Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv is a public university in Ukraine’s capital. It describes itself as a classic university with a distinct research profile and counts about 26,000 students, including students of a military school.[1] In the QS World University Rankings 2027 it is placed in the 791–800 band, the highest of the nine Ukrainian universities in the ranking.[2]
The admissions site for foreign citizens lists annual tuition in hryvnia (UAH): 31,800 to 69,400 for four-year bachelor’s programmes, 45,900 to 76,300 for master’s programmes and 119,600 for the six-year English-language Medicine programme. The page gives no academic year.[3] Applications run through the state portal for international applicants, which charges a one-time fee of UAH 3,100.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv)[5] |
| Location | Kyiv, Ukraine (main building on Volodymyrska Street)[5] |
| Type | Public national university, affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine[5] |
| Founded | 1834 (the university’s preparatory department states “since 1834”; Wikipedia’s infobox gives a founding date of 8 November 1833)[6] |
| Students | About 26 thousand students and military school students, 1,660 postgraduate students and about 130 PhD students (university homepage, undated)[1] |
| Structure | Homepage: 13 faculties and 8 institutes; the departments page lists 12 faculties and 11 institutes (23 units)[7] |
| Degrees | Junior Specialist, Bachelor, Master and PhD levels; international students can enrol at bachelor’s, master’s and PhD level[1] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Band 791–800 (first of nine Ukrainian universities listed; down 70 places on the year before)[2] |
| Tuition, bachelor’s (4 years) | UAH 31,800 to 69,400 per year, depending on programme (page without a year)[3] |
| Tuition, master’s (1.5–2 years) | UAH 45,900 to 76,300 per year, depending on programme and study form (page without a year)[3] |
| Tuition, Medicine in English (6 years) | UAH 119,600 per year (page without a year)[3] |
| Application fee (state portal) | UAH 3,100, paid once[4] |
| Language of the preparatory year | Ukrainian or English[8] |
| Official website | knu.ua |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 10 November 2026.
About Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
The university in Kyiv was founded in 1834 as Saint Vladimir Imperial University of Kiev and has carried the poet Taras Shevchenko’s name since 1939.[5] Its preparatory department for international students gives the same year, writing that the university has led Ukrainian higher education “since 1834”.[6] Wikipedia’s infobox dates the establishment to 8 November 1833, so you may see both years.[5]
The university homepage describes a classic university with a distinct research profile, with 13 faculties and 8 institutes.[1] The departments page lists 12 faculties and 11 institutes, among them institutes of international relations, journalism, law, philology and high technologies and a military institute.[7] We could not tell from the sources why the counts differ.
Effects of the war on the campus
On 13 October 2022 the university published an appeal stating that on 10 October 2022 its buildings were significantly damaged, among them the Main (Red) building, the Yellow building of the Institute of Philology, the Maksymovych Scientific Library and part of the Faculty of Chemistry building. It added that it had not stopped its activities for a single day since the start of the full-scale invasion and had begun restoration work right after the strike.[9] This is a statement from autumn 2022; ask the admissions office how teaching is organised for the year you plan to enrol.
How is Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the university is in the 791–800 band. Ukrainian media report that this is the first place among the nine Ukrainian universities in the ranking and 70 places lower than a year earlier.[2] Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and Karazin Kharkiv National University follow in the 851–900 band.[2]
Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one band as one view. How we compile rankings. For the national picture see our Ukraine guide.
What can you study at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv?
The university awards Junior Specialist, Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees. International students can study at bachelor’s, master’s and PhD level.[1] The programme lists for each level sit on separate pages of the university site; the English-language overview names “Specialities and Educational Programmes” for the bachelor’s, the master’s and the Doctor of Philosophy degree.[10]
The faculties include Chemistry, Computer Science and Cybernetics, Economics, Geography, History, Information Technology, Mechanics and Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Radio Physics, Electronics and Computer Systems, and Sociology, as well as institutes for biology and medicine, geology, high technologies, international relations, journalism, law, philology and public administration.[7]
The English-language pages we read do not list which programmes are taught in English. The fee list for foreign citizens names a Medicine programme taught in English (six years).[3] Ask the international admissions office for the current list.
How much does Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv cost?
| Level | Duration (full-time) | Price per year (UAH) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s | 4 years | 31,800 to 69,400 |
| Master’s | 1.5 to 2 years | 45,900 to 76,300 |
| Medicine (taught in English) | 6 years | 119,600 |
These are the figures on the university’s page “Cost of study for foreign citizens” (in Ukrainian). The page does not state an academic year or a date, so confirm the amounts for your intake.[3] The lowest bachelor’s price on the page is for a mathematics-teaching programme; many programmes sit at the top of the range. The lowest master’s price is for a part-time foreign-policy programme, and several full-time programmes cost UAH 76,300.[3]
Other costs
The state application portal charges a one-time application fee of UAH 3,100 and lets you submit up to 20 applications.[4] We found no current price list in US dollars on the university’s pages. An old admission page from 2013 on the same site quoted dollar amounts, but we do not use it because it is outdated.
How do you apply to Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv?
International applicants use the state portal for foreign applicants. The steps on the Study in Ukraine site are:[4]
- Create an account, fill in the form, submit it and pay the application fee (UAH 3,100, once).
- After the university approves the application you receive a digital Offer of Admission that you can accept or decline.
- After you accept, the university checks your documents and issues a digital Invitation for Study, valid for 6 months.
- If you need a visa, apply for a Type D student visa at a Ukrainian embassy or consulate with the invitation. Foreign documents must be legalised and translated into Ukrainian or, if that is not available, English.
The university’s own page lists the campaign stages: registration and issue of invitations for foreign citizens, then completion of registration for bachelor’s, medicine master’s and master’s programmes, and enrolment in the Preparatory Department for International Students. We give no dates because they change every year.[11] Check the key-dates page for your intake year.
If your Ukrainian or English is not yet at study level, the Preparatory Department offers a year of preparation. The department says that its curriculum comprises 1,134 study hours per direction per year.[8]
Which language do you need to study at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv?
The pages we read name no language test or minimum level for degree study. They say that international students can study Ukrainian or English at the Preparatory Department before starting a degree.[1] In the pre-university year, “studying Ukrainian or English takes place throughout the curriculum”, and the department prepares students for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD level at this or another Ukrainian university.[8]
Because the university does not publish a language certificate rule on these pages, ask the admissions office which proof it expects for your programme and language of instruction. The preparatory department’s page itself lists neither duration nor fees for the year.[8]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv cost for foreign students?
How is Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ranked?
It is in the 791–800 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027, the highest of nine Ukrainian universities in that edition.[2]
How do international students apply?
Through the state portal for international applicants: submit the application, pay the fee, accept the Offer of Admission and receive the digital Invitation for Study, then apply for a Type D visa if needed.[4]
Can I study in English at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv?
Was the university damaged in the war?
In an appeal dated 13 October 2022 the university said that its buildings, including the Main (Red) building and the Maksymovych Scientific Library, were significantly damaged on 10 October 2022 and that it had not stopped its activities for a single day since the full-scale invasion began.[9]
More about studying in Ukraine
- Ukraine: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Ukraine
- Bogomolets National Medical University
- Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
- Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
- V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
Sources
[1] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Homepage (English) (page without a date; footer 1995–2026)
[2] education.ua: Ukrainian universities lose places in the world ranking (QS 2027; QS publishes at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (article dated 18 Jun 2026)
[3] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, admissions site: Cost of study for foreign citizens (Ukrainian) (page without a date or academic year; amounts in UAH per year)
[4] Study in Ukraine (Ukrainian State Center for International Education): How to apply (page without a date; copyright 2026)
[5] Wikipedia: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (history, status and address; secondary source)
[6] Preparatory Department for International Students, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (page without a date; copyright 2026)
[7] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Faculties and institutes (page without a date)
[8] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Pre-university study (page without a date)
[9] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Appeal after the strike of 10 October 2022 (Ukrainian) (page dated 13 Oct 2022)
[10] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Types of study (degrees and programmes) (page without a date)
[11] Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv: Stages of the admission campaign for foreign citizens (page without a date; stages labelled 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.