Step 1. Create your personal account
Go to the admissions.nu.edu.kz portal and press the «Sign up» button and fill out the required information in English. Please select the «Masters» program when choosing the academic level.
After completing the application, confirm it by clicking on the link sent to your email.
Be sure to read the instructions about the application procedure given in your personal account.
Step 2. Complete your Application Form and attach required documents
- In the «My Application Forms» section of your Personal account, open the link for Step 1. Fill out the Application Form that includes a Consent form for personal data processing. Make sure you have entered all the required information in the correct manner and press the “Upload” button.
- Afterwards, in the same section of your Personal account, proceed to Step 2 and upload the required documents. The format of the required documents is specified in the Personal account.
- Upload a photo (3×4) for documents to the «Profile» section in your Personal account.
Step 3. Pay the application fee and finish the registration process
To finalize the application process, please click on the “PAY AND SUBMIT APPLICATION” button in your personal account under the “My Application Forms” section. The application fee shall be paid online through the payment options available in the personal account. The use of other payment methods for the application fee is not acceptable.
Applicants can apply for no more than two master’s / PhD programs at NU. In case of admission to both programs, the applicant must choose only one.
The application fee is 15 000 tenge. The application fee is increased 3 times when paid within the last two weeks before the first approved deadline and during the extension period for accepting applications for participation in the admission process (except for the Graduate School of Business). The application fee is non-refundable, irrespective of the application outcome or payment errors.
After submitting the online application, an applicant will not be able to make changes in the actions described in Step 2.
Step 4. Provide results of IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT
In order to provide IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
Send the electronic results of valid IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT certificate directly to NU via the test administrator;
Upload a scanned copy of the IELTS/TOEFL certificate to the «Upload IELTS/TOEFL results» section of a personal account and indicate its unique number. Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to the personal account will be considered.
Upload a scanned copy of the GRE/GMAT certificate in the «My Application Forms» section (Step 2) when uploading the required documents (if available or as required by the program).
Please pay attention to important information regarding the codes for providing test results through the test administrator:
Code for IELTS: NU, Admissions Department
Code for TOEFL iBT: 6762
Code for GRE: 6496
Code for GMAT: H6m-R7-93
Please note that issuance and submission of IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT results in the electronic database of NU is not within the competence of the University. You should independently contact the test administrator (test center) and make sure that your certificate has been sent. Please note that this action takes at least 7-10 working days. If the certificate is received after the deadline specified by the Admissions Department, results will not be considered in the competition
All certificates provided must be valid at the time of submission of the application.
Detailed instructions on the provision of IELTS/TOEFL certificates is available in the applicant’s personal account. IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and TOEFL PDT results are not considered in the competition and selection process.
Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report in one of the following documented cases:
- an academic degree was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication and academic instruction;
- an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English;
- if an applicant is a graduate of NU.
Further steps
After submission of the online application form, an automatic email notification will be sent to your referees with a request to submit a recommendation letter to NU in accordance with the provided online form. Detailed instruction about providing recommendation letters is available in the personal account.
Check your email for notifications from NU and your personal account to stay informed about the status of your application. Please keep in mind that sometimes letters from the university may go to the spam box.
Participate in the interview with the Admissions Committee in the case of being invited. Interviews are conducted in English.
All programs (a-z)
Find your program
At NU, you can follow your dreams, develop your skills, and realize your ambitions through our world-class, high-quality academic programs.
Admission Requirements
This is the Regular Admission, to see the requirements for Financial aid and scholarships please follow the link.
NU School of Engineering and Digital Sciences - NU SEDS
Master’s
Applicants are expected to have:
| 1 | An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent). | A minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). Final year students may submit the official transcript showing current courses during the application period for consideration. |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | 1. Academic IELTS (absolute minimum) – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home edition) score as posted on the ETS website; 2. Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if: – One of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country where English is the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life; – An undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program officially taught in English. |
| 3 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE/GMAT test (optional)* | Although an official GRE/GMAT score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance their application with a competitive GRE/GMAT score. |
| 4 | Statement of purpose | High motivation and a strong interest in the program as outlined in a statement of purpose (only for the Master of Engineering Management program). |
| 5 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation (only for the Master of Engineering Management program). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. |
* Applicants for the Master of Engineering Management program are invited to pass the ALEKS test on a set date. Applicants who provide a valid GRE or GMAT test certificate may request exemption from the ALEKS test.
More information on the school website
NU School Sciences and Humanities - NU SSH
Master’s
Applicants are expected to have:
| 1 | An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent). | A minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). Final year students may submit the official transcript showing current courses during the application period for consideration. |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | 1. Academic IELTS – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home edition) score as posted on the ETS website; 2. Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if: – One of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country where English is the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life; – An undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program officially taught in English. |
| 3 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE test (optional). | Although an official GRE score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance their application with a competitive GRE score. |
| 4 | Statement of purpose | High motivation and a strong interest in the program as outlined in a statement of purpose (only for the Master of Arts in Political Science and International Relations program and Master of Arts in Eurasian Studies program). |
| 5 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation (only for the Master of Arts in Political Science and International Relations program). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. Three confidential letters of recommendation (only for the Master of Arts in Eurasian Studies program). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. |
More information on the school website
NU School of Medicine - NUSOM (Master's, Doctor of Medicine Programs)
Master’s
Applicants to the Master of Public Health, Master of Molecular Medicine, Master of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Master in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation programs are expected to have:
| 1 | Undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant discipline; Graduate degree (if applicable) | During the application period, final year students may submit official transcripts for current coursework for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcripts and diplomas before the end of the Programs’ enrollment term. Graduates of the University may be enrolled based on evidence of their final transcript confirming degree completion, with diploma submission required within a month;
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| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | 1. The absolute minimum requirement for English language proficiency test reports for admission to the Program is an Academic IELTS – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL score (except Home edition) as posted on the ETS website; 2. Applicants to the Program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
|
| 3 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills | As demonstrated by GRE or GMAT (optional). Although an official GRE/GMAT score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance their application with a competitive GRE/GMAT score; |
| 4 | Statement of purpose | A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the statement of purpose; |
| 5 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation; |
| 6 | For Master of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Master in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation programs only: | Evidence of any professional and/or voluntary experiences related to biological and/or medical research (optional). Although this is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance their application with such evidence. |
Doctor of Medicine program
| 1 | Undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant discipline; Graduate degree (if applicable) |
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| 2 | High level of English proficiency. |
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| 3 | MCAT score | A score of 489 is required in order to be invited to an interview. |
| 4 | Statement of purpose and an essay | A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the statement of purpose; An essay on how the applicant would enrich the NUSOM community (500 words or fewer). |
| 5 | Letters of recommendation | Two (minimum) to four (maximum) confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 month. At least two letters must be from faculty in science departments. |
More information on the school website
NU School of Mining and Geosciences - NU SMG
Master’s
Applicants are expected to have:
| 1 | An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent). |
|
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | The absolute minimum requirement for English language proficiency test reports for admission to the program is: 1. Academic IELTS – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL score as posted on the ETS website; 2. Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if: – One of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country where English is the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life; – An undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program officially taught in English; – The applicant is a graduate of NU |
| 3 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills* | Although an official GRE score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance their application with a competitive GRE score. |
More information on the school website
NU Graduate School of Business - NU GSB
Master’s
Applicants are expected to have:
Master of Business Administration
Executive MBA
MSc in Finance
Master of Science in Finance
| 1 | An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) | During the application period, final-year students may submit their official transcript for current coursework for consideration. A minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | The absolute minimum English language proficiency requirement for admission to the program is:
|
| 3 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills | As demonstrated by ALEKS, GRE, or GMAT test scores. *Applicants with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher from STEM programs of Nazarbayev University, Economics of Nazarbayev University, or from top-200 THE-ranked universities can apply without taking the ALEKS/GRE/GMAT tests. |
| 4 | Statement of purpose | A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the program, as outlined in the statement of purpose. |
| 5 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation (to be submitted by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. |
Master of Business Administration
| 1 |
An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) |
During the application period, final-year students may submit the official transcript for current coursework for consideration. A minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | The absolute minimum English language proficiency requirement for admission to the program is:
|
| 3 | Work experience | At least 3 years of work experience. At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, applicants with less than 3 year of work experience may also be considered. |
| 4 | Strong reading, analytical and mathematical skills | As demonstrated by ALEKS/GRE/GMAT test scores. |
| 5 | Statement of purpose | A high level motivation and a strong interest in the program, as outlined in a statement of purpose. |
| 6 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation (to be submitted by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. |
Executive MBA
| 1 |
Degree Requirement |
Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree diploma (or equivalent). |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | The recommended level of English language proficiency is equal to an IELTS test score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 575 (PBT) and 90 (IBT) (except Home edition). GSB recognizes that some exceptional EMBA applicants with lower IELTS or TOEFL scores will bring other valuable attributes to the EMBA program. Therefore, the Admissions Committee may assess and recognize the English language proficiency of the applicants who have scored lower than specified. To support such applicants, simultaneous Russian translation and translation of in-class materials may be made available. Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
|
| 3 | Work experience | At least 5 years of work experience. The applicants are normally expected to have management positions in national companies, business entities, public institutions, and non-governmental or international organizations. Based on the decision of the Admissions Committee, exceptional applicants with work experience of less than 5 years may also be considered. |
| 4 | Statement of purpose | High motivation and a strong interest in the program as outlined in a statement of purpose |
| 5 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. |
More information on the school website
NU Graduate School of Public Policy - NU GSPP
Master’s
Applicants for the Master’s programs in
Public PolicyPublic Administration
Online Public Administration are expected to have:
| 1 |
An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent). |
An undergraduate degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent). During the application period, final-year students may submit an official current transcript for consideration |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. |
|
| 3 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as | as demonstrated by GRE test (optional); |
| 4 | Strong academic writing ability | as demonstrated in written essays. |
| 5 | Work experience for Master's in Public Policy | 2 years of work experience. Based on the School’s Admissions Committee discretion, applicants with work experience less than 2 years may also be considered, , if the applicant’s minimum CGPA is not less than 2.5 out of 4.0 or its equivalent. |
| 6 | Work experience for Master's in Public Administration and Online Master's in Public Administration | 3 years of work experience. Based on the School’s Admissions Committee discretion, applicants with work experience less than 3 years may also be considered, if the applicant’s minimum CGPA is not less than 2.5 out of 4.0 or its equivalent. |
More information on the school website
NU Graduate School of Education - NU GSE
| 1 |
An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent). |
A minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). During the application period, final year students may submit the official transcript for current coursework for consideration |
| 2 | High level of English proficiency. | 1. Academic IELTS – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home edition) score as posted on the ETS website; 2. Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if: – One of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country where English is the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life; – An undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program officially taught in English. |
| 3 | Work experience | 1 year of work experience in a relevant field. At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, applicants with less than 1 year of work experience may also be considered. |
| 4 | Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills | As demonstrated by the GRE test (optional). Although an official GRE score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance her/his application with a competitive GRE score |
| 5 | Statement of purpose | High motivation and a strong interest in the program as outlined in a statement of purpose |
| 6 | Letters of recommendation | Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request). You can find the Instructions for submission of recommendation letters here. |
More information on the school website
Important Dates
Online application deadlines for Masters programs:
For full tuition fee-paying category:
International applicants from countries requiring a visa prior to arrival: available until June 1, 2026, 2:00 P.M. (Astana time).
All other applicants (local and international): available until July 24, 2026, 2:00 P.M. (Astana time).
For Master of Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for admission within a sponsorship (if available): until May 14, 2026 (2 PM Astana time)
For the Master of Science in Nursing program: June 19, 2025
Master of Science in Finance and Master of Business Administration
Early round: October 31, 2025 – February 13, 2026 (2 p.m. Astana time) for all applicants.
Regular round: February 13, 2026 (2:01 p.m. Astana time) – May 5, 2026 (2 p.m. Astana time) for all applicants.
Late round:
For self-paid international Applicants with visa required prior to arrival: May 5, 2026 (2:01 p.m. Astana time) – June 1, 2026 (2 p.m. Astana time)
For all other applicants (local and international): May 5, 2026 (2:01 p.m. Astana time) – July 15, 2026 (2 p.m. Astana time)
For full tuition fee-paying category:
Applicants from countries requiring a visa prior to arrival: June 1, 2026
All other applicants (local and international): July 24, 2026
Master of Science in Finance and Master of Business Administration
Early round: February 24, 2026
Regular round: by May 19, 2026
Late round:
For self-paid international applicants with visa required prior to arrival: June 1, 2026
For all other applicants (local and international): July 15, 2026
Jose Villero-Mandon, Columbia
School of Mining and Geosciences • MSc in petroleum engineering
Almassadam Satkaliyev
Graduate School of Business • Executive MBA
Di Wang, China
School of Sciences and Humanities • M.A. in Eurasian Studies 2018
Nargiza Chorieva, Uzbekistan
Graduate School of Public Policy • Master in Public Policy (MPP) 2018
Islam Salikhanov
School of Medicine • Master of Public Health
Tuition fees
Master’s degree programs’ tuition fees (local & international) are available on the following webpage.
To learn more about tuition fees, please contact us at bursars_office@nu.edu.kz.
There are merit-based “Abay Kunanbayev” scholarships for top international applicants recommended for admission.
*For information about tuition fees at the Graduate School of Business (GSB), please visit the GSB website: gsb.nu.edu.kz.
**For information about tuition fees at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP), please visit the GSPP website: gspp.nu.edu.kz.
This is the Regular Admission, to see the requirements for Financial aid and scholarships please follow the page Financial Aid & Scholarships
Announcements
Useful information
FAQ
What does NUFYP mean?
NUFYP (Nazarbayev University Foundation Year Program) is a one-year intensive program at the Center for Preparatory Studies of Nazarbayev University. The program provides intensive personal development, study skills, mathematics, and academic-language proficiency preparation for the undergraduate programs of Nazarbayev University. Education in this program is available under the state grant or other forms of funding, as well as on a fee-paying basis. Following the results of study in the Foundation Year Program, students are accepted to Nazarbayev University undergraduate programs.
Can a 10th-grade student apply to NUFYP?
No, he/she cannot. Only final-year students and graduates of secondary/post-secondary educational organizations can take part in the competition for admission to NUFYP. In other words, to participate in the competition for admission to NUFYP, an applicant must be a student of a final grade/course or have graduated from a school or postsecondary educational organization. In order to confirm their status, applicants provide a verification letter from the school (spravka) or school diploma.
Is it possible to combine studies in high school and NUFYP at Nazarbayev University?
Combining studies is not possible. At the time of enrollment and study at NU, a student of NUFYP must be a graduate of a secondary/post-secondary educational organization. NUFYP is a full-time program.
What is the language of instruction at Nazarbayev University?
The language of instruction at Nazarbayev University is English.
Is it compulsory to enroll in NUFYP?
Admission to NUFYP after high school/college is optional. Applicants can enroll directly in the undergraduate program.
