Kazakhstan is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for international students looking to study in Central Asia. With 35,075 international students from 88 countries enrolled in Kazakhstani universities in the 2025 academic year, the country is strengthening its position as a regional higher education hub.
The number of international students has grown by 11% compared with 2024, reflecting Kazakhstan’s growing integration into the global higher education system.
Where do international students in Kazakhstan come from?
Kazakhstan attracts students from a wide range of countries, particularly across Central and South Asia and China.
The largest international student communities come from:
- India — 9,959 students
- Turkmenistan — 9,089
- Uzbekistan — 4,136
- China — 3,367
- Russia — 2,426
The diversity of the international student population means that students arriving in Kazakhstan can study in an increasingly international academic environment.
Why study in Kazakhstan?
For many international students, Kazakhstan offers a combination of competitive tuition fees, internationally connected universities and growing academic infrastructure.
The country’s universities provide programmes in fields that are in high demand internationally, including medicine, engineering, information technology, business and education.
Other factors attracting international students include:
- relatively affordable tuition compared with some other international destinations;
- internationally recognised academic partnerships;
- modernising university infrastructure;
- opportunities for practical and career-oriented education;
- growing connections with universities and academic institutions around the world.
For students from Asia and neighbouring countries, Kazakhstan can also offer geographical proximity while providing access to a different academic and cultural environment.
Best cities to study in Kazakhstan
The three main destinations for international students are Almaty, Astana and Shymkent.
In 2025, they hosted:
- Almaty — 18,195 international students
- Astana — 4,292
- Shymkent — 3,645
Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest educational centre, with a concentration of universities, medical schools and private higher education institutions.
Astana, the capital, is developing rapidly as a centre for research, technology and international education. The city is also home to an expanding number of international academic initiatives and partnerships.
Shymkent serves as an important educational centre in southern Kazakhstan and attracts students from neighbouring Central Asian countries.
Together, these cities are helping Kazakhstan develop a competitive higher education ecosystem in the region.
Leading universities in Kazakhstan for international students
A significant share of international students study at Kazakhstan’s largest universities.
The five universities with the highest numbers of international students in 2025 were:
- Al-Farabi Kazakh National University — 4,497
- Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University — 2,687
- L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University — 2,483
- Satbayev University — 1,759
- M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University — 1,730
These institutions offer programmes across medicine, engineering, science, business, education and other disciplines.
What can international students study in Kazakhstan?
Medicine remains the largest field among international students, followed by education, business, law, engineering and IT.
In 2025, international student enrolment included:
- Healthcare and medicine — 12,950
- Education — 5,943
- Business and law — 4,539
- Engineering — 3,374
- Information technology — 2,141
This reflects strong international demand for professional and technical qualifications and Kazakhstan’s growing role in training specialists for the wider Central Asian and Asian markets.
The future of international education in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s higher education sector has undergone significant changes in recent years. The development of international partnerships, the arrival of foreign university branches, new research initiatives and expanding academic networks are creating more opportunities for international students.
For prospective students, this means that studying in Kazakhstan is becoming an increasingly international experience, with universities offering access to modern academic facilities, international partnerships and a growing multicultural student community.
With more than 35,000 international students already studying in the country, Kazakhstan is developing from a regional education destination into a broader international higher education hub in Central Asia.
For students considering studying abroad, Kazakhstan offers an opportunity to gain a university education while experiencing one of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly developing regions.
