Nazarbayev University
Astana, Kazakhstan
An autonomous, English-medium research university in Astana, opened in 2010, offering undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs across engineering and digital sciences, medicine, sciences and humanities, business and public policy. It follows an international academic model developed with partner universities abroad.
Full admissions guideNazarbayev University, Kazakhstan: Programs, Strengths and Admission in Depth7 min read · verified 24 June 2026Location
Astana
Established
2010
Degree levels
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Instruction
English-taught
How to apply
Direct via Nazarbayev University
Region
Russia & CIS →Admission tests
IELTSInternational English Language Testing System
Listed for this university: IELTS / TOEFL
British Council / IDP IELTS / Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Year-round (test dates and session times vary by test centre)
SATDigital SAT
Listed for this university: SAT / ACT (undergraduate)
College Board · 8 weekend test dates a year (2026–27: Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Mar, May, Jun; same for U.S. and international)
Requirements change from one intake to the next — confirm the current ones on Nazarbayev University’s official site (opens in a new tab) before you apply.
Applying to universities in Russia & the CIS
- Application platform
- Direct via university / official government admission portal
- Intakes
- September
- Student visa
- Russian Student Visa (type O)
- Working while studying
- Full-time students at state-accredited universities may work without a separate work permit; verify current rules on the official source.
Official sources: Official Russian Government admission portal · Government of Kazakhstan. Visa and work rules change — verify on the official source before relying on them.
Popular fields of study
Source: Nazarbayev University official website. Details here are for guidance only — tuition, deadlines, rankings and eligibility change every academic year, so confirm on the official university site before applying.
Related / Next steps
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Almaty
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Moscow
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
Dolgoprudny (near Moscow)
HSE University
Moscow
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