In Russia, young men who have reached the age of majority, that is, 18 years old, and who have no contraindications for health reasons, confirmed by a medical report, are subject to conscription for military service.
Many young people, after graduating from school, plan to continue their education in secondary specialized and higher vocational educational institutions; for them, the law provides for a number of privileges in the form of a deferment from service in the Russian army for the entire period of study.
The legislative framework
The main law regulating the procedure for conscription, military service and deferment from the army is Federal Law No. 53-FZ of March 28, 1998 “On military duty and military service”, as amended.
The rules for deferment from military conscription for studies are provided for in Article No. 24, paragraph 2 of this law. Changes and amendments are made to the document annually.
Thus, in the current year 2019, a number of changes to Article 24, paragraph 2 are already in force, which entered into force on January 1, 2017; they provide a number of advantages to full-time students.
Innovations in legislation 2019
In 2019, students of secondary specialized educational institutions (secondary educational institutions) will be able to continue their studies full-time until they complete it and receive a diploma. This deferment applies to young men if they have not previously received special education, as well as if the period of study does not exceed the average period of study at a college or technical school according to the state standard or until they reach 20 years of age.
Previously, students of secondary educational institutions were subject to conscription on the sole basis of reaching the age of 20, regardless of the stage of study, so a student could be called up to serve in the armed forces a few days before graduation.
Now college and technical school students have a little more privileges, and young people have the opportunity to get a diploma before being drafted.
Federal legislation exempts certain categories of citizens from the obligation to perform compulsory military service. This list should include:
- Men of military age who have pathologies of the blood vessels, heart and central nervous system, as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- Citizens who are underweight.
- Men who are missing a certain number of teeth in their mouth.
- Citizens who, instead of military service, undergo alternative service, the duration of which varies in the range of 18-21 months.
- Foreigners who can document the fact of serving in their country.
- Relatives of deceased servicemen (death occurred in hot spots or during military training).
- Citizens who have a scientific degree, for example, associate professor or doctor.
- Persons who have been convicted, are under investigation, or have an outstanding criminal record.
To whom and in what situations can a deferment be granted?
The state supports the desire of young people to obtain a specialty after finishing school.
Thus there is several reasons for granting a deferment from the army in connection with training, which can be used by the following categories of citizens:
- who have been diagnosed with a curable disease (for no more than one year);
- being the sole breadwinners in the family and caring for sick relatives;
- having spouses who are pregnant (pregnancy period from 26 weeks);
- undergoing training in institutions of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, fire safety, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- having two or more children; one child with disabilities; raising children without a spouse;
- who are guardians of their own sisters and brothers who have not reached the age of majority.
School students
If a young person is already 18 years old before graduating from school, he is given the opportunity to receive a deferment from conscription until graduation. Students are subject to the next conscription in the autumn conscription campaign, which begins on October 1.
This provides an additional opportunity for the future recruit to enroll full-time at the university during this time. Thus, a repeated deferment is possible only if one enters a university; a repeated deferment from conscription upon admission to a college or other secondary specialized educational institution, unfortunately, is not provided.
Future conscripts can legally receive another deferment from the army if the chosen educational institution and form of training comply following requirements:
- An educational institution must have state accreditation.
- Form of study – full-time or full-time.
- If the period for completing the program does not exceed the standard period of study according to the state standard.
Students of secondary educational institutions (colleges and technical schools)
Students of secondary educational institutions have the opportunity to receive a deferment from conscription if the young man turns 18 during the period of study; the deferment from 01/01/2017 applies to students until they complete their studies and upon reaching the age of 20. Which also makes it possible for recruits to complete their training and receive a diploma. However, after graduating from secondary school, it is not possible to enter the university with a further deferment, so here students can only get a deferment once.
Previously, there were more restrictions applied to college students. Thus, deferment until the end of their studies applied to students who entered secondary school after completing 9 grades of school, and young men who entered after 11 grades had the opportunity to receive a deferment only until they reached the age of twenty and, regardless of the course, were subject to conscription.
Now the situation has improved a little and college students, regardless of the grade at which they entered the educational institution, are given a deferment until they graduate and reach the age of 20.
University students
Students of accredited universities have more privileges than secondary school students. The main difference is that a full-time student at an institute or university has the right to a secondary deferment from the army if he took advantage of such conditions for the first time when graduating from school. Young men have the right to military deferment, regardless of their age at the time of granting a second deferment until they complete university and receive a diploma.
It is worth noting that students of higher educational institutions can count on the following deferment:
- three years – graduate students;
- two years – masters;
- four years – bachelors;
- five years - specialists.
Graduate students, interns, residency students
The greatest number of advantages belong to the young scientific staff of universities. Thus, full-time (full-time) students of graduate school, residency and internship have the right to a repeated deferment from conscription. It does not matter here how many deferments from military conscription were used by the student. Postgraduate students (interns and residency students) receive a deferment, regardless of age and other restrictions, for the entire period of study, including the defense of a dissertation. However, the period for defending a scientific work should not exceed 1 year from the date of completion of studies.
Thus, graduate students, interns and residency students have the opportunity to be completely exempt from military service by reaching the maximum conscription age - 28 years. Since the right of this category of students to a triple deferment from the army and a multi-year period of study and defense of a dissertation may require about 10 years from the moment the conscript reaches 18 years of age.
There are a few important aspects, which must be taken into account when using the right to a deferment from the army to study in higher educational institutions and when studying in graduate school.
So, the period of military deferment extended based on:
- Transfer to another educational institution (meeting the requirements of state accreditation) while maintaining full-time education.
- Transfer to study in another specialty of the same university or another accredited educational institution.
- For a one-time application, provided that the period of study is increased by no more than one year.
Nuances of the registration procedure
There are many nuances in providing a deferment from the army for future conscripts planning to continue their studies after school.
This is how a deferment can be granted:
- For graduate students, interns and residency students – maximum number of times in total three until the end of training and defense of the dissertation.
- For full-time students of accredited universities - twice(if the student took advantage of the deferment once while still at school, before graduation).
- For full-time students of secondary educational institutions – once until the moment of graduation and the young man reaches 20 years of age, if earlier deferments were not applied.
- For schoolchildren - once, if the conscript did not take advantage of the opportunity to re-defer when entering a university.
Postponement is not provided:
- Students of non-accredited educational institutions
- Students of evening, correspondence and distance learning.
- Full-time secondary school students, if they use the initial deferment at school for the period of graduation.
- Upon receipt of the 2nd higher education.
- Full-time students, if the date of their admission to the master's program is more than one year from the date of receiving a bachelor's degree at the university.
- Students of universities and colleges expelled for poor academic performance or for other reasons on the initiative of representatives of the educational institution.
Registration procedure
To obtain the right to a deferment from military service for study purposes for a conscript must be provided:
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, there are still many grounds for granting exemption from the army, which in turn can arise during the training period of a young person. There are several such reasons:
- Health deterioration, so upon repeated medical examination, a young man may be declared unfit for military service.
- Birth of children. So, if there are 2 children or if there is one child and the conscript’s wife is pregnant with the second for more than 26 weeks, an exemption from military service is also granted.
- Having dependent or sick relatives requiring care, etc.
Legal advice on the issue of granting exemption from the army is presented in the following video:
Features of all types of study deferments for each category of students from school to graduate school.
By the time of final exams at school, schoolchildren are making plans to obtain higher or vocational education. Young men of graduation age also have the question of how to obtain deferments from the army legally. Where do you need to get education to exercise your right to deferment from the armystudies.
Deferment from the army for studying at a technical school or college.
You can go to college at the age of 15-16, having completed 9 years of secondary school. The same goes for school graduates who have completed a full course of secondary education. All college students will enjoy a deferment from military service in 2017. For the first category of students, it will be valid, as before, until the student reaches the age of 20 years. The second category will be given a deferment until the end of their studies.
Deferment from the army after 11th grade when entering a university
Some time ago, military registration and enlistment offices called up school graduates who had reached the age of majority, preventing them from entering a college or university. This hole in the law has been closed and schoolchildren who finish school at 18 have the opportunity to enroll.
Deferment from the army after college when entering a university
Deferment from the army for studies is a one-time one. Although there are exceptions to the rule: master's programs after bachelor's and postgraduate studies. Accordingly, a deferment from the army after technical school is impossible.
Deferment from the army for studying at a university.
In addition to a diploma, studying at a university gives you the legal right to a deferment from the army. Although this way of obtaining a deferment carries with it several conditions. Admission must be the first, after school and for a bachelor's or specialist's degree. Consequently, students who decide to reach new heights by receiving another higher education do not receive a deferment.
What awaits bachelors when transferring to master's programs?
The first scenario looks like this: when a bachelor’s student decides to continue his studies to a master’s degree, he must express in advance his desire to continue his studies at a master’s degree. Prepare all the necessary documents and go through a number of administrative measures. Otherwise, you can end up in the ranks of the Russian army straight from class.
The second scenario: continue your studies in a master's program after receiving a diploma in a specialty. Previously, there was such a gap in the law, but in 2017 such a delay does not exist.
Deferment from the army for graduate students.
It is still possible to acquire a legal deferment from the army after university; for this you need to acquire the status of a graduate student. This deferment is given in any case, regardless of the number of deferments submitted for the previous period. The time spent on postgraduate study is approximately 3-4 years. Thus, graduate students complete their studies by approximately 27 years of age and the success of defending a dissertation, as a rule, does not play a role.
IMPORTANT! Part-time undergraduate and graduate students need to forget about the possibility of deferring military service; for them it does not exist.
When enrolling in which educational institution is it possible to get a deferment?
If they have the appropriate certifications and accreditations, a university or college gives its students the legal right to take advantage of a deferment from the army. When determining your future educational institution, it is extremely important to focus your attention on this moment, in order to avoid receiving a summons in the midst of the academic year.
Academic leave, transfer to another university.
An academic document issued in compliance with all the nuances and documented correctly makes it possible for the student to retain a deferment from the army. The deferment is retained and for those students who have decided to change their specialty or university, the main criterion for maintaining the right to a deferment is that the period of study should not increase by more than one academic year.
If you still have questions about deferment after graduation, you can contact us for a free initial consultation.
The spring conscription into the army started in Russia on April 1 and will last until July 15. In 3.5 months, 142 thousand young people will be drafted into the Russian army. The corresponding order was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the beginning of the conscription campaign, we tell you in our “Question and Answer” section who is entitled to a deferment from the army and what changes have occurred.
Who will be given a deferment from the army?
The list of citizens who are entitled to a deferment from the army remains the same. But there are changes that have affected students in secondary education institutions. Now young people can easily get a profession without reference to age, and then go to serve.
Previously, schoolchildren who entered technical schools, lyceums and colleges after the 9th grade received a deferment only until they reached the age of 20. If they began their studies after the 11th grade, then they could count on a deferment only if they reached conscription age in the last year of study.
Will the duration of alternative service change?
No, he will remain the same. Guys who decide to serve, for example, at the post office or in a psychoneurological boarding school, must work for 20 months. In accordance with current legislation, alternative service is allowed, within which conscripts have the opportunity to work at various state-owned enterprises, and such work counts towards their total length of service.
Let us remind you that the spring conscription into the army in 2017 starts on April 1 and ends on July 15. The autumn conscription will begin on October 1 and will last until December 31. The service life of conscripts in 2017, in accordance with current legislation, will be 12 months, regardless of the presence of higher education and graduation from a university with a military department.
Who is eligible for military deferment?
Types of deferments from the army are regulated by Article No. 17 of the law on military service. The following can count on later completion of service:
Persons recognized as temporarily unfit to perform military duties as part of compulsory conscription service due to health reasons;
Persons who are supported and cared for by close relatives, in the presence of the following factors:
* the need for constant care;
* lack of full state support for disabled relatives supported by persons of military age;
* absence of other persons whose responsibilities include maintaining and caring for disabled relatives;
* the presence of a conclusion from a federal medical and social examination on the need for constant care for a person supported by a citizen of the Russian Federation of military age.
Persons raising a child without a mother;
Persons with two or more minor children;
Citizens of the Russian Federation who have under-age disabled relatives (brothers and sisters) under their guardianship in the absence of other persons responsible for their maintenance;
Citizens of the Russian Federation who have a minor child and a wife who is 26 weeks pregnant or more;
Citizens whose family has a disabled child no older than three years old;
Persons who are candidates for deputies of the legislative assembly, heads of municipalities and citizens elected to these positions. Deferment from the army is granted for the duration of the term of office;
Persons working in the public service in the bodies:
* Ministry of Internal Affairs;
* customs control and inspection;
* control over the circulation of narcotic and psychotropic drugs;
* state fire service;
* criminal-executive (penitentiary) system.
Citizens of the Russian Federation undergoing full-time education in educational institutions with state accreditation for compulsory educational programs and programs of higher professional education (primary, secondary, higher education);
Graduate students of accredited and state-licensed universities during the period of receiving full-time postgraduate professional education;
Citizens who, after graduating from a university, entered service in the troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.
Citizens of military age who are students are entitled to a deferment from the army due to their studies. Obtaining a deferment is possible only if certain conditions are met, which this article will tell you in more detail.
Deferment from conscription for schoolchildren
Citizens who are over 18 years old are subject to conscription for military service in our country. It may happen that at the time of coming of age the young man has not yet completed high school. In this case, he is entitled to a deferment from conscription until completion of his studies. Moreover, if a graduate successfully passes the final exams (that is, with at least C grades), then this year he receives a deferment from conscription until October 1. This rule makes it possible to enter an educational institution immediately after graduation.
An adult schoolchild who has exercised the right to a deferment from the army for studies needs to keep the following in mind:
- If after school he enters a university as a full-time student, he will again be granted a deferment for his studies.
- If he enters a secondary vocational education institution after graduating from school, he is not entitled to a second deferment.
In what cases are students at technical schools and colleges entitled to a deferment?
It is more difficult for college and technical school students to obtain a deferment from conscription than for schoolchildren or university students. A student can receive a deferment if he entered a secondary vocational education institution based on grade 9 (and not after grade 11). In this case, the deferment will be provided only until the age of 20 years. Upon reaching this age, a young man is subject to conscription, even if he has just a few days left to study at an educational institution.
A student admitted to study on the basis of 11 grades has the right to a deferment only if he became an adult in the last year of study.
In order for a student to receive a deferment from conscription, the following conditions must be met:
- the training program has state accreditation;
- training is provided on a full-time basis;
- The deferment is given for the period of study, but not more than the standard period allotted for mastering the curriculum.
It should be emphasized that such conditions are mandatory for granting a deferment to all categories of students (school students, students of secondary vocational institutions, undergraduate and graduate students of universities).
Don't know your rights?
If a young man exercised the right to a deferment from the army while studying at a technical school or college, then when he subsequently enters a university, he is no longer entitled to a deferment.
On January 1, 2017, changes to the law “On Military Duty and Military Service” come into force. These changes provide for the provision of deferment for college and technical school students until they complete their studies (rather than until they are 20 years old). At the same time, the new version of the law does not make any distinction between students who entered a vocational education institution in grades 9 and 11.
Deferment for university students and graduate students
A full-time student studying at a university receives a deferment from conscription until completion of his studies. If a citizen has already taken advantage of a deferment from the army for studies during his school years, then during his studies at a university he has the right to a second deferment.
In the case of obtaining a second higher education, the provision of a deferment is not provided for by law. However, if, after defending a bachelor’s degree, a student continues his studies at a university in a master’s program, he receives a deferment for the period of study in this program. A prerequisite for deferment in this case is admission to a master's program in the year of obtaining a bachelor's qualification.
Persons receiving full-time postgraduate education in graduate school, residency or internship also have the right to a deferment from conscription. In this case, the number of deferments from conscription issued by this citizen in connection with studying at school, technical school or university does not matter. This category of conscripts is deferred for the entire period of study, as well as for the period of defense of the dissertation work (but not more than a year from the date of completion of training).
The nuances of obtaining a deferment
Citizens who have received a deferment from military service should keep in mind that the right to a deferment is retained if:
- registration of academic leave;
- transferring to study in another specialty;
- transfer to another educational institution.
However, even in these cases, the deferment remains only if the duration of study has increased by no more than 1 year.
When reinstated in an educational institution, the deferment remains if the total period of study remains the same. If a student was expelled at the initiative of an educational institution (for example, for unsatisfactory exam results), then if he is reinstated, a deferment from conscription will not be granted.
To apply for a study deferment, a citizen must submit the following documents to the draft commission:
- a certificate from the educational institution on the prescribed form;
- diploma of higher education (for postgraduate students);
- a copy of the organization’s license to conduct educational activities (when completing postgraduate studies at a scientific institution).
In addition, the conscript will need to undergo a medical examination, since study deferment is issued only for persons who are medically fit for military service.