Kazakhstan is one of the leaders in Central Asia in terms of the number of foreign students. The government is actively working to expand international cooperation to attract foreigners to study in the country. Every year, tens of thousands of students from other countries come to Kazakhstan to obtain higher education, academic degrees and titles. Today, we will look at the prospects this process opens up for academics.
Expanding the international academic space
Kazakhstan is actively developing cooperation with the world's leading educational institutions. As of today, 34 strategic partnerships have been concluded with universities in 12 countries, and 23 branches of leading universities in the UK, Italy, China, the USA, France, South Korea, and others operate in the country. By 2025, 11 more branches are planned to open, including Cardiff University, University of Exeter, University of Glasgow, and KAIST.
In 2024, the share of international students was 15% of the total number of students, which is an indicator of the steady growth of academic mobility. The University is implementing 245 double degree programmes with 97 universities from 23 countries.
The number of international students increased to 31,500 from 93 countries, which is 4,600 more than in 2023.
Interest from the United States, Africa and the Middle East is also growing.
Benefits for universities and the country
The presence of foreign students is an important factor in the internationalisation of higher education in Kazakhstan. Leading universities conduct annual promotion campaigns among foreign audiences, attracting students from all over the world.
Main advantages:
- Internationalisation of the campus: diversity is growing, international approaches are being introduced, and teachers from abroad are being recruited.
- Globally oriented education: cultural exchange promotes openness, tolerance and adaptation to global trends.
- International recognition: participation of international students positively affects the position of universities in international rankings such as QS or Times Higher Education.
Attracting foreigners is also economically important. Students pay tuition fees, spend money on accommodation, food, and travelling around the country, which contributes to the development of the economy. By 2028, Kazakhstan plans to attract 100,000 foreign students, which will bring the country $100 million in revenue and create about 13,000 new jobs.
Study grants for foreign students
In 2019, a programme was launched to provide grants to foreign students, including persons of Kazakh nationality who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In the first year of the programme, 89 grants were awarded, and in 2021, 240 grants were awarded. In total, a record number of grants was allocated in 2021 – 56 thousand.
In the 2024-2025 academic year, the total number of educational grants reached 78,219. Of these, 490 grants were allocated to foreigners, including representatives of Kazakh nationality from other countries.
The grants cover the full cost of education and provide a monthly stipend, which makes studying in Kazakhstan affordable and attractive for talented young people from all over the world.
International students are actively involved in research activities, as a significant number of them continue their postgraduate and doctoral studies to obtain academic degrees (PhD, Doctor of Sciences) and academic titles (Associate Professor, Professor). One of the main requirements for achieving these goals is the publication of research results in scientific journals. This, in turn, contributes to the development of science in the country, the creation of a favourable research environment and the enhancement of the international reputation of national science.
In this context, the development of educational programmes for foreign students in Kazakhstan is of particular strategic importance. This not only stimulates the modernisation of the educational system, but also facilitates its active involvement in the global academic space, which is an important factor in ensuring the country's competitiveness in the international educational and scientific environment.
Benefits of international cooperation with foreign students and future scientists
Increased scientific visibility and citation
Publications in journals included in reputable international databases such as Scopus and Web of Science provide a wider reach among researchers around the world. This helps to increase the level of citations, as the works become available to a wider audience. Due to the high standards of peer review and editing, such publications are trusted in the scientific community, which increases their significance and impact.
Opportunities for scientific cooperation
Joint activities with foreign students and young scientists open up new areas of research for Kazakhstani scientists. Collaborative work on publications helps to enhance academic reputation, promotes professional growth, and can become the basis for obtaining funding for future research.
The requirement to have publications in Scopus or Web of Science for obtaining academic degrees and titles is set out in the regulatory acts of Kazakhstan. This motivates researchers to improve the quality of their research and promotes international recognition of their work.
Joint projects as an impetus for development
Young scientists, postgraduates and doctoral students should actively initiate partnerships with foreign colleagues. This promotes the emergence of new ideas, expands the range of research topics, and ensures fruitful interdisciplinary interaction.
Internationalisation of scientific activities
Cooperation with foreign scientists allows Kazakh researchers to integrate into the global scientific space. Some foreign partners often have access to modern technologies, financial resources and facilities, which creates favourable conditions for joint initiatives.
At the same time, foreign students studying in Kazakhstan can improve their own scientific level by joining the research of local scientists. Such a partnership is mutually beneficial and contributes to the sustainable development of the scientific sector, increasing the competitiveness of Kazakh science at the international level.
Exchange of experience and participation in projects
International cooperation facilitates the exchange of innovative approaches, methodologies and scientific approaches. Participation in joint research allows us to study the best practices of other countries and implement them in scientific activities in Kazakhstan.
Partnership with foreign researchers facilitates access to grant competitions, international symposia, conferences, seminars and exchange programmes. This opens up new prospects for popularising scientific achievements and building a professional network.
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