SET University, a Ukrainian non-profit technological institution, has officially opened applications for its grant and scholarship program for the 2026–2027 academic year. The initiative offers full and partial tuition coverage for Master’s degrees, targeting military personnel, veterans, women in tech, and young innovators with proven project experience.
The program arrives at a critical juncture for the Ukrainian ecosystem, where high-level tech education serves as a primary tool for talent retention and professional pivoting amidst ongoing economic and security challenges.
Bridging the Talent Gap: Diversity in Tech
Last year, the program supported 65 students from remarkably diverse backgrounds. The cohort included active-duty military members, a neurologist with five years of IT experience, business analysts, and energy sector specialists.
The common thread among recipients is a commitment to remaining in Ukraine and contributing to the local tech sector.
“In Ukraine, it is realistic to receive an innovative IT education for free if you have a goal, ambition, and are ready to act. Thanks to the grant, I was able to stay in Ukraine and continue growing within an environment that thinks globally”, says Dmytro Yatsev, a business analyst and scholarship recipient.
Academic Focus and Global Faculty
The recruitment is open for five specialized Master’s programs designed to meet current market demands:
Cyber Defense
Innovation Engineering
AI & Cloud Technologies
AI & Strategic Leadership in Tech
Computer Engineering of Autonomous Systems
To ensure global competitiveness, the curriculum is delivered by practitioners from Ukraine, Europe, and the US. The faculty includes top managers from Uber and Tesla, Silicon Valley founders, and experts in cybersecurity and defense tech. The programs are conducted online, allowing students to balance intensive study with professional or military obligations.
The Strategic Impact
The scholarship program is intentionally structured to empower those who possess high potential but face barriers to entry – whether due to military service, gender imbalance in the industry, or financial constraints.
Serhiy Tokarev, impact investor and co-founder of SET University, emphasizes that the program’s success is measured by the immediate contribution of its graduates:
“We are expanding the program this year because we see the results. The 65 scholarships last year represent 65 individuals who stayed in Ukraine, gained competencies, and are already making concrete contributions to the tech sector. This is the essence of SET: not just issuing diplomas, but forming the specialists the Ukrainian tech industry needs right now”.
Admission and Selection Process
The selection process prioritizes motivation, professional achievement, and the candidate’s potential impact on Ukraine’s IT development. To apply, candidates must:
Complete the application form on the SET University website.
Pass internal testing and an interview.
Meet the standard admission requirements set by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
As the Ukrainian tech landscape shifts toward deep-tech and defense-oriented solutions, initiatives like SET’s scholarship program raise a vital question for the broader market: how effectively can academic-private partnerships scale to meet the urgent demand for high-tier engineering leadership?
