Young tennis players will gain opportunities to study at top educational institutions thanks to the Marta Kostyuk Foundation and UGS
The Marta Kostyuk Foundation and the charitable organization Ukraine Global Scholars have signed a memorandum of cooperation focused on promoting the combination of education and a sports career among young tennis players.
Ukraine Global Scholars has extensive experience in expanding educational opportunities for Ukrainian youth. Over the past 10 years, the organization has helped more than 300 students secure scholarships totaling over USD 78 million. This experience will now also be available to young Ukrainian athletes.
This partnership creates new opportunities for high school students from low-income families. Program participants may receive scholarships to study at leading universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, and Vassar, as well as at prestigious boarding schools including Andover, Choate, Taft, and Exeter.
The Marta Kostyuk Foundation seeks to support young Ukrainian athletes in building a successful future by combining their athletic achievements with the opportunities offered by high-quality international education.
Nearly 10% of children aspire to build a sports career
According to the IREX 2024 study, nearly half of Ukrainian children have already chosen a future career path. Among them, 10% choose sports, compared to 6% in 2023.
“Unfortunately, in Ukraine only a small number of young athletes choose to combine sport and education. Most focus exclusively on a sports career, often without fully understanding the opportunities that quality education can provide. We aim to change this mindset. Education enables development beyond sport and offers stability and confidence in the future, even after an athletic career ends. This partnership is our contribution to shaping a new generation of athletes who can succeed not only in sport, but also contribute to Ukraine’s economic development and recovery,” says Marta Kostyuk.
How to become a program participant
For the Marta Kostyuk Foundation, this program is a pilot initiative aimed at supporting young athletes who seek to combine a sports career with quality education. The main goal is to develop effective approaches to supporting participants throughout their educational and athletic journeys.
Participation in the program is free of charge, and the selection process is aimed at high school students. Key selection criteria include:
- English language proficiency (B1 level or higher);
- strong academic performance;
- engagement in extracurricular activities;
- personal qualities (maturity, resilience, energy);
- family income not exceeding USD 35,000 per year.
Students supported by the Marta Kostyuk Foundation as professional athletes are required to represent Ukraine in competitions during their studies and after graduation.
In the future, the Foundation plans to expand its support by introducing entrance exam preparation courses, public speaking skills development programs, and other educational initiatives designed to help unlock each student’s potential.
When submitting an application, applicants must indicate that they are applying through the Marta Kostyuk Foundation. The application form is available on the Ukraine Global Scholars website until March 17.
