Two-month long protests against President Yanukovych that began when he backed out of an arrangement to strengthen ties with the European Union in favour of a closer alliance with Russia have developed into civic unrest about wider issues and rioting in the country that sits between East and West.

“The events in the last two months have been a catalyst for students looking for work permit options,”  says Gautham Kolluri, founder of the The Ukrainian Association of International Education and Exchanges Agencies and MD of the CIP Agency. “Canada is big at the moment,” he adds.

“The events in the last two months have been a catalyst for students looking for work permit options”

Demand for post-study work rights has also resulted in a rise in undergraduate course enquiries, explains Kolluri, whose company is experienced in organising work abroad opportunities, as well as study abroad, and has partnered with Walt Disney World Inc., Universal Orlando Resorts and UK companies such as Alton Towers and Rail Gourmet.

“Many people don’t realise it but Ukraine is very much like Asia – especially India – they’re very interested in work permits,” he tells The PIE.

CIP Agency also coordinates some 300 students to complete the US State Department’s Summer Work Travel programme each year. Kolluri says the recent unrest has caused some concern in the US government that programme participants will return when the programme finishes on September 1.

Agencies have also seen an increase in interest from more mature students, adults looking to advance in their careers through language courses or post-study degrees.

Natalia Bernatska, Education Manager at the agency BSI-Ukraine, reports a 50% increase in adult enquiries on the previous year. “There’s been an increase in demand from adults because more and more they realise they need to learn English,” she says. Bernatska said most adult clients are interested in studying two or more weeks in the UK.

“We’ve see more interest from adults because of the political and economic situation,” confirms Kolluri. “People are tired and want to start new careers.”

Early bookings are likewise up from previous years among return clients says Bernatska. “In Ukraine, people usually book three to four months before a course but we started having bookings for summer courses in November and it’s continued into January.”

She adds that low wages and a minimum of two-week visa processing times for most Ukrainians to go to all major destinations has probably impaired any spur of the moment attempts to go abroad to study. “Most people can’t pay the €1,000 for prioritised visa processing. The average monthly salary is only €500.”

“We’ve see more interest from adults because of the political and economic situation”

Larysa Neklyudova, MD of the agency Aspect, has seen many more enquiries among parents looking to send their children abroad for academic programmes to high school or foundation courses. Though sales don’t represent the increased interest, she says she expects sales to be higher as parents try to send their children out of the country.

Agency iStudy held its fourth annual Study Shop in the capital last week which was attended by over 300 potential students and 25 educators representing all sectors from language courses to post-graduate degrees. Organisers and exhibitors both found students were more motivated than in previous years.