Kazakhstan has completed the competitive selection for the state scholarship program for foreign citizens and ethnic Kazakhs (kandases). This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
As a result of the competition, the main list of 550 scholarship recipients for the 2026–2027 academic year has been approved. This was announced by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan.
Competition participants
According to the ministry, 16,098 people from 71 countries applied for 550 scholarships. Grants were distributed by education level as follows:
- 01Bachelor's degree – 400 grants
- 02Master's degree – 100 grants
- 03Doctoral degree – 50 grants
Share of kandases
A significant portion of the applicants were kandases. The program gives ethnic Kazakhs from abroad the opportunity to receive quality education and strengthen ties with their historical homeland.
Expanding geography
In 2026, the program's geography expanded significantly. While last year representatives of 26 states were recommended for study, this year citizens of 49 countries became scholarship recipients.
Universities and programs
27 Kazakhstani universities participate in the program, offering a total of 886 educational programs.
The universities that accepted the most scholarship recipients include:
- 01Kokshetau University named after Sh. Ualikhanov
- 02Astana IT University
- 03Satbayev University (KazNITU)
- 04L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
- 05Ablai Khan Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages
These universities demonstrate high results in educating foreign students and are becoming international educational centers.