Higher education as support for veterans, their families, people with disabilities and internally displaced persons

“For me this is not just a professional activity — it is my personal story. My father and my brother are veterans; each of them went through the front, was wounded and has a disability. And I see every day that education is not about a diploma — it is about restoring dignity, purpose and the ability to keep going. A veteran does not need pity — he needs an environment where his experience is recognized and opportunities become real. That is why we at the Veterans Institute are working to make the university not merely an educational institution but an entry point into a new life: with support, partners, and concrete prospects. We are building a veteran-centered ecosystem in which education becomes part of rehabilitation, retraining, and a new identity. And it is very important that veterans’ families, people with disabilities, and internally displaced persons also feel that they have not been left behind. Ukraine has a chance to create an inclusive, modern model of post-war society — and it begins in the lecture hall. We do not just teach — we help build the future. Together.”, – Artem Honcharenko, head of the KNUBA Veterans Institute.

Introduction: education is the key to a new life after the war

Returning to civilian life after army service or a war experience is a major challenge for veterans, their families, and other affected groups. Hostilities leave behind not only physical and psychological trauma but also interrupted careers, loss of housing, and changes in social status. Higher education can become the very key that opens the door to a new environment – it provides the knowledge, skills, and social integration that veterans, their family members, people with disabilities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) need for successful reintegration.

The educational environment of a university is an ecosystem, where the academic community, business partners, civil society organizations, and international friends come together. A veteran who becomes a student automatically finds himself in this environment of mutual support. Universities increasingly cooperate with employers and volunteer organizations to offer veterans mentoring, internships, and employment opportunities after graduation. Higher education forms a friendly circle around the veteran – a network of contacts and opportunities, which helps him feel like a full member of society. As Artem Honcharenko, one of the organizers of educational programs for veterans, notes:

“Together with business and the civil sector, we are trying to shape an environment in which everything is veteran-centered, although very often the veterans themselves say: “we don’t want special treatment, we are people just like you”. But this is where the whole secret lies — in the veterans’ experience. It is unique, and if we supplement it with all the necessary technologies that have developed during the full-scale invasion, we will get the result we all need: the veteran will become a specialist at the intersection of several fields, a unique professional with enormous experience.”

This approach of a veteran-centered environment underscores that the experience gained in war can become a unique advantage. Education makes it possible to supplement military skills with modern knowledge and technologies, so that a veteran can fulfill his potential in civilian life at the intersection of several fields. Next, we will look at how the higher education systems of different countries supported veterans and war-affected people in the past and support them now, and which lessons can be applied today.

Global examples of support through education: the experience of the USA, Canada, Britain, Germany, and Japan

History knows examples where, after great wars, investment in veterans’ education had a colossal social effect. The best-known case is the American GI Bill – a program of educational benefits for WWII veterans. Adopted in 1944 as the “Servicemen’s Readjustment Act,” the GI Bill paid for veterans’ studies at universities, colleges, or vocational schools and also provided housing assistance. The results were not long in coming: by 1956, 7.8 million American veterans had used the educational benefits of this program, of whom 2.2 million received higher education and 5.6 million received vocational training. This unprecedented investment in human capital stimulated economic growth after the war and contributed to the formation of an educated middle class in the USA. By comparison, after WWI there was no such support, and society faced crises in integrating veterans. Thus, in the postwar period higher education became a strategic resource for the successful reintegration of servicemen in the USA.

The USA was not the only country to take such steps. United Kingdom immediately after WWII launched the program Further Education and Training Scheme (a scheme of further education and training), to give demobilized servicemen easy access to universities. The government abolished entrance exams for veterans, offered scholarships, and even introduced accelerated two-year study programs. Under this scheme, about 85,000 former servicemen in Britain were able to obtain a higher education free of charge, including coverage of living costs. The veterans who came to British universities in the second half of the 1940s were older and more experienced than prewar students, which changed the very culture of universities – they studied very diligently, seeking to make up for lost time, and demanded more democratic relations with lecturers. In effect, this generation of veterans laid the foundations for the modernization of British higher education.

Canada had a similar initiative called Veterans’ Charter (“Charter of Veterans”), one of whose components was the Veterans Rehabilitation Act of 1945 with educational benefits. The state paid Canadian WWII veterans’ tuition at universities or vocational institutions and provided living stipends – tens of thousands of people took advantage of this. The “Charter of Veterans” became one of the foundations of Canada’s postwar social system, giving veterans “opportunities with guarantees” – that is, a chance to gain a new profession with confidence in the future.

Below is a comparative table of the key educational support programs for veterans in different countries:

Country	Key educational support for veterans	Description and impact
USA	G.I. Bill (1944) – “Law on the Rights of Servicemen”	Payment of tuition at colleges/universities and a living stipend for WWII veterans. 7.8 million veterans used the educational benefits by 1956, which made education a driver of economic success and social integration after the war. The program is considered extremely successful and is now continued as the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Canada	Veterans Rehabilitation Act (1945) – part of the “Charter of Veterans”	Provided demobilized servicemen with funding for education and vocational training. It became one of the foundations of Canada’s social security system and gave veterans “opportunity with protection” – the right to education, employment, and assistance in case of need. Tens of thousands of veterans gained new professions, which contributed to the postwar development of the economy.
United Kingdom	Further Education and Training Scheme (1945) – an education scheme for former servicemen	Allowed veterans to enter universities easily: entrance exams were abolished, grants for tuition and living costs were provided, and intensive 2-year study programs were introduced. Within a few years, 85,000 veterans received a higher education at state expense. This generation of student veterans, through their experience and perseverance, changed university traditions, making them more open and practice-oriented.
Germany	The Bundeswehr education and retraining program (current)	In modern Germany, military personnel receive educational opportunities even during service. The Bundeswehr offers hundreds of courses and programs in which soldiers can obtain a profession or higher education alongside their service. Upon discharge, servicemen receive a one-time financial payment (4–6 salaries) and 75% of their salary for 7–24 months to ease the transition. Many former servicemen become successful professionals – from mechanics or electricians to university graduates. This approach guarantees smooth reintegration, making up for the lack of public “veteran glory” with a culture of practical support.
Japan	Postwar education reform (1947–1950s)	After WWII, under the leadership of the Allies, Japan underwent a radical democratization of education. The Law on Education (1947) was adopted, which made secondary education compulsory and nine years long and opened universities to all citizens and introduced programs for people with physical disabilities. There were no specific benefits for veterans as such in postwar Japan because of demilitarization – on the contrary, the occupation authorities abolished prewar privileges for former servicemen. However, the overall increase in the accessibility and inclusiveness of education enabled both veterans and war invalids to gain new skills and build careers in the rebuilt country.

Note: The data and programs presented illustrate different approaches. In the USA, Canada, and Britain the emphasis was on mass university education of veterans after the war, in Germany – on planned retraining during and after service, and in Japan – on systemic educational reforms for the whole of society, including those affected by war.

What unites these cases is the realization that investment in veterans’ education is an investment in the country’s postwar development. As a result, veterans became doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, and entrepreneurs instead of remaining on the sidelines of life. Education gave them an identity not only as former servicemen but as professionals in the civilian sphere.

Inclusive education and support for people with disabilities

Many veterans face injuries or disabilities acquired during combat. For them, accessibility of education is critical. In the modern world, higher education institutions develop infrastructure and services adapted for students with special needs: ramps, elevators, study materials in Braille or in electronic form, sign language interpreting, and so on. University support centers for students with disabilities help adapt curricula and examination conditions.

Veterans with disabilities also often take part in special vocational rehabilitation programs. USA have a long-standing program Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E), founded back in 1918, which helps veterans with disabilities obtain a new qualification or an education adapted to their physical or mental conditions. Today about 125,000 veterans – it pays for study, retraining, and requalification courses, provides vocational counseling, and even certain technical rehabilitation aids. According to the latest study by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, 73% of VR&E graduates are employed, with an average annual income of $81 000, and 96% are satisfied with the assistance received. This shows that a properly designed education and rehabilitation program can significantly improve the quality of life of disabled veterans, turning them into highly qualified specialists despite their existing limitations.

Similar initiatives exist in other countries. In Japan already during WWII, support systems for wounded servicemen began to be created: rehabilitation centers were founded where people were taught prosthetics, new professions, and so on. However, after the defeat in 1945, the American occupation administration abolished special military benefits, and disabled veterans had to integrate through general social programs. Only from 1952, when Japan regained its sovereignty, did state support for people with disabilities (including veterans) gradually unfold again. Present-day Japan pays great attention to barrier-free education: universities are obliged to provide conditions for students with disabilities, and companies must provide employment. Although there is almost no culture of heroizing veterans there, the principle of “an inclusive society” allows people with special needs (including former servicemen) to obtain an education and find decent work.

European countries are also developing inclusive education. Servicemen who were wounded while serving in the armed forces of Germany, Britain, Canada, and other countries have access to state training programs that take their abilities into account. For example, in Germany, if a soldier has sustained an injury that reduces working capacity by more than 30%, the Bundeswehr guarantees him a job until retirement or helps him retrain for a civilian position. In Britain there are charitable foundations and scholarships (for example, from the Veterans’ Foundation or the Royal British Legion), which fund the studies of disabled veterans and support them during their studies.

It is important to note that supporting people with disabilities in education benefits not only the veterans themselves but also society. Accessibility of universities for people with disabilities (including those who became disabled as a result of war) contributes to the emergence of professionals who often have unique life experience, motivation and leadership qualities. Inclusive campuses foster tolerance in the younger generation and enrich the academic community with a diversity of perspectives.

The role of veterans' families and educational opportunities for them

War affects not only service members but also their families. Spouses of veterans often face the need to become the family breadwinner or to change jobs during and after the service of their husband or wife. Children of veterans may experience financial and emotional difficulties, especially if the veteran was wounded or killed. Higher education can become for family members a path to social stability and career development, and the state and society often help them in this.

In many countries there are educational benefits for military families. In particular, USA introduced the possibility of transferring GI Bill educational benefits from a service member to his wife or children. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, if a service member has unused education funds, he can direct them to the education of his spouse or children. In addition, there is a separate program, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA), which provides up to 36 months of paid education for the wives and children of killed or severely wounded service members. Similar approaches exist in the United Kingdom and Canada: scholarships and funds have been set up there for the families of fallen veterans.

For example, in Canada the Canadian Hero Fund provides scholarships to the children of fallen soldiers for study at colleges and universities, and also helps to arrange retraining for their widows and widowers. The Office of the Ombudsman of the Canadian Armed Forces notes that there is a whole range of scholarships available to veterans' families, so that they can get an education and stabilize their lives.

European states often include military families in support programs. In the United Kingdom, under the commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant (a social compact in support of the military), universities and colleges undertake to take into account the needs of the children of service members and to provide them with additional support at admission and during their studies. Germany provides educational benefits to the children of fallen soldiers (as part of pension payments). In Japan, in the post-war period, there were programs to assist military widows (for example, mediation in employment and training), which helped them become economically independent.

Supporting families through education has a twofold effect: firstly, it is a way of honoring the sacrifice the family has made; secondly, it is an investment in the younger generation growing up in such families. When a veteran's son or daughter earns a degree and builds a successful career, this not only lifts the family economically but also partly compensates for the losses they suffered during the service of a loved one. Universities can additionally support military families psychologically, through support groups on campuses, and by involving them in volunteer or veterans' organizations at universities, where they feel a sense of community with those who have similar life experience.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the role of universities

As a result of wars and conflicts, people are often forced to leave their homes and move to other regions of the country, becoming internally displaced persons. For IDPs, the loss of their familiar surroundings and work is combined with the stress of adapting to a new place. Access to education in such conditions is one of the most effective ways of helping: education makes it possible to acquire new skills, find a good job in a new place and integrate into the local community.

World practice shows that universities can be “islands of stability” for displaced students. For example, during conflicts in the Middle East or Africa, international programs (supported by the UN and charitable foundations) created scholarships for displaced students, opened preparatory courses and simplified admission procedures. According to UN data, only 7% of refugees worldwide have access to higher education, and there are plans to raise this figure to 15% by 2030. Expanding the participation of IDPs in higher education is regarded as a factor in reducing poverty, preventing radicalization and restoring the economy of devastated regions.

This issue is especially relevant for Ukraine. Since 2014, because of Russian aggression, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have become IDPs, and in 2022–2023 their number grew by millions more. In response, the Ukrainian education system took extraordinary steps to support displaced students and researchers. Since 2014, 19 universities have been relocated in Ukraine from the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea to the central and western regions. Among them are Donetsk National University (evacuated to Vinnytsia), Luhansk University (which first moved to Starobilsk and, after 2022, to Poltava), Taurida University from Crimea (which resumed work in Kyiv), and others. After the full-scale invasion of 2022, another 9 higher education institutions were relocated to the government-controlled territory. These “universities in exile” continued the educational process for their students despite the loss of their material base, thanks to the support of the state and partners. Thus, thousands of young people from conflict zones were able to complete their education and obtain Ukrainian diplomas – either through in-person study in the new location or remotely.

For many of these students and teachers, the university became a true home away from home. There even emerged the concept of “Universities without walls”, where a displaced community continues to exist in a virtual format, gathering from different corners of the country and the world on online platforms. Digital technologies help maintain academic interaction and the quality of education even when the community is dispersed.

At the same time, Ukrainian universities that host IDPs have become centers of integration: they provide displaced students with dormitories, financial assistance and psychological support. Some universities in western Ukraine have organized “student hubs” for young people who came from the east or south, so that they could get acquainted, exchange experience and receive mentoring assistance. The international community has also joined in: universities in the EU, the USA and Canada offer scholarships to Ukrainian student refugees, and some institutions (for example, the University of Chicago in the USA) cover tuition costs for students who were forcibly displaced by the war. This is a manifestation of global solidarity and an understanding of the important role of education in preserving the intellectual potential of a country affected by war.

Education for IDPs performs several functions at once: first, it is adaptation and socialization – in the student environment, displaced people learn the language of the region faster, make friends and feel part of a community rather than outsiders. Second, it is psychological rehabilitation – study restores a sense of normality and gives young people a goal and a perspective, which is especially important after the traumatic experience of losing a home. Third, it is economic recovery – with a diploma, IDPs have a better chance of finding decent work and become qualified personnel for the region they moved to, or for rebuilding their home region after de-occupation.

Building a veteran-centered environment through education: conclusions

As the experience of different countries and eras shows, higher education can become a bridge between military and civilian life. For a veteran, study is not only about acquiring a new profession but also about transferring his leadership qualities, discipline and unique experience to a different sphere. The university gives the veteran a new mission: to master knowledge and be useful to society in peacetime. In the course of study, former service members often reveal leadership abilities, become mentors to younger fellow students and demonstrate high results.

It is important to emphasize that effective support requires a comprehensive approach – the creation of the very same ecosystem environment discussed above. A veteran-friendly educational institution usually has a special veterans support center, where they help with paperwork, recognize military qualifications as academic credits and run training sessions on adapting to student life. Student volunteers, professors and employers are all involved in this work. Business can play a significant role: companies cooperate with universities by offering internships to veterans, guest lectures from business leaders, or by investing in educational programs (for example, entrepreneurship courses for veterans). Practice shows that veterans often become successful entrepreneurs – the combination of military determination and acquired business knowledge produces good results. In the USA, for example, Syracuse University hosts the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) – the first academic institute devoted to researching and supporting the lives of veterans and their families, which works closely with corporations and government institutions.

The civil society sector – veterans' organizations, foundations, volunteers – is also an integral part of the ecosystem. They help universities understand veterans' needs, provide mentors from among senior veteran graduates and hold networking events. For example, in Ukraine the online platform “Education for Veterans” was created, developed in cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Science and the NGO “Skills4Recovery”, which gathers more than 1200 educational opportunities – from short courses to full programs at vocational education institutions, professional pre-higher education institutions and higher education institutions. This platform is intended to unify educational services for veterans and their families and ensure inclusiveness – the interface is adapted even for people with visual impairments. The initiative received the support of international partners: as Markus Kohl, a representative of the Embassy of Germany, noted, returning veterans to work through education is extremely important for the country's recovery. This is a vivid example of how the synergy of the state, business and civil society creates a veteran-centered environment.

In conclusion, it should be emphasized: higher education is an investment in human potential that has been tempered by war. Veterans, their loved ones, people with disabilities and displaced persons have an enormous reserve of resilience, motivation and skills acquired in extraordinary circumstances. Education helps channel this potential in a constructive direction and give it a new vector of development. For the wider public, supporting such initiatives is not only a matter of social justice but also a guarantee of a stronger, more cohesive society. The historical experience of the USA, Canada, Britain, Germany and Japan, and the contemporary experience of Ukraine, show that everyone wins when universities open their doors to those who have gone through the crucible of war: veterans get a chance at a decent peaceful life, their families at well-being and development, and the state gains educated citizens capable of rebuilding and multiplying the country's achievements.

📢 Education for veterans, defenders and their children – at universities of Ukraine!

The Veterans Institute “Architecture of Resilience” of KNUBA opens up unique opportunities for education:

✅ Free tuition* in more than 30 specialties
✅ Courses, a second degree, master's programs, postgraduate study
✅ Psychological support and guidance
✅ Rehabilitation together with study
✅ Participation in Ukraine's recovery projects
✅ Partner programs with employers (Axor, Barks, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, etc.)

🎯 Study formats: full-time, part-time, online
🎓 Presence in the regions – through communities and learning hubs
📍 Support at every stage: from submitting an application to employment

💡 We invite you to online or offline meetings with our team, where we will explain:
▪ how to enroll on preferential terms
▪ which educational programs suit veterans best
▪ how to receive compensation for studies
▪ how to choose a field related to reconstruction

📍 Program details and consultations:
👉 www.Veterano.info
📩 center@uvc.in.net | veterano@knuba.edu.ua
📞 +38 073 94 96 179 | +38 050 22 35 182 | +38 067 49 81 098
📞 Head: Artem Honcharenko — +38 073 177 72 73

🎓 Partner universities that have already opened their doors to veterans:

• Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
• National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport (NUFVSU)
• West Ukrainian National University
• National University “Yuriy Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
• Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
• National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine
• Ivan Franko Drohobych National Pedagogical University

* Free tuition is provided through state compensation programs, grants, scholarships and support from partners.
📌 Important: admission takes place within the main admission campaign – subject to the deadlines.

Sources:

• Altschuler G.C., Blumin S. The GI Bill: A New Deal for Veterans. Oxford University Press, 2009. (statistics on the number of veterans who received an education under the GI Bill).
• Crace J. “Honours, degree”. The Guardian (09.08.2004). – On British veterans at universities after the Second World War.
• Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Presentation of the “Education for Veterans” platform (29.08.2023).
• 1900s.org.uk – “Demobilisation after WW2” – recollections of demobilisation in Britain, a description of the Scheme FETS.
• Veterans Affairs Canada – Education and Training Benefit (reference information on current Canadian educational programs for veterans).
• War on the Rocks – Dehn C. “Supporting the Troops in Germany and the United States” (2014) – a comparison of the US and German approaches to supporting the military.
• VFW Congressional Testimony (K. Keenan, 11.12.2024) – statistics and an analysis of the effectiveness of the VR&E program in the USA.
• Office of National Defence and CAF Ombudsman (Canada) – “Post-secondary scholarships for military families” (2025).
• World Education News & Reviews – “The War in Ukraine: International Higher Education’s Duty to Displaced Students” (K. Acheson, 29.04.2022).
• Demina A., Poliukhovych O. “Ukrainian Universities Responding to War: Displacement and Resilience”. GWU REAL Lab Blog (21.01.2025).