V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
Харківський національний університет імені В. Н. Каразіна
Kharkiv's classical university, founded in 1804, now teaching international students online, in shelters and in Baku.
- Students
- 17,491
- International
- 27%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 8.3:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- UAH 38,650
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1804
About Karazin University
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University was founded in 1804 through the efforts of the educator Vasily Karazin, and Wikipedia describes it as the second-oldest university in modern-day Ukraine and the oldest in continuous operation. Its main building stands on Svobody Square in central Kharkiv. The university is organised into more than 20 schools and education and research institutes, from physics, mathematics and computer science to medicine, law, economics, foreign languages and the Karazin Business School.
The university links three Nobel laureates to its history, Élie Metchnikoff, Simon Kuznets and Lev Landau, who studied or worked there, and its graduates include the statistician Jerzy Neyman and the geometer Aleksei Pogorelov. Its Center for International Education reports more than 240 accredited programmes, students from over 80 countries and more than 3,100 lecturers and researchers.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Wikipedia records that the university's buildings have been partly or fully destroyed by attacks. Teaching continues under wartime arrangements (as announced by the university in June and July 2026): international applicants can apply remotely and choose full-time, distance or part-time study, the university announced a shelter with four classrooms on 12 June 2026, and its English-language IT and Biology bachelor's programmes on campus in Baku, Azerbaijan, are due to start on 1 October 2026. It suits self-directed students who want a low-cost Ukrainian state degree and can cope with distance or blended study.
Cognoscere, Docere, Erudire
“To learn, to educate, to enlighten” — university motto
Why students choose Karazin University
International applicants can complete the whole admission process remotely, and the application form offers full-time, distance or part-time study; the university's marketing text says you can study entirely online, so confirm with the admissions office that your chosen programme is offered at a distance.
Classes for English-language bachelor's programmes, taught by Karazin staff, are due to begin on 1 October 2026 in Information Technology and Biology on campus at Odlar Yurdu University in Baku, leading to a Karazin diploma.
Intakes run twice a year, in September and February, with bachelor's, master's, PhD and preparatory programmes in Ukrainian or English.
Wartime partnerships include twinning with the University of York (from June 2022) and support from the Aurora Alliance of European universities.
Admissions
International admission campaign 2026 (latest published); 2027 entry dates not yet published
Selectivity
No acceptance rate is published. International applicants are selected through online entrance examinations and a competitive selection by the Admissions Committee.
Typical entry requirements
| International applicants (bachelor's) | Completed secondary school certificate with transcript, apostilled or consular-legalised, with notarised Ukrainian translations; foreign documents must be recognised in Ukraine (nostrification) by 30 June of the first year |
|---|---|
| International applicants (master's) | Bachelor's degree with transcript, legalised and translated; entrance exams in the language of instruction and the specialist subject, sometimes with a faculty interview |
| English language | No IELTS or TOEFL minimum is published. Proficiency in the language of instruction (Ukrainian or English) is tested in Karazin's own online entrance examination; a preparatory course is offered. |
Deadlines
- International admission campaign 2026 (document submission) Non-binding Next deadline · In 24 days30 October 2026
Documents accepted 7 August to 30 October 2026, in person at 4 Svobody Square (room 4-74), by post or as scans by email. Study agreements are due by 29 October 2026; applicants who applied online must deliver original legalised documents by 15 December 2026.
These are the 2026 international admission dates (previous cycle); 2027 dates were not yet published on 30 September 2026. The university says it enrols students in September and February.
How to apply
International applicants first register on the Ukrainian State Admission System for International Students (apply.studyinukraine.gov.ua), upload passport, school certificate and photo, and pay a one-time UAH 3,100 fee to receive an educational offer and electronic invitation. They then send the legalised, translated documents to Karazin's Center for International Education (online or in person in Kharkiv), sit the online entrance exams, sign a study agreement and a payment agreement, and pay tuition by the deadline in the contract.
What admissions looks for
- A complete, legalised set of documents with notarised Ukrainian translations.
- Passing results in the online entrance examinations, including the language of instruction.
- For master's and PhD applicants, subject knowledge tested in a specialist exam (and, for PhD, a research proposal).
- Suitability for the chosen programme, sometimes checked in a faculty interview.
Tips for applying to Karazin University
- 1 Start with the state portal apply.studyinukraine.gov.ua: without its electronic invitation Karazin cannot enrol you, and the invitation is not itself an offer of admission.
- 2 Budget time for apostille or consular legalisation and notarised Ukrainian translations of your certificate, transcript and passport.
- 3 Decide early between distance study and travel to Ukraine: the university says a visa is needed only for on-campus study, and you should check your own government's travel advice.
- 4 If your country may not recognise a Ukrainian distance degree, ask about the on-campus IT and Biology programmes in Baku.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in UAH
Karazin does not publish international tuition fees online; the fee is set in the individual payment agreement signed before enrolment, and the university describes its tuition as significantly lower than at most European universities. Ukrainian citizens can compete for state-funded places. Applicants also pay a one-time UAH 3,100 fee on the state admission portal.
- UAH 3,100, one-time
- Application fee (state portal, international applicants)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; international intakes in September and February
Medicine (integrated master's)
A six-year programme leading to the qualification Master of Medicine, Doctor, with clinical training in teaching hospitals and research institutes.
Physics and Astronomy (bachelor's)
Taught at the School of Physics, part of a university where Nobel physicist Lev Landau worked.
Theoretical and Applied Computer Science (bachelor's)
Offered full-time or by distance learning at the School of Mathematics and Computer Sciences.
International Relations (bachelor's)
Taught at the Karazin Institute of International Relations and Travel Business, alongside World Politics and Diplomacy and International Logistics.
Information Technology and Biology in Baku (bachelor's)
English-taught by Karazin staff at Odlar Yurdu University from 1 October 2026, leading to a Karazin diploma.
Research
- Three Nobel laureates studied or worked at the university: Élie Metchnikoff (Medicine, 1908), Lev Landau (Physics, 1962) and Simon Kuznets (Economics, 1971).
- The probabilist Sergei Bernstein taught here (his students included Jerzy Neyman), and the university names Aleksandr Lyapunov and Aleksei Pogorelov among the scholars associated with it.
- The CIE reports 296 Doctors of Science among more than 3,100 lecturers and researchers, and participation in Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe projects.
Schools & faculties
- School of Medicine
- School of Physics
- School of Mathematics and Computer Sciences
- School of Radiophysics, Biomedical Electronics and Computer Systems
- School of Biology
- School of Economics
- School of Law
- School of Foreign Languages
- School of History
- School of Philology
- School of Psychology
- Education and Research Institute "Karazin Business School"
No graduate employment survey is published. The university says students can intern at employers such as NIX Solutions and SoftServe.
Student life
Student life at Karazin has been reshaped by the war. The university reports that international admission and study can be done remotely, and on 12 June 2026 it announced a new shelter for up to 300 people with four classrooms where up to 100 students can study at once. The university still runs its traditions, including a student initiation ceremony, the Karazin Winter Ball and graduation, plus a student choir, the ZIR student internet radio and several museums. An International Student Council represents foreign students, and a student government takes part in running the university.
- Shelter and learning hub announced 12 June 2026, with 4 classrooms for up to 100 students
- Traditions include a student initiation ceremony, the Karazin Winter Ball and graduation
- International Student Council and an elected student government
- Museums of university history, nature and archaeology, plus the Henryk Siemiradzki Art Gallery
Housing. The university says it can offer accommodation on its student campus to students who study in Kharkiv.
Location
Kharkiv is a large city in north-east Ukraine and has been a university city since 1805. The university's main building is on Svobody Square in the city centre. As of its update of 15 September 2026, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against all travel to Kharkiv and most of Ukraine because of the ongoing Russian invasion, and the university runs remote admission and distance study for international applicants.
Notable alumni
- JN Jerzy NeymanPolish-American mathematician and statistician; studied at Kharkiv University from 1912 under Sergei Bernstein
- AP Aleksei PogorelovMathematician (the Alexandrov-Pogorelov theorem bears his name); entered the university's mathematics department in 1937
- MO Mikhail OstrogradskyMathematician; studied at Kharkiv 1816-1820 under Timofei Osipovsky (never received his doctorate)
- IS Izmail SreznevskyPhilologist and Slavist; graduated in philology in 1829
- JP Józef PiłsudskiFormer Chief of State of Poland; began medical studies at Kharkiv in 1885 (non-degree, suspended after a year)
- MB Maria BurmakaUkrainian singer-songwriter; graduated from the faculty of philology in 1992
- AK Anton KorobovChess grandmaster and 2018 Chess Olympiad individual gold medallist; graduate
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at Karazin University online?
Probably, depending on the programme. The application form lets you choose full-time, distance or part-time study, and the university says you can apply and study entirely online from anywhere; no visa is needed for distance learning, although the electronic invitation is still required. That claim is marketing text, and Medicine includes clinical training in hospitals, so ask the Center for International Education (inter@karazin.ua) whether your programme is offered at a distance, and whether your country recognises a distance degree.
What is the application deadline for international students?
In the 2026 campaign, documents were accepted from 7 August to 30 October 2026. Dates for 2027 had not been published by 30 September 2026; the university enrols in September and February.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL for Karazin?
No minimum IELTS or TOEFL score is published. Your level in the language of instruction (Ukrainian or English) is tested in Karazin's own online entrance exam.
How much does Karazin University cost?
For Ukrainian citizens in 2026/27, first-year full-time bachelor's fees range from about UAH 38,650 to UAH 75,000. International fees are not published online and are set in the payment agreement; there is also a one-time UAH 3,100 fee on the state admission portal.
Is Karazin University open on campus during the war?
Its buildings have been damaged, and the university offers remote admission and distance study to international students. As of 30 September 2026 it has announced a shelter with four classrooms (12 June 2026) and on-campus IT and Biology bachelor's programmes in Baku, due to start on 1 October 2026 (announcement of 30 July 2026).
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- Karazin University: Center for International Education (admission stages, key facts)
- Karazin CIE: FAQ
- Karazin CIE: Admission Campaign 2026 has officially started (23 July 2026)
- Karazin CIE: Study at Karazin University in Baku (30 July 2026)
- Karazin CIE: New safe space and educational hub (12 June 2026)
- Karazin CIE: Educational programmes
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