Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), located in Lviv, Ukraine, is one of the country’s premier universities, attracting the country’s most talented students and pairing them with outstanding faculty, real-world opportunities, and a strong foundation of values. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in subjects such as computer science, business, law, theology, government administration, and rehabilitation medicine. UCU is a community committed to shaping leaders who will strengthen Ukraine and the wider world.
UCU’s Mission
Ukrainian Catholic University is an open academic community living the Eastern Christian tradition and forming leaders to serve with professional excellence in Ukraine and internationally – for the glory of God, the common good, and the dignity of the human person.
At UCU, education is inseparable from community service and the Catholic mission. Service learning combines academic study with meaningful, hands-on experience in students’ fields. Law students provide free legal aid to veterans, physical therapy students work directly with rehabilitation patients and veterans, and across disciplines, students gain professional skills while living out UCU’s mission as a “University That Serves.” Through this unique approach, UCU builds not only competence and experience but also a deep social commitment, reinforcing the belief that service to others is essential to a successful and purposeful life.
UCU Faculties and Departments
There are 2215 enrolled students in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs.
Theology-Philosophy
Humanities
Applied Sciences
Social Sciences
Health Sciences
UCU Business School
UCU Law School
UCU During the War
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian Catholic University developed its Strategy 2030, a robust response to the challenges facing both the university and Ukrainian society during and after the war. Guided by the vision “A University That Serves,” the strategy aims to expand UCU’s impact through new models of learning, engagement, and collaboration, advancing Ukraine’s recovery, victory, and long-term renewal. Key initiatives include healing the wounds of war, educating leaders and innovators for the renewal of Ukraine, and leading in the modernization of higher education throughout Ukraine.
UCU’s History
Ukrainian Catholic University was established in Rome by Patriarch Josyf Slipyj, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (1944-84). Patriarch Josyf was exiled from Ukraine in 1963 after 18 years in Soviet work camps. In the 1970s and 1980s, he inspired Ukrainian seminarians to dream of returning to Ukraine to create a fully developed university there.
Ukrainian Catholic leaders throughout the 20th century dreamed of establishing such a university, and, while in Lviv on June 26, 2001, Pope John Paul II blessed the future university’s cornerstone. In 2002, Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) was established in Lviv, Ukraine.
Today, the university is known globally for its commitment to academic excellence, Christian values, and a modern campus, and it serves as a model for educational reform in Ukraine.
Want to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience?
The Ukrainian Catholic University faculty, staff, and student body would be most happy to have you visit and show you the campus.
Contact UCU Foundation for further information to have an unforgettable experience.
