Ukrainian refugee left British college due to the offer to study Russian.

According to ТСН: A Ukrainian girl left a British college that offered her to "study the Russian language." Kateryna Endeberya shared that teachers approached her with an "offensive" request when she faced difficulties with other subjects.

What is known about the girl

Kateryna Endeberya moved to Stoke-on-Trent after fleeing Ukraine in 2022 during Russia's invasion. She successfully passed GCSE exams at Excel Academy in 2023 and then completed a preparatory year at the Sixth Form College (SFC) in Stoke-on-Trent. During the year, she studied economics, politics, and statistics. However, when she encountered difficulties in her studies, the teachers tried to persuade her to learn the Russian language. Since her father is a Ukrainian soldier, this experience was traumatic and "offensive and tactless" for her. Kateryna emphasized that such a request reminds her of "discrimination and racism."

After that, Kateryna left SFC and is now studying at home, using her friends' notes. The girl applied to take A-level exams as a private candidate in 2026, costing £1,400.

She explained that learning the Russian language "contradicts my personal principles since I was born where the war began in 2014.

"This is not a language I want to speak or learn, as my father became a soldier last year," the refugee noted.

Kateryna expressed gratitude for the opportunity to study in the UK, considering the country her third home after Ukraine and the Czech Republic, where she initially moved.

"But not everyone realizes how difficult it is for Ukrainian students to adapt to a new education system, culture, and language after all that our country has gone through," Kateryna shared.

She also mentioned that she found it difficult with the A-level courses and felt bullied because of her accent. The girl claims that the college did not provide her with adequate support and, instead, encouraged her to choose the Russian language for A-level.

"Instead of expressing sympathy or help, they kept insisting that I change my topic. No one tried to understand how painful this experience was for me," she said.

Kateryna reported that it was hard to get "clear answers" to questions about why she was prohibited from studying politics, economics, and statistics. She is filing a complaint with the Potteries Educational Foundation, which oversees SFC, and plans to contact Ofsted after completing this process.

The college stated that they "deeply care for their students and are working to address concerns and complaints."

"We do not comment on individuals for confidentiality reasons," they added.

This situation highlights how challenging it is for Ukrainian students to adapt to new learning conditions abroad, especially in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Kateryna, with her story, emphasizes human values alongside the challenges faced while studying at foreign universities. Her experience points to challenges that require additional attention from colleges and educational institutions to support those from crisis-affected regions.