129 students admitted and awarded $33,000,000+ in full scholarships
UGS is a results-focused organization. Since 2015, we have facilitated the placement of 129 Ukrainian students from modest backgrounds into top boarding schools and colleges on full scholarships (i.e., covering tuition as well as room & board). Over the same 5-year period, we grew our applicant pool from 100+ to 750+, covering every region of Ukraine, including Crimea. 40% of applications come from students in small Ukrainian towns and villages. We scaled the number of scholars we support yearly from 10+ to 50+, determined to drive the critical mass of well-educated Ukrainians. Our Academic, Boarding school, and College advising teams played a critical role growing our community of Mentors and building strategic partnerships with top boarding schools and colleges. In addition to school placements, we have partnered with 40 Ukraine-based employers to facilitate 8-week summer internships for our scholars. To take the UGS impact beyond our organization, we also support and encourage our alumni in building their own entrepreneurial ventures, impacting new communities worldwide.
Example partner schools and colleges
Matriculations to boarding schools and colleges
Boarding Schools
Colleges
Summer internship placements
Are you a Ukraine-based employer and woud like to offer an internship to our students? Please email jlemesh@ugs.foundation.
Ventures started by UGS community
PrivacySpy
PrivacySpy is an open project, featured by New York Times in 2020, that uses a consistent rubric to grade privacy policies on a ten-point scale. PrivacySpy is co-founded by Igor Barakaiev, UGS '16, Andover '20, Stanford '24.
Movadex
Award-winning software development and design agency that offers digital services to startups around the globe since 2018. Movadex merges art and business, offering a groundbreaking software outsource model at the highest quality standards. Movadex is co-founded by Salome Mikadze, UGS '15, Emma Willard '18, Georgetown '22.
AstroSandbox
AstroSandbox helps Ukrainian school students study Astronomy in-depth and create connections between young astronomers from different regions of the country. AstroSandbox organizes webinars and lectures throughout Ukraine popularizing Astronomy. Recently it has received a prestigious Studway Awards 2020 in the 'Scientific Project' nomination. AstroSandbox is founded by Taisiia Karasova, UGS '19.
YNGO PLUS
Youth NGO “PLUS” is a non-profit organization that provides free educational opportunities to Ukrainian youth. YNGO PLUS hosts webinars and online courses on different topics — from “writing perfect CV” to “robotics in Ukraine.” The team recently won a grant from InScience and UNICEF to create a board game that develops critical thinking and crisis-management skills. Co-founded by Nathan Syvash UGS ’20, Dartmouth ’25 and Liliia Alieksanova UGS ’20, Babson ’25.
DecidEd
DecidEd is a Ukraine-based non-profit with a mission of giving high school students equal access to information about higher education regardless of which school they go to or which city they live in. Students can check real reviews on the quality of education and employment opportunities in universities and on specific majors written by current students. DecidEd is co-founded by Nataliia Nevichana, UGS '16, Franklin & Marshall '21.
ENGin
ENGin is a peer to peer English language program that connects fluent English speakers to Ukrainian students for free weekly online speaking practice sessions. ENGin was founded by Katerina Manoff, the former head of college counseling at UGS, with the support of many members of the UGS community.
Mavka
Mavka is an educational non-profit that helps Ukrainian high school students, especially from underprivileged backgrounds, prepare for college-entrance exams. The platform provides personalized planner, collections of peer-reviewed study materials and practice tests. The big mission is to fight educational inequality and to promote the culture of self-directed learning in Ukraine. Co-founded by Artem Laptiev, UGS '17, Fryeburg '20, MIT '25, Tonia Zakorchemna, UGS '16, Fryeburg'19, Dartmouth '24, and Daniil Ozernyi, UGS '17, Northfield Mount Hermon '20, Northwestern '25.
Reports
Interactive list of scholars (in progress)
Environmental and social activist, Instagram blogger, youth organization Let's Go Green content-maker, social media manager for Fridays for Future in Kyiv, self-taught visual artist, debater, Civic Education Week and FLEX alumna’20.
Multi-time winner of regional Olympiads in Math and Computer Science, participant in national team selection, accomplished athlete, volunteer in a non-profit organization, organizing athletic events for children.
Social entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder at TouchGuide, co-founder of youth NGO PLUS, founder of 'beYOUtiful' project, feminist and human rights activist.
FLEX alumnus, finalist of National Debate Tournaments, winner of the Alabama State Soccer Championship, winner of National and Regional Olympiads, volunteer and fundraiser at nonprofit organizations, school delegate to the Future Leaders of America Conferences.
Winner of European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad, Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad, and All-Ukrainian Olympiads in Informatics and Mathematics. Volunteer at "Mathfit" and "Kvanta" projects, as well as Ukrainian Mathematics and Linguistics contests.
Winner of regional olympiads in Programming, IT, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, and German; modern dancer, debater, co-organizer of multiple book and debate online-marathons, volunteer.
Co-founder of eco-project "ProBatrareiky", finalist of Science Mentoring '20, national winner of "Genius Olympiad 2020", Head of Town Youth Council, volunteer in Klitschko Foundation, 3rd place in All-Ukrainian level of Ecotime'19 with Ecology project.
Winner of All-Ukrainian Physics Tournament & regional Astronomy Olympiad, author of research work in theoretical astrophysics, Erasmus+ alumna, versatile artist and musician, content maker at NGO UkrTeenScince and ed-startup Mavka.
FLEX & WYLET alumnus, "Provocazzo" co-founder and founder of non-profit English courses and a local speaking club, City Representative of Kostyantynivka at American Councils for International Education, exhibiting visual artist, YouTube vlogger.
Technical team leader at first Ukrainian FRC Robotics team, creator of local robotized quail farm, actor, swimmer.
Winner of All-Ukrainian National Olympiads in physics, mathematics and computer science, founder of the ecological organization "SortStep," head of the Youth Council of Dolyna, Ukrainian folk dancer.
Founder and volunteer of psychology-oriented projects, multi-time winner of regional Olympiads in Math, Law and German, contemp-dancer, co-leader of the ecological organization SortStep, interviewer at ENGin, American Councils city representative, FLEX’19.
Community organizer, NGO board member, School President, digital storytelling facilitator, volunteer, educator & youth summer camps organizer, theater director & actress, soft-skills courses coach.
FLEX '20, studying 4 foreign languages, organized cultural exchange lectures at schools in Ukraine and the US, volunteer at The Salvation Army and NGO “DecidEd”, visual artist, volleyball player, 2nd place in All-male regional Crafts Olympiad.
Winner of All-Ukrainian Junior Academy of Sciences Research Competition in Linguistics, Junior Agent of Change, UNICEF representative, Diamond Challenge Ukraine finalist, creative writer, social activist.
Women's rights activist, lead the civic initiatives for gender-sensitive secondary education and adoption of the law on schoolbooks expertise, represented Ukraine on the women’s rights conference on Beijing Platform for Action + 25, UN, Geneva.
FLEX '20 alumnus. Two-time participant in National Soccer Championship, versatile athlete. Volunteer at NGO CACTUS. Founder of Puzzles Club at the local school.
FLEX and Civic Education Workshop alum, winner of Kyiv Olympiads in Law, Economics, Geography, and History, author of research in Economics, bassist in black metal band Mordhate, member of district Youth Parliament, debater, volunteer.
Winner of the Regional Tournament of Young Biologists and the Regional Stage of the Biology Olympiad, researcher of the Junior Academy of Sciences in Ecology, winner of the DreamEco competition and the Brainbee neuroscience competition, artist, photographer.
Founder of an inclusive enterprise EASYSIGN, two-time winner of UPSHIFT, 3rd place on the National Junior Academy of Sciences competition, winner of 10+ National competitions in Computer Science, programmer & human rights activist.
Co-founder of YOVi 8504 FRC Team, winner of the national competition of inventions "Future of Ukraine", goalkeeper in Ukraine U15 national water polo team, winner of regional Olympiads in Robotics and Physics, Robotics teacher, volunteer.
Accomplished R&B dancer and coach: Top-100 at #1 Ukrainian dance TV show "So You Think You Can Dance." Featured on social media by 20+ global artists. Growth leader at 3 non-profits, including ENGin, where I help 800+ volunteers teach 1000+ Ukrainians English.
Junior assistant to the president of the organization "Let's do it, Ukraine!", co-founder of a public organization "Druzhkivka - the territory of good", public speaker, researcher in economics, politics, and linguistics, children and youth rights activist.
UI/UX designer, co-founder at Dumka, Ukraine-based mobile app, SMM at NGO ESMU, winner of 10+ Olympiads on regional and district level, eco-shopkeeper, musician, artist.
Multi-time winner of All-Ukrainian and International Olympiads in Math and Regional Olympiads in Physics & IT; CrossFit athlete, volunteer, tutor.
Junior Academy Member at New York Academy of Sciences, volunteer at Simply Neuroscience, co-founder of an eco-organization SortStep, winner of the All-Ukrainian WriteON competition, social activist, pianist.
Winner of 10+ city and regional Olympiads, New York Academy of Sciences Young Member, founder of the youth organization "Heritage of Ukraine", winner of the international piano competition "Printemps Ukrainien à Paris" and city&international vocal contests, school president.
FLEX alumna, Model UN enthusiast, ENGin volunteer, winner of Kyiv French Olympiads, organized school Eco Club, served as President of the School council, interned at One Day at Work, Ministry of Info Policy of Ukraine media school alumna, artist.
"MyDraft" startup co-founder, Diamond Challenge Ukraine finalist, nationally recognized dancer, winner of regional Olympiads in Economics, "Spring of Hope" Human Rights NGO volunteer, editor at Wikimedia Ukraine, Young Agent of Change.
Multi-time winner of Regional Olympiads in IT, Math, and Physics, Junior Academy of Sciences researcher in Math and Computer Science, self-taught software engineer and UI/UX designer, volunteer.
Presidential Scholar, Winner of National Research project competitions in Philosophy and Economics, member of Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, City Student Council member, Karpinskyy foundation scholar.
Winner of national and international classical voice competitions, pianist, volunteer & social activist, Klitschko Foundation Alumna '19.
Founder of startup TruthLab, Artificial Intelligence researcher at Junior Academy of Sciences, participant of MILSET Expo-Science Abu-Dhabi, initiator of charity disco parties (fundraising for people with cancer), AI developer, self-taught guitar player.
My main passion is Biology: last year I conducted a work in oncogenetics, and now I am researching cellular aging. I am a multi-time winner of National and International scientific competitions. Also, I co-organized events devoted to the improvement of health awareness in society.
Founder and captain of the STEM team, winner of the Regional Physics and National Math Olympiads, director & dramaturge, nationally recognized performing artist, volleyball player, activist, volunteer.
Student government president for 3 years, Top 3 in Economics Olympiad of Odesa region, School of success '19 alumnus, coach of the national organization "Club partner" that educates Ukrainians about financial literacy.
Event-manager at the youth open space Poshta, FLEX alumna '20, winner of All-Ukrainian Web-development contest, winner of 3 regional Math Olympiads, winner of the regional research contest in Math.
Winner of International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition, member of AstroSandbox NGO team, avant-garde piano composer, African instrument Kalimba player, ballroom dancer.
Participant of the National Olympiad in Math, a multi-time winner of city-level Olympiads in Physics, Astronomy, and English, as well as regional Math Olympiads; winner of the city track and field competitions, dancer for more than 12 years.
2nd place in regional Junior Academy of Sciences Research Contest in Pedagogy, expert orienteer and hiker, actress, manager of project «Give Dream To Child of Hero», member of NGO Kontur, Town Youth Centre volunteer.
Winner of the Junior Academy of Sciences Research contest in Kyiv, pianist, composer, creative writer, volunteer.
Human rights activist and environmentalist, co-founded NGO "ESMU" (eco-education) and "PLUS" (self-development education), resource management researcher, FLEX alumnus.
3rd place winner on the National Chemistry Olympiad and National Junior Academy of Sciences competition in medicine, scout, expert hiker, sports orienteer, host of the online bakery, pianist.
Creative writer, volunteer, winner of the Regional and National German, English, Chemistry, and Law olympiads, as well as English linguistic research contest; long-distance runner.
FLEX alumna, 3rd place in All-Ukrainian Junior Academy of Sciences Research Contest in Biology, member of HOSA-Future Health Professionals, fundraiser & volunteer for National Pediatric Cancer Foundation and Iowa Homeless Youth Center, artisan & pianist.
Member of Lviv Debate Union, 1st place in city-level debate competitions, LGBTQ+ youth rights activist, host at Lviv Teen Talks 2019.
Metalcore band founder, NLP developer, multi-time National Linguistic Olympiad winner, Junior Academy of Sciences researcher in math; multi-time winner of Kyiv MMA competitions, rower.
Winner of the National Physics Olympiad. 3rd place at the European Basketball Tournament in Poland (represented Ukraine). Programmer at C++, Java, Python; web, AI and quantum-computing developer.
UGS website moderator, FLEX & France-Ukraine exchange alumna, founder and volunteer of community-based projects, winner of the National French/English Olympiads & Junior Academy of Sciences Contest in Philosophy, award-winning actress and musician.
International Youth Math Challenge 2019 finalist, International Youth Neuroscience Association member, 1st place at Junior Academy of Sciences Psychology Contest and Biology Olympiad, mental health educator, film creator, DeKino 2.0 Film Festival finalist.