The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan invites applications from international students for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD scholarships for full-time studies in Kazakhstan.

For more information on the scholarships programme, visit https://bolashak.gov.kz/kz/ctipendiyaly-badarlama 

Degree level 

Bachelor’s

Master’s

PhD

Deadline

31 May 2025

Who can apply?

Foreign citizens including persons of Kazakh nationality who are not a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Fields of Study

Various fields of study are on offer. Visit the List of participating Kazakhstan universities' websites to learn more about the available study fields.

What the Scholarship Offers

The scholarship covers:

       -   The full cost of tuition;

       -   Monthly allowance based on academic programme.

Exclusions include:

       -   Travel costs;

       -   Accommodation;

       -   Visa fees;

       -   Medical insurance.

Note: Applicants will need to make provision for all expenses not covered by the scholarship.

Application Process

Applications are submitted online only, from 30 March to 31 May 2025, via the following link: https://studyin.kz/admission.

Applications must be completed in Kazakh, Russian, or English, and must include all required documents listed below.

Bachelor’s Degree

  • Copy of identity document (including refugee certificate, if applicable);

  • Previous academic qualifications (with transcript and appendix), and a notarized translation into Kazakh, Russian, or English;

  • Motivational essay (Kazakh, Russian, or English);

  • Two letters of recommendation from an educational institution or employer (Kazakh, Russian, or English);

  • Medical certificate for study abroad and HIV/AIDS certificate from an official health authority;

  • Completed questionnaire (click to download);

  • Invitation letter from a Kazakhstani NGO (if available).

Master’s Degree

  • Copy of identity document;

  • Bachelor's degree and transcript, with a notarized translation into Kazakh, Russian, or English (minimum GPA of 3.0 or equivalent);

  • Motivational essay (Kazakh, Russian, or English);

  • Two letters of recommendation (Kazakh, Russian, or English);

  • Medical certificate for study abroad and HIV/AIDS certificate;

  • Completed questionnaire (click to download);

  • Invitation letter from a Kazakhstani NGO (if available);

  • Proof of foreign language proficiency.

PhD Degree

  • Copy of identity document;

  • Master's degree and transcript, with a notarized translation into Kazakh, Russian, or English (minimum GPA of 3.0 or equivalent);

  • Motivational essay (Kazakh, Russian, or English);

  • Two letters of recommendation (Kazakh, Russian, or English);

  • Medical certificate for study abroad and HIV/AIDS certificate;

  • Completed questionnaire (click to download);

  • Invitation letter from a Kazakhstani NGO (if available);

  • Proof of foreign language proficiency (see below);

  • Justification of the chosen dissertation topic in Kazakh, Russian, or English.

Accepted International Language Proficiency Certificates (Master's and PhD)

English

  • TOEFL iBT: min. 46

  • TOEFL PBT: min. 453

  • IELTS Academic: min. 5.5

German

  • DSH (Level B2)

  • TestDaF (Level B2)

French

  • TFI: Level B2 (reading & listening)

  • DELF/DALF: Level B2

  • TCF: min. 400 points

Chinese

  • HSK (Level 4 or higher)

Note:  An international language proficiency certificate is not required if your previous education was in the program's language.

Contact

For further enquiries, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Documents and Links

Website for the Scholarship Programme for international students in Kazakhstan

List of participating Kazakhstan universities

Educational programs of higher education institutions

Application portal 

Note

Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.