Russian lawmakers will consider draft legislation that would grant widows of fallen soldiers preferential admission to universities and colleges, marking the latest expansion of educational benefits tied to the war in Ukraine. Nina Ostanina, who chairs the State Duma’s Family Protection Committee, sponsored the legislation, arguing that military widows need “additional support measures” including education opportunities and professional retraining.
The bill would grant military widows “preferential rights” for university admission after passing entrance exams and priority enrollment in colleges, regardless of test scores. The legislation would complement existing quotas that reserve at least 10 percent of state-funded university spots for war participants and their children. Enrollment at Russia’s top universities under this policy rose from about 2,000 in 2024 to almost 3,000 students in 2025, according to investigative outlet iStories.