As the war in Ukraine continues to impact students and institutions across the country, international credential evaluators face the ongoing challenge of verifying academic records issued under difficult conditions. Whether reviewing high school diplomas or university degrees, evaluators must be diligent, resourceful, and sensitive to displacement-related issues.
This guide outlines essential steps for verifying both secondary and post-secondary academic documents from Ukraine, with trusted resources and practical strategies for today’s evaluation professionals.
- Understanding Ukraine’s Education System
At the secondary level, students complete 11 years of general education and are awarded the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education (Атестат про повну загальну середню освіту). Vocational and technical tracks may also follow after grade 9 or 11.
At the post-secondary level, Ukraine follows the Bologna Process and has a three-cycle higher education structure:
- Bachelor’s degree (Бакалавр) – 4 years
- Master’s degree (Магістр) – 1 to 2 years
- Doctorate (Доктор філософії, Доктор наук)
Before adopting the Bologna model, the Specialist Diploma (Спеціаліст) was the common university qualification after five years of study.
- Key Documents to Expect
For high school/secondary education:
- Certificate (Атестат) – final school-leaving certificate
- Supplement (Додаток) – transcript of grades and subjects
- Occasionally, internal records or recommendation letters
For university/post-secondary education:
- Diploma (Диплом) – degree certificate
- Diploma Supplement (Додаток до диплома) – transcript detailing courses, grades, and credits
- Apostille or authentication stamps for international use
Documents may be bilingual (Ukrainian-English) or require certified translation.
- Verification Tools and Resources
Use official sources to confirm document authenticity:
- Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU)
➤ https://mon.gov.ua/eng - Unified State Electronic Database on Education (EDEBO)
➤ https://info.edbo.gov.ua/
Search diplomas by serial number (mainly for higher education) - ENIC Ukraine – Academic Mobility and Recognition
➤ https://enic.in.ua/ - Apostille Verification Portal
➤ https://apostille.minjust.gov.ua/en/index
For secondary school verification, direct outreach to the issuing school or regional educational authorities (oblast departments) is often required.
- Red Flags and Special Considerations
- Unrecognized institutions – cross-check with MESU/ENIC
- Inconsistent fonts, seals, or signatures
- Inaccessible records due to war – ask for notarized copies, scanned documents, or applicant affidavits
Where original documents are lost, evaluate partial records and consider flexibility under displaced student guidance.
- Stay Informed
Ukraine’s education infrastructure remains under pressure. Keep current with changes by engaging with networks like ENIC-NARIC and your professional association.
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