From October 28, Kazakhstan will accept applications for comprehensive testing for admission to master's programs and entrance exams for doctoral studies. Registration will continue until November 10, 2026 inclusive on the website of the National Testing Center at app.testcenter.kz. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the comprehensive testing itself will take place in November–December. During registration, applicants can choose the city where they will take the test, and until November 10 it is possible to change it, the testing language and the group of educational programs. The exam date will appear in the personal account on November 13.
"After the application database is closed, the selected group of educational programs and the testing city cannot be changed," the ministry warned.
Research and pedagogical master's programs
For research and pedagogical master's programs, applicants must take a foreign language test, a test on readiness for learning and two specialized disciplines. Candidates will be given 3 hours 55 minutes for the tasks. The threshold is 75 points: at least 25 in the foreign language and at least seven in each of the other sections.
Profile master's programs
For profile master's programs, a test in specialized disciplines is sufficient. Applicants must score at least 30 points, including at least seven in each discipline.
For profile master's programs requiring creative preparation, documents are accepted directly at universities from October 28 to November 10.
Admission to doctoral studies
To apply for doctoral studies, applicants must first submit documents to the university's admissions committee, then register for the exam online. KAZTEST certificates and certificates of foreign language proficiency will be required. Holders of TOEFL ITP additionally take an English test before the entrance exam.
Until November 10, the application can be edited or deleted, including changing the testing city and the group of educational programs. The place, date and time of additional testing will appear in the personal account on November 13, and of the entrance exam on November 26. The exam itself will take place in December.
For PhD programs, an interview, an essay and specialized questions are provided. To participate in the competition for state-funded education, applicants must score at least 75 points.
For doctors by profile, including industrial PhD, an interview and specialized questions are required. The threshold for the competition for state-funded education is 50 points.
Data on summer testing
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that more than 61,000 applications were submitted for the summer comprehensive testing for master's programs in 2026 — 10,000 more than a year earlier. About 11,000 grants were allocated for master's education this year.
The most popular fields were pedagogical sciences, engineering, processing and construction, as well as business, management and law. Summer testing was held from July 20 to August 10.