al-Farabi KazNU vs Nazarbayev University: Choosing Between Kazakhstan's Top Two

Two very different Kazakh universities

al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) and Nazarbayev University (NU) are both leading Kazakhstani institutions, but they are built on different models, so the right choice depends on what you want.

KazNU, in Almaty, is a large, long-established comprehensive national university with a very wide range of faculties. NU, in Astana, is a newer research university built around an English-medium, internationally modelled curriculum.

This guide compares them on the factors that actually shape a student's day-to-day experience. It does not rank one as 'better' — each fits a different applicant. Confirm all current details on each university's official website before deciding.

Language of instruction

The clearest practical difference is language. Nazarbayev University teaches its degree programmes in English, with a foundation year for students who need to build academic English first.

al-Farabi KazNU is a national university where Kazakh and Russian are central to academic life, though it does offer some English-taught programmes and recruits international students. If you study only in English, check carefully which specific KazNU programmes are available in English for your intake.

• NU — English-medium across programmes (foundation year available)
• KazNU — Kazakh and Russian central; some English-taught programmes
• Always confirm the exact language of your chosen programme officially

Scale, breadth and student profile

KazNU is a large comprehensive university with many faculties spanning the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, law, economics and more — a broad, traditional national-university environment.

NU is more selective in scope, organised into a set of research-focused schools (engineering and digital sciences, sciences and humanities, medicine, mining and geosciences, plus postgraduate schools). Its emphasis is on research and project-based learning in English.

If you want a very wide menu of subjects within a large national university, KazNU's breadth appeals. If you want English degrees in a research-led setting, NU's model fits.

Location and environment

NU is in Astana, the capital, while KazNU is in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. Both are major urban centres with established student communities, but they offer different city environments and climates.

Location affects living costs, campus life and travel, so factor in where you would prefer to live. The official sites and student-services pages describe accommodation and facilities for international students.

Neither city choice is 'correct' — it is a personal fit decision alongside the academic one.

How to make the decision

Start from your field and your language. If your programme is only offered in English, that points strongly toward NU (or to a specifically English-taught KazNU programme, confirmed officially). If you want a particular subject KazNU is known for and can study in its languages, KazNU may suit you better.

Then weigh scale, city and the kind of learning environment you want. Finally, verify admission requirements, intakes and costs for your exact programme on each official site — these decide eligibility and timing.

• Match your field to where it is genuinely offered
• Confirm the language of instruction for your specific programme
• Weigh large comprehensive (KazNU) vs research-focused English schools (NU)
• Compare city, environment and living arrangements
• Verify admission rules, intakes and costs on each official website