Academic guidance
Students in Ukraine make academic choices voluntarily. However, higher education institutions (HEIs) may establish specific rules governing these choices. Students base their decisions on personal interests, career goals or advice from teachers. The flexible part of the curriculum includes optional courses.
The Law of Ukraine ‘On Higher Education’ states that each HEI develops and approves an Individual Study Plan for every student each academic year. The HEI prepares the plan based on the curriculum and follows its internal procedures. The Individual Study Plan may include an annual study load of at least 30 and no more than 80 ECTS credits for short-cycle, first-cycle (Bachelor’s), and second-cycle (Master’s) programmes.
The Individual Study Plan includes the compulsory components of the study programme. It follows the education policy of the HEI and the student’s personal choice of optional courses.
Psychological counselling
See the next section ‘Career guidance’.
Career guidance
The main legal document that regulates career guidance in HEIs is the Regulation on Career Guidance for Learners. The joint Order of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports ‘On Approval of the Regulation on Career Guidance for Learners’ (Наказ ‘Про затвердження Положення про професійну орієнтацію молоді, яка навчається’) approves this Regulation. The Regulation clearly defines the organisation of career guidance activities, including in HEIs. In particular, it states that:
- social and psychological services within the education and science system support learners’ labour and career self-determination;
- staff of social and psychological services, employment services, career counsellors, teachers, librarians, and methodologists carry out career guidance activities in educational institutions;
- HEIs include positions of career psychologists or career guidance methodologists in their staff structures;
- all educational institutions provide career guidance at all levels of education, during both pre-professional and professional stages. The pre-professional stage includes the initial, exploratory, and decision-making phases.
In many HEIs, specialised structural units organise career guidance activities directly. These units include, for example, youth employment centres. The Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine ‘On Approval of the Standard Regulation on a Youth Employment Centre’ (Постанова Кабінету Міністрів України ‘Про затвердження Типового положення про молодіжний центр праці’) includes the Standard Regulation on a Youth Employment Centre. It defines their main functions. These functions include:
- participation in research on the regional labour market;
- support in finding jobs for young people seeking employment;
- provision of information on education and professions, employment opportunities, the regional labour market situation, and the activities of youth organisations and centres for scientific, technical and artistic creativity;
- support for the creation of youth enterprises through legal and other advisory services;
- organisation of vocational training, retraining and skills development for young people;
- organisation and delivery of career guidance together with education institutions and other interested organisations;
- provision of consultations for youth on economic, financial, legal and other issues.
The draft Concept for Career Guidance and Career Counselling in the Education System of Ukraine for 2025–2027 (Проєкт Концепції професійної орієнтації та кар’єрного консультування у системі освіти України на 2025–2027 роки) sets out the general framework and principles for career guidance for learners, including students in HEIs.