Double trauma for SA students who fled Ukraine as they battle to find university spots at home

The majority of these students found themselves in Ukraine because they were unable to find places at South African universities, particularly medical institutions, as a result of oversubscription – now, having escaped after the Russian invasion and needing to resume their education, they are facing another ordeal.

Speaking to Maverick Citizen, Lebone Kganyago of the organisation Expats South Africa and Victoria Maheso of the South African International Students Association said that while the focus had initially been on evacuating the students, it “has now shifted to how the students are reintegrated into the [South African] higher education system. There has been engagement with the relevant stakeholders like government, [the Health Professions Council of South Africa, HPCSA], deans of universities to say, look, the students are in the country now and need to complete their education – what is the way forward?” 

They said the extent of the discussion so far was which institutions were in a position to take in students and how many they could accommodate, and that while the majority were medical students there were others to be considered who were studying software engineering, business administration and dentistry. 

The organisations further emphasised that European-educated and trained students needed to be able to use their skills and education in South Africa to contribute to the South African system, which is what the Ukrainian student crisis had brought to the fore.

To this end, they were in discussions with representatives of higher education institutions to allow students to obtain curriculum accreditation for the modules studied so far. 

“Most of these students have even been given recommendation letters from their institutions [in Ukraine] so that they can do the practicals that need to be done in South Africa.”

Fourth-year medical student Nkateko Muyimane, who was able to escape from Ukraine and who co-founded the NGO SA Safe Corridor for Students (SASCS), told Maverick Citizen that it has been slow going and that while talks between the HPCSA Universities South Africa, which represents all the vice-chancellors in South Africa, and other organisations there was still no clarity on how students’ further tuition and accommodation costs would be borne.

Medical student Nkateko Muyimane, who fled Ukraine and co-founded SA Safe Corridor for Students to help students still trapped in the country, speaks in Johannesburg on 21 March 2022. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)

• As a humanitarian crisis which demands a global and national response of care and compassion; and


• As an educational challenge which will need to address issues of reciprocal recognition of qualification, the adequacy of training platforms and the capacity to support student learning needs.

• An urgent forum to discuss and create plans for processes managing all students currently studying medicine abroad;


• Convening a group which will urgently consider the placement of these Ukraine-based medical students in [alternative] European sites with reciprocal medical qualifications. This group should include the South African Committee of Medical Deans (SACOMD), Universities South Africa (USAf) and government departments dealing with higher education, health and international relations; and


• Ongoing discussions among medical deans to create suitable responses to the urgent needs for supporting student clinical development.”