, that could serve as a professional business and career instrument with an additional certificate of proficiency issued upon completion are €550, $1500 and additional one academic year. If the language program is considered as an independent lifetime investment in the acquisition of language skills, obviously studying in the native language becomes comparatively cheaper.

Note however, that the above amount will be less for other universities with wider margin in tuition differences for the same course in native or foreign language.

Spotlight on Medical Students:

With special emphasis on medical students, it is common knowledge that they spend a good proportion of their academic time with patients during clinical. Effective communication with patients have been identified as a challenge to most medical students studying in English, as their patients are natives that do not speak English language. Additional effort are made by these students to have an effective communication especially in their early academic years.

Identifying this, the Jordan government recently made it mandatory for all Jordan medical students coming to study in Ukraine to go through a mandatory language program even if they will eventually study in English language. This enables the medical students gain more knowledge in the native language required for effective communication with patients during clinical.

Current Changes:

Usually, international students that opt to study in English are taken for their words, without any test of language proficiency. However, it was recently observed that many of such students are not so knowledgeable in the command of the language. As a result, some universities are currently introducing an English language proficiency test, and only students that pass the test are allowed to continue their studies in English language. Students that fail the test will have to enroll for their program in the native language, after a language program.

General Overview:

English language, as a study language in Ukraine, is relatively recent and was introduced to cater specifically for the international students’ community. As a result, the introduction was targeted at courses of high demand by foreign students such as medicine and computer science / engineering. As Ukraine’s popularity grew as a destination for quality and affordable higher education, more universities started adopting the use of English language as a teaching medium and in other courses of increasing demand by international students.

The English language counterpart of a course is more expensive compared to the same course studied in the native language. Considering the inclusion of an additional year in the language study, the overall financial implication might not end up being cheaper for a course studied in the native language, compared to when studied in English language. However, this is when the language program is viewed purely as a gateway to a degree program, a role that is just one of many.

The acquired language first serves as an educational tool. However, the knowledge is not lost, even after graduation, and continues to be instrumental as a career and business tool for life. Lectures delivered by seasoned professors with years of experience are mostly available in the native language. The socio-cultural integration of studying with the natives also provides an immense networking instrument, a resource that will become invaluable and priceless in many years to come.

When available, studying in English language obviously leads to time conservation and saving the associated cost. Combined with the ease of understanding for students from native / official English language speaking countries, it is a good decision as a language study choice. However, the long term benefits of studying in the native language justifies the additional time and resource investment. The additional certificate of proficiency issued upon graduation could be the one single defining factor separating the student from the crowd, in a competitive selection environment. It can also be an invaluable networking and business tool that will come in handy in the future life, as a professional.

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Admission Requirements and Procedures to Study in Ukraine

admin — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:49:56 +0000

Admission requirements and procedures to study in Ukraine is a combination of “what is needed” and “steps to accomplishment” for a successful study in Ukraine program. This article is broken into sectional requirements and concluded with a seven step admission procedures to tie them all together.

Academic Requirements

Academic requirements

To qualify for admission into a specific course, the student will have to satisfy the academic requirements for the particular course. Basically, this boils down to a minimum of five (5) credit passes in subjects related to the chosen course of study for undergraduate students. Postgraduate students will need to provide result transcript with course composition and certificate of a completed four years graduate program. Transfer students provides their result transcript with course outline and composition.

For students that will be studying in Russian language, a credit pass in English language is not necessary as these students will have to undergo a language preparatory program. However, for students of English language program, a knowledge of English language is required.

Until recently, all universities that offered English medium programs accepted students without a test of English language proficiency level. However, some universities are currently introducing a language proficiency test, and students that fail the test will have to join the language program and study in the native Ukrainian or Russian language.

During admission period, qualified students are offered provisional admission by the university for the program requested, and this is communicated to the student via a letter of invitation to study in the university. Upon acceptance, the student continues processing traveling requirements.

Financial Requirements

Financial Requirements:

Although Ukraine is comparatively less expensive for international students seeking admission abroad, it however is not without some financial outlay. The three basic financial requirements are: tuition, hostel accommodation and feeding / personal upkeep. There are also one-off payments including the following: university invitation / admission letter, visa support letter, courier postage and student registration on arrival.

For an idea on how much these will be, check our article about 2011 / 2012 study in Ukraine admission overview. A four or five years university program requires accurate financial planning in order to eliminate frustrations arising from lack of funding in-between the program.

Some international students have been given the impression of assured jobs and income opportunities by their recruiting agents. Based on the information, these students gather funding for the first couple of their academic years, hoping to augment the remaining years with expected income from anticipated jobs. With the expected jobs not forthcoming and the consequential challenge of not meeting with the financial requirements, these students are faced with frustrations, leading to dropouts, wastage of valuable time / resources and sometimes do lead to deportation.

It is very important that international students planning to study in Ukraine have a concise knowledge of source of funding for the entire study period in Ukraine.

Travel Requirements

Traveling Requirements:

Students from visa-free countries to Ukraine only need to arrive Ukraine, by any means of transportation convenient to them. Upon arrival, they complete the university registration process and are ready for academics.

However, students from non visa-free countries do need to process a study visa to enable them travel to Ukraine and begin their academic program. Read the article 2011 / 2012 study in Ukraine admission overview for links to visa-free countries to Ukraine and Ukrainian consulates around the world.

It is inevitable to communicate the arrival date, time and flight number, at least one week before arrival to the consultant or the university to arrange for meeting the student at the airport. Students without a receiving representative at the port of arrival might have a hard and unpleasant time with the immigration, and could sometimes lead to deportation.

Visa Processing

Visa processing:

In order to process a travel visa to study in Ukraine, an international student will need an invitation letter from the university that offered the provisional admission.

Besides the invitation letter, a visa support letter is also sent via ministry of external affairs to the Ukrainian consulate of student’s home country, or choice country for visa application. Until the visa support letter arrives the destination embassy, the student’s visa application will be pending.

Armed with the invitation letter, the student submits an application for a study visa to the Ukrainian embassy of the home country, or country of close proximity. Embassies have in-house requirements which students are expected to meet in order to qualify for a study visa. These requirements could vary from country to country depending on the diplomatic ties of the two countries and other governmental factors. International students are advised to visit the office of the Ukrainian consulate in their country or their website to familiarize themselves with the prevailing embassy requirements.

Below are sample embassy requirements extracted from the Documents checklist section of the Ukrainian embassy website for the consulate in Nigeria. Visit the Ukrainian embassy in your home country or their website to find out the applicable required documents for application.

Sample Ukrainan Embassy Documents Checklist (Nigeria)

- international passport

- receipt for payment of application fee

- application form with one recent photograph attached

- invitation – original

- invitation – photocopy

- testimonial – original

- testimonial – legalised photocopy

- testimonial – Ukrainian translation

- WAEC/NECO results – original

- WAEC/NECO results – legalised photocopy

- WAEC/NECO results – Ukrainian translation

- first degree (if applicable) – original

- first degree (if applicable) – legalised photocopy

- first degree (if applicable) – Ukrainian translation

- letter from the Ministry of Education – legalised original

- letter from the Ministry of Education – Ukrainian translation

- general fitness medical certificate – legalised original

- general fitness medical certificate – Ukrainian translation

- HIV status medical certificate – legalised original

- HIV status medical certificate – Ukrainian translation

- birth certificate – original o birth certificate – legalised photocopy

- birth certificate – Ukrainian translation

- letter from the National Population Commission – legalised original

- letter from the National Population Commission – Ukrainian translation

- receipts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria for payment for legalisation

- medical insurance – original

- medical insurance – photocopy

- sponsorship letter in a form of a court affidavit – original

- sponsor’s ID – photocopy o recent bank statements of a sponsor – original

- open return ticket – original

- open return ticket – photocopy

- any other documents which can strengthen your application

Source: http://bit.ly/ukr_emb_nig

Admission Procedures:

this entails everything from securing admission from the choice university, to sitting in the lecture room for the maiden lecture. This can be accomplished in either of the two ways: self-processing or assisted-processing via consultants.

Whichever option the student chooses, the steps are the same, except that while the student individually goes through the entire process in the former, he /she is guided in the latter by the consultant. Below are the seven steps admission procedures to study in Ukraine

7 Admission Steps And Procedures To Study in Ukraine

Seven Admission Steps And Procedures To Study In Ukraine.

1. Decision on the choice course

2. University selection

3. Contact the university to verify their requirements. Check the list of Ukraine universities

4. Check and satisfy the university requirements and apply for admission

5. Receive admission / invitation letter to study in the university

6. If required, apply for a study visa and satisfy embassy requirements

7. Finalize traveling arrangements and inform the university or the consultant of proposed arrival date for airport reception.

In a nutshell, above are the seven steps admission procedures to study in Ukraine. It is important to note that the student can accomplish all these steps individually, or assisted by a consultant.

Yes, it is more efficient and faster using a consultant, but not without some payment for the services of the consultant. For students that might be cash-strapped, don’t be put off by the mention of payment for the consultant’s services as it is possible to self-accomplish the steps, although this will not be as flawless as using a consultant like our company, OguCS Ltd.

As usual, we appreciate your contributions in the comment section, and please do hit the like button if you find the post useful.

2011 / 2012 Study in Ukraine admission overview

admin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:26:51 +0000

Ukraine’s educational institutions have become recognized in the world as a source of quality and affordable university education. Whether seeking for a graduate program, postgraduate, doctorate or research works, many international students today have realized the educational potentials available by studying in Ukraine universities. Because most universities are struggling to cope with the increasing request from international students, consulting companies were licensed by the state center for international education to assist in recruiting international students and augment the admission load on the universities and increase admission efficiency.

Below are answers to some of the repeat questions frequently asked by international students planning to study in Ukraine. They were compiled from the most repeating questions submitted to our support center.

Age Limitations

The age limitation for new students planning to study in Ukraine is (25) years. This is irrespective of the program of student’s interest. Until recently, this limit used to be twenty nine (29) years.

Study in Ukraine Admission Resumption Date

There is no unified calendar for all the universities’ admission resumption date. Most have their in-house admission calendar, but normally resumes from March / April, and admissions can continue till November, and sometimes beyond. However, students arriving after 1st of September, which is the official resumption date for all academic activities in Ukraine, might have to enroll for a one year language preparatory program.

Students enrolling directly into the main course or planning to study in English language are expected to have arrived before 1st of September.

Tuition and Payments

Tuition fees vary across universities, depending on the course, the university and the language of study. The fees are usually updated yearly by the universities, prior to the admission season. During the 2011 / 2012 admission season, we will make available the current fees structure for the different universities we represent.

Depending on the mode of application, tuition payments could be made on arrival, or partly paid to the university for students applying directly to the university. Students processing their application via consulting companies, like our company, do not need to pay for the tuition until arrival, as the consulting companies are given this concession.

Pre-payments are only for the university admission / invitation letter, visa support letter from the ministry of external affairs, and payment for courier postage to the student’s location. The invitation letter could cost anywhere between $100 – $200 depending on the prevailing tariff, while courier postage cost will largely depend on the student’s location and the courier company utilized. Current fees for all of these will be made available during the 2011 / 2012 study in Ukraine admission period.

However, below are a general fee range based on earlier records for the most popular course categories:

**General Tuition Fees Range**
Course / Faculty	Tuition / Annum
Preparatory Faculty	$1500 – $2000
Medical courses in English language	$3000 – $4500
Medical courses in native Ukrainian or Russian language	$2500 – $3500
Postgraduate courses (Medical)	$4000 – $5000
Engineering courses in English language	$2500 – $3500
Engineering courses in Ukrainian or Russian Language	$2000 – $3000
Postgraduate courses (Engineering)	$3500 – $4000
Management / Social Sciences	$2000 – $3500
Postgraduate (Management / Social Sciences)	$3000 – $4000

Please note that the above fee range information might not be precise for the 2011 / 2012 admission year, which is yet to be released, as at the time of this publication. You are requested to use the above figures as a planning guide.

Accommodation

Most universities have hostel accommodation for students, or have a provision for one. This varies from single room accommodation type to double or trio occupants for a room, depending on the size and type of the room. Prices for accommodation are also reflective of the accommodation type, and could vary between $350 – $700 per annum.

Students are also allowed to live in rented apartments, outside the hostel, but not without necessary procedures and permission from the university authority. However, it is highly advised that international students reside in university hostels, for better security.

Tuition Payments in Installments

Most universities do accept payment of tuition in installments. However, this concession is more applicable to students after their first year. New students are usually expected to make full payment, although in certain circumstances, could be granted this concession.

Living Expenditure

This varies with the students’ individual living standards and habits. On the average, students can live off a monthly budget of $150. While a conservative student might not even need that much, another student might need much more depending on the chosen lifestyle. However, depending on inflationary trends, the figures could reasonably change.

Academic Issues

Resumption of academic activities

In Ukraine, academic activities resume from 1st of September of every year. This holds true both for return students as well as new students enrolling directly into the main program to study in English language, without going through the language program. However, for language preparatory program, academic activities do resume a bit later into October / November, and often extended till December.

Study Duration

Language Preparatory Program: One (1) academic year

Graduate Program: Four (4) academic years

Graduate Program (Medical): Six (6) years

Postgraduate (Masters): Minimum of sixteen (16) – eighteen (18) months

Graduate program continued to Masters uninterrupted: Five (5) years

Admission procedures

Admissions are issued exclusively by the universities, either through their representatives or directly to the student, depending on the student’s mode of application. Depending on the the desired program, the student is expected to have passed at least five (5) credit passes related to the course of interest.

Transfer students will be required to also send their result transcript and course composition while postgraduate students will need to provide the transcript as well as certificate of a four-year completed graduate program.

Applications could be submitted directly to the university, or through their representatives.

Study Languages Available

Below are the most common study languages available in most Ukrainian universities.

Ukrainian

Russian

English

It is important to note that the introduction of English language as a study language is relatively recent, and started off in the most popular courses amongst foreign students, such as medicine and computer engineering. Although most universities are gradually introducing the use of English language as a study language and spreading to other courses, chances are also high that some courses are not available for study in English language.

Visa and visa-free regime

International students planning to study in Ukraine will come from one of the two country categories: countries with visa-free regime to Ukraine or countries requiring visa to travel to Ukraine, in this case, a student visa. This is important to verify early, to guide planning and preparations. Even when a visa is not required to travel to Ukraine, the student will still be required to go through registrations and obtain a student’s residential permit throughout the student’s residential period in Ukraine.

Below are links to resources about list of visa-free countries to Ukraine, another link to the websites of Ukrainian embassies in different countries.

Visa free countries to Ukraine

Ukrainian embassies

Students that do not fall into the visa-free category will need the second link to locate the Ukrainian embassy in their home country. It is allowed to choose the Ukrainian embassy of convenience and close proximity, in the event of an absent resident Ukrainian embassy in the student’s home country.

Traveling

Most international airlines shuttle Ukraine. For traveling purposes, students choose the airline most suitable for their traveling plans considering cost, availability and proposed port of arrival. However, one of the most affordable flight operators and the most popular amongst international students is Turkish Airline. Distance proximity between the student’s university and the port of arrival should be considered when choosing an appropriate airline.

Depending on the location of the student, Ukraine is also accessible via road, rail and sea.

Scholarships

Scholarships for international students, are not readily available in Ukraine. Most international students are sponsored by their parents or guardians, except for those that were awarded state or governmental scholarship from their home government or another independent scholarship organization.

Work and income opportunities

Ukraine is also not the ideal place for students wishing to combing academic activities with some form of revenue generation. As a developing nation, Ukraine is still battling to create enough jobs for her citizenry, and with the language barrier, international students might not be well positioned to even compete for these jobs where available, except jobs that require the use of foreign languages. Most importantly, the student’s residential status do not permit them to take up paid jobs, as all income attracts some form of taxation, a provision not made for students.

Notwithstanding, it is not uncommon to see international students doing some form of menial jobs during summer holidays in holiday and resort centers like beaches etc, but income from such activities should not be relied upon for the student’s upkeep and sustenance. However, it should be noted that this is not a legitimate activity, and could attract attention from the appropriate law enforcement agency, which could lead to some form of penalty or the other.

Sporting facilities

Most universities are equipped with sporting facilities, both indoors and outdoors. Since Ukraine has less of warm months than cool months, indoor games tend to gain prominence amongst students. However, international students with large enough student community do organize championship events during summer, in games like football, amongst other foreign communities.

Weather characteristics

Ukraine is a four season country: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Spring is a transition from winter to summer and occurs between March to May. Summer months last from June to August. Summer in Ukraine is heat intensive varying between 25^oC to 35^oC with sometimes temperatures of +40^oC and above recorded. Autumn is a transition from summer to winter and occurs between September to November. Winter months are between December to February, with temperatures falling below 0^oC to sometimes as much as -35^oC. This is however rare, but in such extreme cases, academic activities are suspended until the weather condition improves.

Please leave us your comment below, and don’t be shy to hit the like button if you find the article helpful and informative. We’ll be publishing more detailed articles, so be sure to be subscribed to the “2011 / 2012 study in Ukraine admission notification” alert, so you get notified.

In your admission pursuit during the study in Ukraine admission season, OguCS will stand shoulder to shoulder with you for a successful admission process. Remember, you can always use the support center for inquiries.

Study in Ukraine Highlights Condensed in 1 Minute Video

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 06:24:15 +0000

With tons of content published daily, it is increasingly posing a challenge for people to concentrate on reading text. Not with multi-tasking in vogue, and the need to maximize effective time management.

We know this, because we are also faced with the same challenge, and have heard many others also voice out.

This study in Ukraine one minute video compresses some of the main highlights of studying in Ukraine.

Study in Ukraine

Leave us your thoughts below.

Success Secrets Video

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:35:57 +0000

Have you ever wondered why some people are more successful than others? What constituted the dividing line between successful people and unsuccessful ones? As a young boy, I know I did.

I couldn’t understnd why people will grow up in the same environment, attain the same educational levels, have access to similar means of production, but end up having different levels of achievement?

Is it pre-determined, controlled by some factors which we do not have control over or probably by factors which we can actually exercise some level of control to determine the end result?

In the course of my brainstorming, I came across a book in my late teenage. I don’t even remember the title of this book or the author because I stumbled upon this book by accident in an evening, and couldn’t drop it all night long until I totally consumed the contents. Yes, it was that captivating and brief.

The information contained in the book outlined the guiding principles of success. I must admit that I didn’t really take the information very serious as I had this voice telling me it’s nothing new afterall. On a closer look, many years later, I realized that just about every successful man or woman I know of, is actually applying the principles outlined in the book. This got me wondering, did they also read the book?, and probably went beyond just reading, an information which I took for granted.

I was later to find out, that this guiding principle of success is actually a natural law and that every successful individual applied this law either consciously or unconsciously. The conscious utilization of this principle is where the good news lies, but that is only after discovering this natural law.

When, years later, I decided to consciously put it to test, I started experiencing marvellous positive results in my life.

Recently, by accident, I stumbled upon the video below which also addresses the same subject as the book. There is just no way I can keep this without sharing.

The video, titled strangest secret in the world and posted originally by Paulie Ciara, is a little over 30 minutes long, but be sure to listen to it to the end. If you have to do that over and over, go ahead and don’t be shy about that. It is worth every inch of the time spent.

So, please enjoy this masterpiece. It may take some time to buffer, be patient. If you find it useful, just leave us a comment below, and don’t forget to share this with your friends, loved ones and everyone you value in your life.

To your success…
Frank C. Ogu

Welcome to study in Ukraine blog

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:06:25 +0000

You are welcome to study in Ukraine blog.

In response to client’s request, we have added a blog to the site to foster closer interaction with clients and enable dissemination of fresh information as it unfolds.

Answers to repeatd questions received via our quick feedback section will be published as a blog post to benefit more people.

Many cool stuffs will be gradually added with time, so be sure to subscribe to our feed and newsletter, so you’re instantly informed of any update once published.

Thanks for dropping by and do check back.

To your success