FAQ

To participate in the competition, an applicant should complete the following:

1. It is very important to select the major and the school of Nazarbayev University as well as an applicant’s category as entry exams you will be taking depend on these factors;
2. Registering and taking necessary exams (for instance, at testing centers in your city). Sending the electronic results of the exams is required for participation in the competition for undergraduate programs. To send electronic results of standardized tests, an applicant must contact the test administrators (IELTS – British Council/Interpress, TOEFL – ETS, SAT – College Board) and request to send electronic results to Nazarbayev University or choose the university when registering for the test.
3. Register at admissions.nu.edu.kz and create a personal account;
4. Pay the application fee (non-refundable). The application fee shall be paid only online in your personal account at the “My application forms” section with a bank card. The payment of the application fee by transferring money through a bank is not acceptable. The application fee for undergraduate programs is 10,000 tenge (the registration fee is tripled for those who apply during the last two weeks before closing and in case of its extension);
5. Complete the application form and upload all required documents before the deadline. The list of documents is available here in the section “List of documents to be submitted by applicants.” Also, do not forget to click on the “Pay and Submit Application” button.

Nazarbayev University, like all educational institutions in Kazakhstan, follows the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In accordance with paragraph 17 of Article 47 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Education,” citizens of Kazakhstan who received education at the expense of the state grant are required to work for at least three years after completing their studies.

For more detailed information, please follow the link.

The category of an applicant is determined by the educational institution where he/she studies or graduated, or by his/her achievements which will be considered during the application-processing period.

While taking part in the competition for financial aid and/or scholarships for the undergraduate programs, Nazarbayev University considers the following categories:

• SAT/ACT applicants;
• A-level/NIS Grade 12 Certificate graduates;
• IB Diploma Programme graduates;
• Winners of the International and/or Republican Olympiads;
• Transfer students (students of other higher-educational institutions);
• NUET applicants.

Entry requirements for each category are different. Therefore, it is important to select the category that suits you most.

If students have voluntarily withdrawn for reasons other than disciplinary, two specific conditions apply:

1. Within five years of leaving the university, former students shall follow the readmission procedures established by the Office of the Registrar. For these former students, all university ECTS credits and grades will be accepted as part of the readmission process;
2. After five years of expulsion from the university, former students must apply for admission as new students.

The results of comprehensive testing are not considered for admission to Nazarbayev University.

All programs require an English-language proficiency test (IELTS/TOEFL) if the applicant has not previously studied in English.

In general, for admission to graduate programs, the Admissions Committee of the respective program reviews the applicant’s application package, taking into account all elements of the application:

• A motivation letter in which you disclose your reasons for applying to a particular major and the implications of that choice for your development;
• A transcript and grades in subjects relevant to your chosen major;
• Letters of recommendation that show previous experience and accomplishments;
• Results of an interview with the Admissions Committee.

Some programs require GRE, GMAT, ALEKS, and work experience in addition to the above. School of Medicine programs have specific exam requirements.

1. Select a master’s or PhD program. You can simultaneously apply to two master’s and/or PhD programs at a maximum. If an applicant receives an offer from both programs, he/she needs to choose one of them.

2. Research the entry requirements of programs and prepare all documents for the online application package.

3. Register online on the portal before due dates for the selected program and upload all necessary documents.

4. Successfully pass the interview with the Admissions Committee, if invited. Interviews are held in English.

5. To successfully enroll, you must complete an orientation week and sign a contract with the School you enrolled in.

Master’s programs: Please follow the link to see the deadlines for Master’s programs.

PhD programs: Please follow the link to see the deadlines for PhD programs.

Interviews are conducted online or offline in the English language, lasting 15 minutes or more.

Each Admissions Committee develops its own evaluation methodology. Therefore, the questions may vary depending on the program. In the interview, members of the University Admissions Committee may ask questions to check the following:

• Your academic skills.
• Competitiveness.
• Your priorities.
• Whether you are able to make a contribution to the University.
• Potential and motivation.

As you can see, the topics in the interview correspond closely with your motivation letter.

There are several programs at Nazarbayev University that you can pursue while working full-time:

• Master of Science in Educational Leadership (module-based);
• Master in Public Administration (with classes on weekends);
• Online Master in Public Administration (with online classes);
• Master of Business Administration (with online classes on weekdays and offline classes on weekends);
• Executive Master of Business Administration (with classes on weekends).

All other programs are full-time and do not allow combining with full-time employment.

If you have already received a master’s/PhD degree under the state scholarship, you cannot receive the same degree under the state scholarship again. This applies to “Bolashak” scholarship holders as well. In such cases, if successful in the competition, you can enter on a fee-paying basis or seek sponsorship.

Note: for “Master of Science in Finance” program, scholarships are given by the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan. More info: Graduate School of Business.

In case of problems with submitting an application, please send a request to the emails according to the table below, specifying the IIN (for citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and the applicant ID.

To submit an IELTS/TOEFL certificate, you must:

1. Send official electronic results through the Test Administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
2. Enter the certificate number in the “Upload IELTS/TOEFL results” section of your NU account. If details don’t auto-fill, possible errors: not yet received by NU; a mistake in your application; or an error in the certificate;
3. Upload a scanned copy of the certificate. You may submit multiple, but only the last uploaded will be considered.

Detailed Instruction is available in applicants’ accounts.

IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and TOEFL PDT are not accepted. All certificates must be valid at time of application (validity: two years). Ensure the test center sends results to NU (processing may take 7–10 business days). Late results will not be considered.

Deadlines are on the website.

• IELTS – Nazarbayev University (Admissions Department)
• TOEFL – 6762
• GRE – 6496
• GMAT – H6m-R7-93

The ALEKS test is included in the application fee. In case of retaking, the cost is 10,000 tenge.

Retaking ALEKS is not possible for the Master of Engineering Management program.

MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is required for applicants to medical faculties. It assesses problem-solving, critical thinking, and natural/social sciences knowledge.

Format: four sections – Biological/biochemical foundations; Chemical/physical foundations; Psychological/social/biological foundations; Critical analysis and reasoning.

Assessment: scores reported ~30–35 days after the test.

Registration & payment: USD 305–355 depending on timing. Prep materials here.

USMLE is taken for admission to the Residency program (only Step 1).

• ~350 questions / 7 hours + 45-minute break
• Average question length 60–70 words

Certified centers list: Prometric.

No minimum score requirements for GRE, GMAT, and ALEKS.

ALEKS is taken at NU or online (depending on School). Invitation sent by the Admissions Secretary; choose an approved test date. MEM program has a fixed date approved by the School.

After you click “PAY AND SUBMIT APPLICATION”, a link is sent to referees’ emails to submit letters in two ways:

Option 1: referee uses corporate/institutional email and fills the electronic form via the link.

Option 2: if no corporate email, the letter on organization letterhead (with date/outgoing number) is scanned and uploaded via the link. Referees have seven days.

If work experience is optional, a CV is sufficient. If mandatory, provide official documents per the Labor Code of Kazakhstan, such as:

• Employment record;
• Employment contract with termination mark;
• Employer acts confirming start/termination;
• Salary payment statements;
• Employer-signed records (stamped and notarized);
• UPSF statements on mandatory pension contributions;
• State social insurance contributions info;
• Archived certificate of employment history.

200,000 KZT – Master’s students

123,122 KZT – Residency students

240,000 KZT – PhD students*

*PhD students may also work as RAs/GTAs with monthly salary starting from $600 depending on the program.

The fee is refunded upon completion of all:

1. Bilateral signing of the Education Services Agreement;
2. Participation in orientation week;
3. Completion of the first semester with good academic standing.

Refund without these conditions is possible in case of the applicant’s/student’s death before the second semester. Refunds are processed in the second semester to University-issued bank cards.