Kazakhstan Government Scholarship for Foreign Citizens

The Kazakhstan Government Scholarship for Foreign Citizens is a fully funded Government of Kazakhstan scholarship for foreign citizens to study for a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree at a participating university in Kazakhstan. It is run by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and operated by JSC “Center for International Programs” (Bolashak). It has run since 2019 and is separate from the Bolashak overseas scholarship for Kazakhstani citizens.

Overview

The programme places international students at participating Kazakhstani universities for full-time Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD study. For the 2026/2027 academic year the government allocated 550 grants: 490 for Bachelor’s, 50 for Master’s and 10 for PhD study. Applications are made online through the Study in Kazakhstan portal, and the competition is announced at the start of each calendar year. The award covers full tuition and a monthly allowance for the normal duration of the programme.

Scholarship Benefits

For the 2026 cycle, the award provides:

• Full tuition fees for the awarded programme, for its normal duration.
• A monthly allowance, paid subject to academic progress. No programme-wide amount is published on the programme page, so no figure is stated here.

What it does NOT cover: travel, accommodation, visa and medical insurance are not stated as covered benefits on the programme page — check the official coverage page before applying, and plan and fund your own airfare, housing, visa and insurance. Do not assume any of these are included.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following conditions for the 2026 cycle:

• Be a foreign citizen of any nationality, including ethnic Kazakhs who are not citizens of Kazakhstan. Citizens of Kazakhstan are NOT eligible. Refugees with valid refugee documents may apply at Bachelor’s level.
• Be pursuing the chosen level of study for the first time.
• For a Bachelor’s degree: hold a secondary education certificate with an average grade of at least “Good”. No language certificate is listed for Bachelor’s applicants.
• For a Master’s degree: hold a Bachelor’s or specialist degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 or its equivalent, and provide a language certificate (see below).
• For a PhD: hold a Master’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 or its equivalent, and provide a language certificate and a dissertation-topic justification.
• Language (Master’s and PhD, English-medium): IELTS Academic minimum 5.5, or TOEFL iBT minimum 46, or TOEFL PBT minimum 453. An exemption applies where the previous degree was taught in the relevant language.

Applications may be submitted in Kazakh, Russian or English.

Available Fields

All fields offered by participating Kazakhstani universities through the Study in Kazakhstan portal. There is no closed field list — choose a programme that appears in the live portal for the current cycle.

Required Documents

Prepare the following, as set out in the official requirements:

• A copy of the identity document (passport; a refugee certificate where applicable).
• A copy of the previous education certificate with transcript and appendix, and a notarised translation into Kazakh, Russian or English.
• A motivation essay.
• The application questionnaire/form from the portal.
• A medical certificate of health for study abroad, issued by the official health authority of the applicant’s place of residence, and a medical certificate confirming the absence of HIV/AIDS.
• A language certificate (Master’s and PhD applicants).
• Two recommendations (Master’s and PhD applicants; one for Bachelor’s applicants).
• An invitation letter from the Kazakhstani university, where available (Master’s applicants).
• A dissertation-topic justification (PhD applicants).

Compile all documents into a single PDF unit for upload on the portal.

Application Process

1. Review participating universities and programmes on the Study in Kazakhstan portal (studyin.kz/admission) and choose a programme that appears in the live portal.
2. Create a personal account and complete the application on the portal during the open window.
3. Upload the complete document file as a single PDF unit and submit before the deadline. Late applications and unsubmitted drafts are not reviewed.
4. Recipient lists are published after selection.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Applications open (2026)	30 March 2026
Application deadline (2026)	31 May 2026, 23:59 Astana time

Applications for the 2026 round closed on 31 May 2026. The next cycle is announced at the start of each calendar year — no dates for the next round have been published yet, so check the official programme page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Kazakhstan Government Scholarship cover?

For 2026 it covers full tuition for the awarded programme and a monthly allowance, paid subject to academic progress. No programme-wide stipend amount is published. Travel, accommodation, visa and medical insurance are not stated as covered benefits — check the official coverage page before applying.

Who can apply?

Foreign citizens of any nationality, including ethnic Kazakhs who are not citizens of Kazakhstan. Citizens of Kazakhstan are not eligible.

How many grants are available?

550 grants for the 2026/2027 academic year: 490 for Bachelor’s, 50 for Master’s and 10 for PhD study.

Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?

For Master’s and PhD study in English, yes — IELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 46 or TOEFL PBT 453 as a minimum — unless your previous degree was taught in the relevant language. No language certificate is listed for Bachelor’s applicants.

The 2026 deadline has passed. What should I do?

Prepare your documents for the next cycle and watch the official programme page — the next competition is announced at the start of the calendar year, and no dates have been published yet.

Official source: Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Kazakhstan — Scholarship Program for Studying at Universities in Kazakhstan