Historically, Kazakhstan wasn’t on the radar of international students, with the US, UK, Canada, and several European countries traditionally remaining the top destinations. A vast, post-Soviet nation in Central Asia certainly wasn’t considered a go-to destination amongst international students, even within the region, where countries like Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea have long been the leaders.
However, in recent years, Kazakhstan has become much more popular with individuals looking to study abroad. So much so that international students in the country have reached record numbers.
There are a number of factors behind this increase, one being the Russia-Ukraine conflict. For decades, Russian universities were the institutions of choice for those interested in the Russian language, literature, or Russian and Eurasian studies; particularly for those from the US, Europe, and East and South Asia.
With Russia becoming isolated on the global academic stage, a growing number of these individuals are choosing to pursue higher education in Kazakhstan; a Russian-speaking country with increasingly growing global connections. Kazakhstan has a shared linguistic and cultural history with Russia, but offers an accessible, safe, and internationally-minded environment, in contrast to Russia’s visa issues, banking restrictions, and security concerns.
Kazakhstan is seen as a stable, neutral, and safe alternative for students from other countries facing geopolitical upheaval
Its geographic proximity to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe is also a draw, alongside lower costs of living compared to Western countries, and increasing academic quality and investment in higher education. Kazakhstan is also seen as a stable, neutral, and safe alternative for students from other countries facing geopolitical upheaval, such as Iran, Afghanistan, and a number of African nations.
Interestingly, a growing number of international students from Russia itself are choosing Kazakhstan for their studies; there are now more than 3,000 Russian students throughout Kazakhstan, up from 1,263 in 2021. At Nazarbayev University specifically, we had 32 Russian students in 2024, up from just one student in 2021.
This makes sense; as a post-Soviet country, Kazakhstan feels familiar and linguistically comfortable for Russian students, while also offering a strategic educational advantage. After being expelled from the Bologna Process in 2022, Russia shifted toward a more isolated education system, limiting international degree recognition, mobility, and academic cooperation with Europe.
Kazakhstan is still part of the Bologna Process, allowing graduates greater access to work and study opportunities within Europe. It enables student exchange and mobility programmes of up to one academic year at leading European universities. At some universities, growing international partnerships have enabled academic components to be delivered at partner institutions in the US, Europe, and Asia.
And the ability for Kazakhstan to offer what Russia no longer can is not just noted by students, but schools themselves. It has become a favourable destination for study abroad and language programmes amongst American and European universities. For example, in 2023, Middlebury (USA) fully relocated their Russian language programmes from Russia to Kazakhstan.
The government in Kazakhstan has been actively engaged in efforts to increase the country’s appeal for the international community, hoping to attract 150,000 international students by 2029 by strengthening collaborations with Western institutions through international branch campuses and joint research centres. At the same time, the government is backing artificial intelligence innovation, funding student-led startups, and creating pathways for entrepreneurship through startup incubators and accelerators.
Kazakhstan’s rapid rise as a study destination of choice has been further driven by the expansion of English-taught programmes, state and university-based scholarships, and improved infrastructure, positioning the country as a competitor on the global education map. For example, Nazarbayev University, which started with one international student in 2013, now hosts international students from 34 countries around the world, highlighting the growing international appeal.
As someone who works closely with international students, I get to be part of their journey from the very beginning; helping with visa applications before they arrive, and supporting them as they settle in and adjust to a new environment. I often hear commandment for the ease of the visa process, even for those who have to apply from third countries. In our experience, student visa rejections are extremely rare. This gives students a strong sense of security and confidence as they prepare for their educational journey.
The hospitality and warmness of locals cannot be overlooked. After all, students wouldn’t want to study in a location where they feel unwelcome
And the hospitality and warmness of locals cannot be overlooked. After all, students wouldn’t want to study in a location where they feel unwelcome. Students often state how genuinely surprised they are by how welcome they feel as soon as they arrive in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital.
Some say they feel like celebrities; people stop to talk to them, ask where they’re from, and take pictures with them. It is those small but genuine moments that make a big difference and help students from all over the world feel at home in Kazakhstan.
Russia’s actions in recent years have provided an opportunity for Kazakhstan to demonstrate its value as a destination for higher education, offering what many international students can no longer receive from Russia, but also much more beyond that. It’s not just the geopolitical climate that influences the mobility of international students; it’s the efforts of the country itself and the welcome from those within.
