Programs
How to apply
Entry requirements
Mid-year Intake on a fee-paying basis
Important dates
Selection process and enrollment
Useful information and quick links
Glossary
Undergraduate program offers the following majors:
To participate in the competition the following steps must be completed:
STEP 1. Create your Personal account | Register on www.admissions.nu.edu.kz portal to create a Personal Account. Read the instructions about the application procedure given in your Personal account. |
STEP 2. Complete your Application Form and attach required documents | Fill out the application form and attach the required documents: -
Scanned copy of a National ID card or passport; -
Scanned copy of secondary school or higher education institution certificate (attestat/diploma) with transcript or certificate from the school (spravka) according to the sample in the Personal account; -
Motivation letter in English; -
Valid copies of certificates. The results of standardized tests must be sent directly to the University through test administrators. |
STEP 3. Pay an application fee and Finish the registration process | Finish the registration process by pressing the “Pay and Submit application” button. After submission applicants can’t change their applications. The application fee is paid online via your Personal account with a bank card. The amount to pay is 5 000 tenge. Please be kindly informed that the application fee increases 3 times its established amount for applicants who pay the application fee within the last two weeks before the first officially approved deadline and during the extension period for application for participation in the admissions process for the Undergraduate programs (except Bachelor in Nursing (2-year) program of the School of Medicine). All application fees are non-refundable. |
STEP 4. Upload IELTS/TOEFL results | Upload IELTS/TOEFL results/certificates in your Personal account in section "Upload IELTS/TOEFL results" and fill up required information about the certificate. |
Further steps
Check your e-mail for notifications from the NU Admissions Department and your Personal account to learn about your application status.
If you experience any difficulties with the registration or online application, please contact info_admissions@nu.edu.kz. Refer to your IIN and/or Applicant ID while sending us your requests.
Mandatory entry requirements for all categories
| IELTS or TOEFL | IELTS – 6.5 overall (6.0 in each section)
OR
TOEFL iBT** – 79 (reading – 13, listening – 12, speaking – 18, writing – 21)
(There is no minimum requirements for winners of International or/and Republican Subject Olympiads for IELTS/TOEFL IBT) |
*Superscoring does not apply to IELTS/TOEFL
**IELTS Online or IELTS Indicator, TOEFL iBT Home Edition or TOEFL PDT are not considered
***IELTS/TOEFL test certificates are considered valid if their results do not expire by the 1st of August of the relevant academic year to which Applicants are applying. Results of a test, taken before August 1, 2022, are not considered in the competition.
NUET applicants
Minimum entry requirements for NUET applicants category
| Exam | |
| NUET | 120 total score and 50,50 passing scores per subject (Mathematics, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving) for participation in the competition. Applicants with a minimum passing score can be considered for NUFYP program |
| Interview | At the request of the Admissions Committee/School |
NUET (Nazarbayev University Entrance Test) – test that evaluates academic training for studying at the University
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NUET is held in 2 subject sections - Mathematics and Critical Thinking & Problem Solving.
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Number of questions – 60.
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Test content – multiple-choice questions.
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Test duration – 120 minutes. Minimum passing score – determined by the Admissions Committee
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Test results are available in 6 weeks in a Personal account.
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The number of tasks and duration of the entry examination are subject for change by Test administrators.
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Information about access to the entry examination is placed in the applicant’s Personal account.
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Applicants are informed about examination date and venue, information on format, as well as required documents and Rules of conduct during the examination via email one week prior to the exams.
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If a violation of rules or conditions of passing the test occurs, the applicant's results are cancelled. In this case, the applicant is excluded from the competition. Disqualified applicants will not be able to enroll to NU in the future.
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There is no appeal procedure.
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NUET for all applicants is free of charge
SAT/ACT applicants
Minimum entry requirements for SAT/ACT applicants category
| Exam | |
| Digital SAT Reasoning Test** or ACT | Digital SAT Reasoning Test – 1240
OR ACT – 26 composite score |
| Interview | At the request of the Admissions Committee/School |
SAT/ACT test results are valid if their results do not expire by the 1st of August of the relevant academic year to which Applicants are applying. Within this admission competition, the SAT and ACT certificates expiration period is two years.
*SAT/ACT certificates are considered without superscoring.
**Only digital SAT test is considered in the competition.
IB Diploma holders*
Minimum entry requirements for IВ Diploma holders**
| Diploma | |
| IB Diploma results | 30 total score and 4, 4, 5 for 3 subjects of HL |
| Interview | At the request of the Admissions Committee/School |
*Only IB Diploma holders who have the final results of IB Diploma by the deadline of application period can participate in the competition under this category (Within this admission competition, IB diploma expiration period is two years). Diplomas of 2022 and 2023 years are considered in the competition.
**IB Diploma holders also may choose to participate in the competition by the one of the following categories: “SAT/ACT applicants” or “NUET applicants” or "Winners of International or/and Republican Subject Olympiads (see the minimum requirements for these categories on the website)
A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate holders*
Minimum entry requirements for A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate holders**
| Certificate | |
| A-level/NIS 12 Grade Certificate results | not less than ABB for any subjects |
| Interview | At the request of the Admissions Committee/School |
*Only A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate holders who have the final results of A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate by the deadline of application period can participate in the competition under this category (Within this admission competition, A-level and NIS grade 12 Certificate expiration period is two years). Certificates of 2022 and 2023 are considered in the competition.
**A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate holders also may choose to participate in the competition by the one of the following categories: “SAT/ACT applicants” or “NUET applicants” or "Winners of International or/and Republican Subject Olympiads" (see the minimum requirements for these categories on the website).
Winners of International or/and Republican Subject Olympiads
List of International Subject Olympiads
- International Mathematics Olympiad – IMO
- International Physics Olympiad – IPHO
- International Chemistry Olympiad -IChO
- International Biology Olympiad IBO
- International Olympiad in Informatics – IOI
- International Zhautykov Olympiad in Mathematics, Physics and Informatics
- International Mendeleyev Chemistry Olympiad
List of Republican Subject Olympiads of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Republican Mathematics Olympiad
- Republican Physics Olympiad
- Republican Chemistry Olympiad
- Republican Biology Olympiad
- Republican Informatics Olympiad
*Applicants can apply with both Republican and International Olympiads
Minimum requirements for the winners of the International or/and Republican Subject Olympiads category
| Type of Olympiad | Medal type | Interview with Admissions Committee |
| Republic Olympiad | gold and silver medals (I, II place) for the current academic year | Required |
| International Olympiad* | gold, silver and bronze medals (I, II, III place) for the last three years |
Undergraduate program Mid-year Intake is an additional admission period in which applicants will be enrolled on a fee-paying basis for the Spring semester.
Applicants will participate in the undergraduate programs Mid-year Intake competition on a fee-paying basis following the standard selection process as the general admission process that is regulated by the Admission Policy and Procedures to the undergraduate programs. Students enrolled by this competition will begin their studies in the spring semester.
The following applicants can participate in the selection process:
- Applicants who have already graduated from secondary schools
- Current students of other universities
Applicants' categories and admission requirements are indicated in the “Entry requirements” section.
“NUET applicants” category will only be considered with NUET results obtained in the current calendar year.
To apply, you must create a Personal account at the admissions.nu.edu.kz. More details are available in the “How to apply” section.
Important: applicants applying and recommended for enrollment in the Spring semester of the undergraduate programs on a fee-paying basis do not participate in selection for awarding an educational grant “Nazarbayev University” and other grants.
Online application period:
- September 26 - November 30, 2023 (12:00 p.m. Astana time)
Deadline for submission of test results to NU:
- SAT/ACT and IELTS/TOEFL - November 30, 2023.
The test must be sent to the University address via the test administrator using the Institutional Code of Nazarbayev University.
- Nazarbayev University – for IELTS
- 6762 – for TOEFL
- 7915 – for SAT
- 5521 – for ACT
Deadlines for online application:
NUET applicants, including international applicants - October 16 - December 4, 2023 (12:00 p.m. Astana time)
International applicants: October 16 - February 29, 2024 (12:00 p.m. Astana time)
Other categories: SAT/ACT applicants, IB Diploma holders, A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate holders, Winners of international and/or republican subject Olympiads - October 16 - March 27, 2024 (12:00 p.m. Astana time).
Provision IELTS/TOEFL results for NUET applicants - December 20, 2023 (23:59 Astana time)
Provision of IELTS/TOEFL results for international applicants - to be announced later
Provision of IELTS/TOEFL results for other categories - to be announced later
Test results are mandatory to sent to the University address through the test administrator, using the Nazarbayev University Institutional Code:
Sending notifications of admission: May-August
Acceptance of documents on hard copies: upon request of NU, end of June - beginning of August
Orientation week: August
Start of classes: August
NUET applicants
NUET dates will be announced later.
SAT/ACT applicants
Deadline for taking tests in test centers:
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SAT - March 9, 2024
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ACT - February 24, 2024
The tests must be sent to the University address via the test administrator using the code (Institutional Code) of Nazarbayev University.
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7915 – for SAT
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5521 – for ACT
A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate holders
Deadline for providing A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate:
IB Diploma holders
Deadline for providing IB diploma
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS:
Deadline for taking tests at test centers for undergraduate programs:
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SAT - To be announced
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ACT - To be announced
The tests must be sent to the University address via the test administrator using the code (Institutional Code) of Nazarbayev University.
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7915 – for SAT
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5521 – for ACT
Sending notifications about admission: April - May
An application for participation in the competition is considered completed after it is filled out online, as well as the necessary electronic documents in the “Personal Account” are provided.
Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring that the Admissions Department receives all required documents. Applicants who falsify documents or violate test procedure requirements shall be disqualified from the admission competition or dismissed from the University in the case of fraudulent enrollment and are not allowed to apply to University programs of any level in the future.
Nazarbayev University's Admissions Committee reviews applicants who meet the minimum requirements of NUFYP and Undergraduate program, but does not guarantee admission. The Admissions Committee makes decisions about admission based on a thorough evaluation of applications, standardized test results and required documents. These applicants are sent an official letter of notification of the decision of the Admissions Committee by email. Applicants can also see their status in their “Personal Account”.
Applicants will be ranked according to the first choice major. The second choice major will be considered only upon request of the Admissions Committee. Based on the allocated number of seats for Undergraduate program, Applicants ranked highest will receive admission offers to the Undergraduate program under a Grant.
Eligible applicants who did not receive an offer under the Grant will be placed in a waitlist according to their ranking, and offered a grant as one becomes available. These Applicants on the waitlist will be given the opportunity for admission to an Undergraduate program on a fee-paying basis with financial aid opportunities according to the internal documents of the University. NUET Applicants recommended for admission to the Undergraduate program on a fee-paying basis can be enrolled to NUFYP under the Grant on their request in case of available seats. Applicants can be enrolled in only one academic program and/or level of education at a time.
Information about selection process and enrollment to NUFYP is available at the “Foundation program” page.
The Applicants recommended for enrollment are notified of the Admissions Committee’s decision and form of financing by the Admissions Department. The provisions for admission are indicated in the admission offer. Failure to meet the provisions for enrollment by the deadline indicated in the admission offer deprives an Applicant of his/her right to be enrolled to the program.
Description of the applicant's status at each stage of the competition.
Statuses are posted in the order they are displayed in the applicant’s Personal Account.
Does not meet the entry requirements. The applicant does not meet the minimum requirements of the program, and is put down after checking the applications and documents by the University's Admissions Department.
Withdrawn. The status is assigned to applicants who refused to participate in the competition for the undergraduate program or NUFYP, before the decision of the Admissions Committee is released.
Recommended for admission. The applicant is recommended for admission to the undergraduate program or NUFYP by the Admissions Committee and an admission offer will be sent.
Waiting list. The applicant is on the waiting list. This applicant meets the minimum requirements of the program, but they are at the bottom of the ranking. At the same time, there is a chance to get an admission offer if someone who earlier was recommended to study on a grant rejects the offer. In case there are no vacant seats on state grants, applicants on the waiting list can be offered other types of NU grants if available or a fee-paying study with financial aid.
Rejected by Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee rejected the applicant after reviewing his/her documents, without placing him/her on the waiting list or after closing of the competition.
Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission to the undergraduate program or NUFYP, but refused to study at the University.
Refused in favor of CPS. This status is available to the applicants applied both to NUFYP and undergraduate programs. The applicant rejected to study in the undergraduate program in favor of the NUFYP under “NUET applicants” category. This status is given after the written refusal of the applicant to study at the Undergraduate program.
Guarantee fee paid. The applicant was recommended for enrollment to the undergraduate program or NUFYP and paid the mandatory guarantee fee.
Accepted admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who have received an admission offer to the undergraduate program or NUFYP, agreed for enrollment and fulfilled the conditions of the University - paid the guarantee fee and submitted the original documents for enrollment.
Did not submit the documents/refused. The applicant did not provide the originals of the documents within the specified period. This means that the applicant refuses to study at the University.
Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. This status is given to applicants who have agreed to study, submitted the original documents, but did not participate in the Orientation Week. Applicants from the waiting list can be invited to the established vacant seats, if available.
Enrolled. The applicant is enrolled, the status is assigned after the decision of the Provost on enrollment, which designates that the applicant officially becomes a student of the University.
Enrolled conditionally. The applicant is enrolled with a condition to submit the original of the attestat before the specified deadline.
Applicants recommended by the Admissions Committee for enrollment and who have received admission offers are officially notified of acceptance or refusal of enrollment at the University by signing the appropriate form in a Personal account. Applicants who accepted the admission offer within the prescribed period pay a guarantee fee, which will be returned only after signing an agreement on the provision of educational services with the University.
Applicants who have paid the guarantee fee provide to the University Admissions Department within the established time frame original documents of graduating from high school, technical, vocational or post-secondary education with a transcript or its international equivalent.
Please see the online application tips here.
Find proposed topics for your Motivation letter here.
Find sample of the Certificate (Spravka) here.
Information on standardized tests with links to preparation materials, schedule, registration, and getting results is shown below.
Below the important information that we hope will be useful to you.
| No | Main points | Detailed information |
| 1 | Useful links | To help to prepare for admission to Nazarbayev University, this site contains many useful links to courses, webinars, interviews, books and lectures. |
| 2 | Regulations | Please find the Admission Policy and Procedures to the undergraduate program of the autonomous organization of education Nazarbayev University here. |
| 3 | Frequently Asked Questions | You can find answers to frequently asked questions here. |
| 4 | Differences between Foundation and Undergraduate program | For more information on the difference between Foundation and Undergraduate programs, follow the link. |
| 5 | Terms for provision of education services | To learn more about the Terms for provision of education services at Nazarbayev University, click here. |
| 6 | Institutional Code | The tests should be sent to the University address via the test administrator using the code (Institutional Code) of Nazarbayev University. - Nazarbayev University (through IELTS TRF Verification Service) – for IELTS
- 6762 – for TOEFL
- 7915 – for SAT
- 5521 – for ACT with Writing Part
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This section includes terms and definitions associated with the online application, examinations required for the competition and enrollment to undergraduate programs of the NU Schools.
A-level – (The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education) is the standard school-leaving qualification offered by educational institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, and is widely recognized in Europe, the USA, and also in many other parts of the world. A-levels are studied over a two-year period and are the standard entry qualification for assessing the suitability of applicants for academic courses in English, Welsh, and Northern Irish universities;
ACT (American College Testing) – is a standardized test for secondary school achievement and college admissions in the USA. The test has an optional 30 minutes long writing section (ACT with writing results);
Admissions Committee – an advisory and consultative body of the University established to implement arrangements for admission to the undergraduate programs of the University;
Admission period – a set of deadlines for applying to University, which includes the online registration, document review, evaluation processes, and enrollment;
Applicant – a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a foreign citizen, or a stateless individual taking part in the competition;
Application form – an application for admission to the undergraduate programs placed in the Personal account;
College – an educational institution in Kazakhstan that offers the educational curricula of general secondary, technical, and vocational education or post-secondary education;
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) – a standardized system to compare students' academic performance at higher education institutions across European Union and its collaborative countries;
Enrollment confirmation form – a form filled and signed by applicants upon receipt of an offer letter to the undergraduate programs of the University, which is the reason for admission to, or exclusion from enrollment to the studies;
Enrollment deposit – a mandatory payment that secures the applicant’s place in an undergraduate program;
Guarantee fee – a mandatory payment that secures the applicant’s place in an undergraduate program. The amount of the guarantee fee is determined in accordance with the decision of the Managing Council of the University;
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) – a standardized English proficiency test administered by the British Council, University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, and IDP Education Pty Ltd;
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) – an intensive two-year international educational program that helps students enter undergraduate programs at universities directly;
NIS Grade 12 Certificate – certificate of the autonomous educational organization “Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools” on the completion of the integrated program in collaboration with Cambridge Assessment International Education awarded to students who passed exams of external summative evaluation upon completion of the 12th grade;
Personal account – an online service providing a personal space on the University's website upon registration;
QS World University rankings – the annual world university rankings published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) which provides overall rankings as well as rankings for individual subjects;
SAT (SAT – Scholastic Aptitude Test or Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test for college admissions in the USA. The SAT Reasoning Test consists of three sections: Mathematics, Critical Reading, and Writing.
School – School of the University that offers undergraduate programs;
Superscoring – consideration of the highest section scores from two or more test certificates in order to obtain the best overall score;
Times Higher Education World University rankings – the annual world university rankings published by the British magazine Times Higher Education (THE) which provides both the overall and the subject rankings;
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) – a standardized English proficiency test developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) (Princeton, New Jersey, USA) in the format of TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test) and TOEFL PBT (Paper-based Test);
Transfer student – a student who has completed secondary level education and has completed at least one year in a tertiary college or university program in Kazakhstan or abroad and wishes to enroll in an undergraduate program at the University;
University Foundation Programme – a one-year preparatory program of the University that helps students enter undergraduate programs at universities directly;
University website – the University web resource is available at nu.edu.kz.
University - the autonomous organization of education "Nazarbayev University"
