On March 20, MPs voted with 234 votes supported in the first reading draft law No. 10399, which provides for changes in the financing of higher education: the document is based on the principle of «money follows the student» and eliminates the rigid division into «state employees» and «contract employees».
Students will be able to study under the co-financing system, when part of the funds for them will be paid by the state in the form of a state grant or a preferential long-term loan, and the other will be financed by individuals (legal entities).
The size of the grants will be determined by the results of the EIT or NMT
It is envisaged that the state grants will be paid during the set period of study and may be indexed to inflation.
This expands opportunities for applicants: with financial support from the state, they can freely choose a university, form of education, and study program.
At the same time, the state and regional orders will be preserved — some places will be allocated to vulnerable categories of applicants, according to the established quotas. It is envisaged that the rules for placing state orders in higher education institutions with specific learning conditions and in military training units of higher education institutions will not change.
«As a result, the share of applicants who can receive full or partial state financial support for full-time higher education should increase by 40% over the next five years, the Ministry of Science and Education says on its website.
According to the explanatory note to the draft law, at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year, 418,300 students (39.7%) were enrolled on a state-funded basis, and 635,500 students (60.3%) were enrolled at the expense of individuals and legal entities.