Pupils will be able to study Ukrainian at GCSE from 2028, with the first assessments taking place the following year, ministers have announced. The qualification, which is being developed by AQA, will be open to all pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The exam board will begin working with language and subject experts to develop the content. Ukraine has lobbied the UK government to introduce the qualification in the years after Russia’s invasion, amid concerns children studying here are pressured to enter Russian GCSE. Like other language GCSEs, the new qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, as well as recognising the historical and cultural contexts of the language. Education Secretary Lucy Powell said Ukrainians and their children living in the UK “should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are”. “This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine. “Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.” The Department for Education said the new qualification would build on the government’s existing commitment to Ukraine. This includes the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership and the UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership, with more than 300 schools across the two countries taking part. The government also announced a £10 billion military and economic support package in last week’s budget – the largest ever package for the country. DfE funding The DfE said it intends to give £340,000 to AQA to support the development the qualification, subject to the completion of contracting arrangements. It added that this was a “targeted investment that will help young Ukrainians maintain their language skills and preserve an important connection to their heritage and identity”, as part of their wider commitment to supporting Ukraine. Colin Hughes, AQA’s CEO, said: “We’re pleased to be working with the Department for Education to develop the new GCSE in Ukrainian. “The qualification will give young people – including those displaced by the war – an opportunity to gain formal recognition for their knowledge of Ukrainian, while contributing to greater understanding of the language and its culture in the UK.” Inna Hryhorovych, head of St Mary’s Ukrainian School in west London, said the announcement “sends a powerful message that the Government understands the cultural, emotional and educational needs of Ukrainian children in the UK”. “It affirms their right to maintain a vital link to their language and homeland, and ensures they have the qualifications they need when the opportunity to return home comes.” While visiting the school, schools minister Georgia Gould told the Guardian: “Despite the challenges of a smaller qualification, we really wanted to put financial resources to making it possible, and I’m grateful that AQA has come forward.” ‘Long called for’ Ukrainian GCSE was shelved in 1995 due to lack of demand. But the Ukrainian government has lobbied the government to introduce the qualification in the years after Russia’s invasion. The Ukrainian education minister wrote to then-education secretary Bridget Phillipson in late 2024 raising concerns about the lack of the qualification, and that Ukrainian children in the UK were being “pressured” to pass Russian GCSE. Phillipson wrote to exam boards asking them to consider introducing a Ukrainian GCSE. In June, Phillipson told the education committee that the Ukrainian GCSE had been “raised consistently” whenever she met representatives from the Ukrainian government “because they believe it is important”. She added: “We hope to see progress… but it is not within my gift to bring forward that GCSE.” Andrii Butenko, Ukraine’s minister of education and science, said the announcement was an “important milestone” which was “long called for by the Ukrainian community in the UK”. “We welcome the UK Government’s next step towards giving Ukrainian children a genuine choice in their education while respecting their identity.” The government is set to consult on the new programmes of study for the revised curriculum soon, to give schools chance to prepare for first teaching in 2028.