Social Assistance for Low-Income Families: Is a Student's Scholarship After 18 Considered Income
Reaching the age of 18 does not automatically exclude a child from the family when assigning state social assistance to low-income families. If an adult son or daughter studies full-time at a higher education institution and does not receive a scholarship, special rules apply when calculating income.
As explained by the Pension Fund of Ukraine, state social assistance to low-income families is assigned if the average monthly total family income is below the subsistence minimum for the family. To determine eligibility, social protection authorities consider income for the six months preceding the month before the application.
According to paragraph 13 of the Procedure for calculating the average monthly total family (household) income for all types of state social assistance, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 632 dated July 22, 2020, children under 23 years old who do not have their own family and study full-time or in a dual form of education are included in their parents' family composition.
If the student is already 18 years old but did not receive a scholarship during the income calculation period, for each month without income, 25% of the minimum wage established at the end of the respective period is conditionally credited to him when calculating the average monthly total family income.
In 2026, the minimum wage is 8,647 UAH, so the income of such a student for calculating state social assistance will be determined as 2,161.75 UAH per month (8,647 UAH × 0.25).
As previously reported by the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper", persons assigned state social assistance under the Laws of Ukraine "On State Social Assistance to Persons with Childhood Disabilities and Children with Disabilities" and "On State Social Assistance to Persons Not Entitled to a Pension and Persons with Disabilities" are issued corresponding certificates. This was reminded by the Pension Fund.
The procedure for issuing, manufacturing, and delivering such certificates is approved by the Pension Fund of Ukraine Board Resolution No. 12-1 dated 20.03.2026, which came into force on 01.05.2026.
To obtain a certificate, an application for the issuance of a state social assistance recipient certificate must be submitted.
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