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Admissions

all programs

DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMS

This is the highest degree awarded by universities and requires a high level of research skills and enthusiasm for in-depth analysis of a particular field. PhD programs typically take 4 years.

To get more information

Those who have already completed a Bachelor’s and  Master's degree (or its equivalent) can apply for this program. During the online application period, students of the last year of Master's degree can submit an official transcript indicating their current academic performance for consideration by the Admissions Committee.
PhD students study under the state educational grant of the Republic of Kazakhstan or other forms of funding.

foundation-about
How to apply
Zero Year of Graduate programs
School of Engineering and Digital Sciences
School of Science and Humanities
School of Medicine
School of Mining and Geosciences
Graduate School of Business
Graduate School of Public Policy
Graduate School of Education

Applicants must go through the following online application steps to participate in the competition:

Step 1. 

Create your Personal account

Go to admissions.nu.edu.kz portal, press the «Sign up» button and fill out the required information in English. Please select the «Doctorate» program during choosing the Academic level.  

After completing the registration, 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. 

Fill out the application form

In the «My Application Forms» section of your Personal Account, open the link Step 1. Fill out the Application Form online and Consent form for personal data processing according to the online form. Make sure you have entered all the required information in the correct manner and press the «Upload» button.

Step 3. 

Submit the required documents

After filling out the application form, in the Step 2 section, you need to upload the required documents.

The format of requested documents is available in a Personal account.

Upload a 3*4 photo for documents to the «Profile» section in your Personal account.

Step 4.

Pay the application fee

The application fee shall be paid online in your Personal account at the «My Application Forms»  section with a bank card. 

The application fee is 5 000 tenge. This amount is non-refundable. 

The payment of the application fee by transferring money through the bank is not acceptable. Applicants can apply for no more than 2 Master's / Ph.D. programs at Nazarbayev University. In this regard, please do not make the payment more than 2 times. In case of admission to both programs, the applicant must choose only one.

If you have no personal card you may use the card of another person.

Step 5. 

Finish the application process

After completing all above-mentioned steps please press the «SUBMIT APPLICATION». Now the application is considered completed.

After submission applicants cannot make any changes in their applications and submitted documents.

Admissions Department will check your application and contact you by email specifying which documents and when are to be resubmitted, in case of need. Incomplete or incorrect (uncorrected) applications will not be considered in the competition.

Step 6. 

Submit IELTS/ TOEFL certificate

In order to provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:

  1. To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
  2. To upload its scanned copy and insert its data to the «Upload IELTS/TOEFL results» section of a Personal account. Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.

Carefully consider the information regarding codes for a test certificate submission via the Test Administrator or the Test Center. See below:

  • Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University
  • Code for TOEFL iBT: 6762
  • Code for GRE:  6496
  • Code for GMAT:  H6m-R7-93

Detailed Instruction on the provision of IELTS/TOEFL certificates is available in applicants’ Personal account.

The results of IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and TOEFL PDT are not considered in the competition.

All certificates provided must be valid at the time of submission of documents.

Please note that submission of IELTS/TOEFL certificates in the electronic database of Nazarbayev University is not within the competence of the University. You should independently contact the 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.

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:

  • one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
  • an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English;
  •  if the applicant is a graduate of Nazarbayev University.

Further steps

An automatic email notification will be sent to your referrers asking them to provide them with letters of recommendation in accordance with the electronic form sent to their email addresses.

Check your email for notifications from Nazarbayev University and your Personal Account to find out about the status of your application. ​​Please keep in mind that sometimes letters from the University may go to the spam box.

In case of an invitation to an interview, go through an interview with the Admissions Committee. Interviews are conducted in English.

 

PhD's Degree programs provide the opportunity to study at “Zero Year of Graduate programs” (ZYGP) - a two-semester, full-time intensive pre-master and pre-PhD English and content course program for applicants who lack the English proficiency required for the direct entry into the Master's and PhD's Degree programs.

The aim of the Program is to give students the support needed to acquire English language proficiency and academic skills required to successfully begin Master’s and PhD level studies. Satisfactory completion of the Program will permit the students to progress to the Master’s Degree or PhD programs of the University to which they applied and for which they were interviewed.

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

The online registration period:

Please check the registration periods of the PhD's Degree program you going to apply.

Zero Year of Graduate programs is not implemented on Full-time MBA, Doctor of Medicine and Residency programs.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

In order to apply an applicant must:

  1. meet the minimum entry requirements of the chosen PhD program, except the English language requirements:
    – have a valid overall IELTS test score of 5.5 (with no more than one sub-score of 5.0) or the equivalent TOEFL scores (except Home edition) as posted on the ETS website as of the date of online documents submission;
    – have a valid overall IELTS test score of 6.0 (with no more than one sub-score of 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL scores (except Home edition) as posted on the ETS website – for PhD in education and PhD in Eurasian studies programs as of the date of online documents submission;

  2. indicate Zero years of Master’s Programs in the Application Form. Keep in mind that the Admissions Committee may recommend for ZYGP those applicants who did not indicate it during registration.

Application package checklist

Please check the application checklist of the PhD program you going to apply.

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate TRF number for IELTS, registration number for TOEFL.
Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

Applicants who have already obtained a Master’s degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to the Nazarbayev University’s Master’s degree program and/or the Nazarbayev University Zero Year Program (NUZYP). The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department.

All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

All submitted documents shall be in English or with notarized English translation.

Submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

Standardized test reports should be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.


NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:GRE – 6496
TOEFL – 6762
GMAT – H6m-R7-93
IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resources

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email: Info_admissions@nu.edu.kz

Phone number: +7 /7172/ 642 584

NU School of Engineering and Digital Sciences (NU SEDS) aims to be the leading engineering school in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The NU SEDS's goal is to prepare its graduates to meet the growing demand for professional practitioners in the fields of chemical and materials, mechanical and aerospace, civil and environmental, electrical, computer engineering and computer sciences. NU SEDS is the largest school by the number of Nazarbayev University students enrolled.

PhD Programs:

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent)
2. A Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A minimum CGPA of masters degree 2.75 out of a 4.00.
4. English proficiency:
     1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
     2) Applicants can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GMAT or GRE test (recommended);
6. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a statement of purpose.

Application package checklist

1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts. During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (except Home Edition) (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Applicants should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
7. GRE or GMAT certificates valid as of date of online documents submission (recommended);
8. Statement of purpose outlining the applicant’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the program would help him/her to achieve these goals (500 words);
9. Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months (including at least one academic reference (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
10. Resume (1 page);

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

      for International applicants: December 12, 2022 – February 28, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 12, 2022 – April 18, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates: 

      for International applicants: March 15, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 3, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department. 

  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.

  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.

  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:

    • GRE – 6496

    • TOEFL – 6762

    • GMAT – H6m-R7-93

    • IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

  • Regarding consultation on admissions - info_admissions@nu.edu.kz
  • In case of questions  regarding submission of an application, please send a request to the emails according to the table below, specifying the Applicant ID number assigned in your Personal Account - admissions.seds@nu.edu.kz
  • On academic issues - seds@nu.edu.kz

Phone numbers: +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30

NU School Sciences and Humanities (NU SSH) programs are designed to train leaders in all aspects of social development to have versatile knowledge in the field of social, liberal and natural sciences. NU SSH teaches its students to solve intellectual challenges they may encounter in their life and career regardless of their career choice.

PhD Programs:

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A minimum CGPA of 2.75 out of a 4.00.
4. English proficiency:
     1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) except for PhD in Eurasian studies program overall IELTS test score of 7.0 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0)  or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
     2) Applicants can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5) Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE test (recommended);
6) High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a personal statement;
7) Strong academic writing ability as demonstrated in a writing sample (academic paper, essay, published article);
8) Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal.

Application package checklist

  1. Complete Application form;
  2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
  3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
  4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts; During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
  5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL (except Home Edition) certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
  6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Applicants should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
  7. Valid GRE Test Report (general test). An applicant must indicate University as a recipient when registering for the test. In case the applicant passed the test earlier, he/she can contact the test center and indicate Nazarbayev University as a recipient. Although an official GRE score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance her/his application with a competitive GRE score;
  8. Personal statement outlining the applicant’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the program would help him/her to achieve these goals (250-500 words);
  9. Two confidential letters of recommendation in English (with notarized English translation) written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
  10. Writing sample (academic paper, essay, published article);
  11. Research proposal outlining the research topic the applicant would like to pursue in the Program (1500-2000 words);
  12. Applicants recommended for admission must provide hard copies of IELTS and GRE results (if applicable) as requested by the Admissions Department.

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

      for International applicants: December 12, 2022 – February 28, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 12, 2022 – April 18, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates: 

      for International applicants: March 15, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 3, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department. 

  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.

  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.

  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:

    • GRE – 6496

    • TOEFL – 6762

    • GMAT – H6m-R7-93

    • IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

  • Regarding consultation on admissions - info_admissions@nu.edu.kz
  • In case of questions  regarding submission of an application, please send a request to the emails according to the table below, specifying the Applicant ID number assigned in your Personal Account - admissions.ssh@nu.edu.kz
  • On academic issues - ssh@nu.edu.kz

Phone numbers: +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30

Nazarbayev University School of Medicine (NUSOM) is the Republic of Kazakhstan’s first US-style curriculum which is taught in English with the goal of educating future medical leaders in health care, education and biomedical research. The School aspires to be a world-class and to generate and sustain excellence in health education and biomedical research by creating a supportive and stimulating academic environment where creativity, life-long learning and discoveries are supported and encouraged. NUSOM offers Master programs, Doctor of Medicine, PhD and Residency programs.

PhD Program:

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, or a terminal medical degree (MD or equivalent). During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration;
3. A Minimum CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 CGPA in applicant’s Master’s (or equivalent) degree;
4. English proficiency:
     1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
     2) Applicants can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written Project proposal.

Application package checklist

1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3.Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts;
During the application period final year students may upload an official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL (except Home Edition) certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program that was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). A applicant must indicate Nazarbayev University as a recipient when registering for the test. In case the applicant passed the test earlier, he/she can contact the test center and indicate Nazarbayev University as a recipient. Applicants can provide an official electronic score report of valid Academic IELTS or TOEFL IBT certificates from the Test Administrator and its scanned copy;
7. Project proposal (not more than 500 words);
8. Curriculum vitae;
9. Evidence of any professional and/or voluntary experiences that develop essential skills related to laboratory work;
10. Two confidential reference letters in English (or with notarized English translation) written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
11. 075/у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani applicants) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health (for international applicants);

12. Document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record – for Biomedical Sciences; 

13. list of the applicant’s preferred three choices of PhD projects (optional) – for Biomedical Sciences;

14. List of graduate courses the applicant’s has taken in Epidemiology and Statistics – for Global Health.

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

      for International applicants: December 6, 2022 – February 28, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 6, 2022 – April 18, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates: 

      for International applicants: March 15, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 3, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department. 

  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.

  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.

  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:

    • GRE – 6496

    • TOEFL – 6762

    • GMAT – H6m-R7-93

    • IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

Phone numbers: +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30

School of Mining and Geosciences at Nazarbayev University aims to be a world-class institution within the area of natural resources by educating highly qualified professionals with up-to-date knowledge and skills in earth science and related subjects. The school offers undergraduate and graduate programs that aim to train engineering professionals who can design, operate and manage operations as well as develop research skills and knowledge to provide support to petroleum and mining industry to have safe, environmentally friendly and economically viable operations.

PhD Programs: 

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A minimum CGPA of 2.75 out of a 4.00;
4. English proficiency:
     1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
     2) Applicants can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE or GMAT tests (optional);
6. High level of motivation and strong interest in the Program outlined in a statement of purpose.

Application package checklist

1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s) with transcripts;
During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (except Home edition) (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL);
7. GRE or GMAT certificates valid as of date of online documents submission (optional);
8. Statement of purpose describing applicant’s educational, professional, and research experience, reasons for applying to the School of Mining and Geosciences PhD program, further career perspectives and how new knowledge and skills obtained after the program completion would help to achieve those goals (up 1A4 page);
9. Two letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
10. Curriculum vitae.

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

      for International applicants: December 6, 2022 – February 28, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 6, 2022 – April 18, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:

      for International applicants: March 15, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 3, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department. 

  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.

  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.

  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:

    • GRE – 6496

    • TOEFL – 6762

    • GMAT – H6m-R7-93

    • IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

  • Regarding consultation on admissions - info_admissions@nu.edu.kz
  • In case of questions  regarding submission of an application, please send a request to the emails according to the table below, specifying the Applicant ID number assigned in your Personal Account - admissions.smg@nu.edu.kz
  • On academic issues - smg@nu.edu.kz

Phone numbers: +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30

The Nazarbayev Graduate School of Business (NU GSB) is a promising academic institution established for business leaders. The School offers new approaches to education in the field of business management in one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Our programs offer students the opportunity to get high-quality education in the field of business administration, expand their business contacts and apply their knowledge and skills to their work as much as possible.

PhD program:

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);

2. A Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration. 

3. CGPA 3.0 out of 4.0.
3.00 CGPA in applicant’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree (or equivalent).

4. Valid English Test Report
     1) The absolute minimum requirement for English language proficiency test reports for admission to the Program is an overall IELTS test score of 6.5, with sub-score requirements no less than 6.0, or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website.
     2) Applicants at the discretion of the Admissions Committee can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if: 
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English. Applicants must provide an official document confirming English as the language of instruction;
         - the applicant is a graduate of Nazarbayev University.

5. Work experience (if applicable)

6. Valid GMAT or GRE Test Report
Strong reading, analytical and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE/GMAT test reports/certificates. 

7. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a personal statement;

8. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal.

Application package checklist

1. Complete Application form;

2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);

3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);

4. Notarized copy of Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree and/or PhD degree diploma
Notarized copy of Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree and/or PhD degree diploma. Master’s degree should be in a relevant discipline with a transcript including a notarized English translation. Applicants who obtained Bachelor’s and/or Master’s and/or PhD degree diplomas from foreign educational institutions must request their official transcript(s) to be sent directly to the Graduate School of Business;

5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL (except Home Edition) certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;

6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Applicants should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;

7. Work experience (if applicable). Scanned notarized copy of Labor card with English translation or another documented proof of work experience.

8. Valid GMAT or GRE Test Report
Strong reading, analytical and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE/GMAT test reports/certificates. 

9. Personal Statement. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a personal statement. Personal statement (300-500 words) outlining the applicant’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the Program would help her or him to achieve these goals.

10. Recommendation letters. Two (2) confidential letters of recommendation written within the last two years (to be provided by referees via University system or in scanned copy).

11. Research Proposal. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal. Preliminary research proposal (1500-2000 words) outlining the research topic the applicant would like to pursue in the Program.

12. CV in English.

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

  • for International applicants: December 20, 2022 – February 28, 2023
  • for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 20, 2022 – April 18, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates: 

  • for International applicants: March 15, 2023
  • for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 3, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department. 

  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.

  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.

  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:

    • GRE – 6496

    • TOEFL – 6762

    • GMAT – H6m-R7-93

    • IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

Phone numbers:

  • Regarding consultation on admissions +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30
  • On academic issues +7 (7172) 70 57 42, 70 90 28, 70 93 32

NU Graduate School of Public Policy (NU GSPP) aims to educate professionals and leaders to understand and implement sound public policy and good governance to improve the quality of life of people. NU GSPP students include professionals from the public sector, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and decision-makers from the private sector. NU GSPP offers graduate degree programs, as well as short-term executive education programs that focus on key policy and leadership challenges.

PhD Program:

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents. 

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. First or upper-class second honours Bachelor`s degree (or equivalent: Cum Laude; Magna Cum Laude; and Summa Cum Laude) and a Master’s degree in a cognate discipline. During the application period, final year students may submit an official current transcript for consideration;
2. At least 3 (three) years of relevant work experience. Based on GSPP’s Admissions Committee discretion, applicants with work experience less than 3 (three) years may also be considered if the applicant can demonstrate high academic performance;
3. English proficiency:
     1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL score (except Home Edition) as posted on the ETS website;
     2) Applicants can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English;
4. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE/GMAT test (maybe submitted);
5. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a cover letter;
6. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal.

Application package checklist

1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts. During the application period, final year students may upload the official current transcript for consideration.
5. IELTS or TOEFL certificate (except Home Edition) valid as of the date of online documents submission;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Applicants should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English.
7. Documented proof of work experience (if applicable);
8. Resume;
9. GRE/GMAT certificate valid as of the date of online documents submission (if any);
10. Cover letter explaining the motivation to enrol in the Program;
11. Two confidential letters of recommendation (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request);
12. Preliminary research proposal (2000 words).

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

      for International applicants: December 5, 2022 – February 28, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 5, 2022 – May 2, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates: 

      for International applicants: March 15, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 16, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.
  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.
  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department.
  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by applicants to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.
  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.
  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.
  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.
  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:
    GRE – 6496
    TOEFL – 6762
    GMAT – H6m-R7-93
    IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

Phone numbers: +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30

NU Graduate School of Education (NU GSE) admitted its first students in September 2013. The main objective of the NU Graduate School of Education is to promote the further development of the education sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan by training future generations of educational managers and researchers. The School offers Master’s and Ph.D. degree programs and professional development programs.

PhD Program:

For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.

APPLY NOW

Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. A Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A competitive CGPA in a applicant’s Master’s (or equivalent) degree.
4. English proficiency:
     1) Overall IELTS test score of 7.0 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL score (except Home Edition) as posted on the ETS website;
     2) Applicants can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
          – one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
          – an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. 2 years of work experience in a relevant field. At the discretion of the Admissions Committee applicants with less than 2 years of work experience may also be considered.
6. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE test (recommended);
7. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a personal statement;
8. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal.

Application package checklist

1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts; During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL (except Home Edition) certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Candidates should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
7. Documented proof of work experience (if applicable);
8. GRE certificate valid as of date of online documents submission (recommended);
9. Personal statement outlining the candidate’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the program would help him/her to achieve these goals (300-500 words);
10. Three confidential letters of recommendation written within the last two years in English language (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request);
11. Research proposal outlining the research topic the candidate would like to pursue in the Program (1500-2000 words);

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2023-2024 academic year

Online application deadlines for PhD program:

      for International applicants: December 12, 2022 – February 28, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: December 12, 2022 – April 18, 2023

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates: 

      for International applicants: March 15, 2023

      for the citizens of Kazakhstan: May 3, 2023

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August, 2023

First day of classes: August, 2023

Status assigned to the applicant

All registered applicants can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.

Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the applicant on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address. 

Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given  after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.

Disqualified. The status is assigned to applicants who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition.  For example, provided deliberately false information.

Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the applicant’s application.

Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.

Pending. Applicant’s application is pending

Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the applicant’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such applicants should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other applicants reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.

Recommended for admission to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the applicant for the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program. “Zero Year of Graduate programs” is a two-semester full-time program for applicants, who do not meet the language requirements for direct admission to Master’s programs, with intensive language, academic and research preparation for Master’s programs.

Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend applicant for the  program without going through the “Zero Year of Graduate programs”.

Recommended  for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a applicant for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.                 

Withdrawn. Applicant  decided to withdraw from the competition.

Accepted Program admission offer.The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Accepted “Zero Year of Graduate programs” admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who received offer letter to “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the  сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.

Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission, but refused to study.

Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those applicants, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the  applicant chooses another program.

Deferred. The status is assigned to applicants who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.

Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to applicants who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the applicant refuses to study at University.

Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to applicants who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the applicants in the Waiting list. 

Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Enrolled to “Zero Year of Graduate programs”. The status is assigned to applicants who enrolled to the “Zero Year of Graduate programs” program by the Decision of the Provost. Applicant officially became a student.

Important information

  • To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
    1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
    2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in the section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate the TRF number for IELTS, and the registration number for TOEFL.
    Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
    The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date.

  • Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.

  • Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department. 

  • All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by candidates to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.

  • All submitted documents shall be in English or with a notarized English translation.

  • The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.

  • Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.

  • NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:

    • GRE – 6496

    • TOEFL – 6762

    • GMAT – H6m-R7-93

    • IELTS – Nazarbayev University

Useful resourses

Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.

Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. The event was held on September 25, 2022. Video about NU, from professors, employees and students are available on the You-tube Nazarbayev University Official channel.

Contact details

Email addresses: 

  • Regarding consultation on admissions - info_admissions@nu.edu.kz
  • In case of questions  regarding submission of an application, please send a request to the emails according to the table below, specifying the Applicant ID number assigned in your Personal Account - admissions.gse@nu.edu.kz
  • On academic issues - gse@nu.edu.kz

Phone numbers: +7 (7172) 64 25 84, +7 747 094 02 30