Kazakh universities are becoming increasingly popular among young people from Turkmenistan. Citizens of Turkmenistan can apply for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs through the state-run Study in Kazakhstan platform, DKNews.kz reports.
At the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year, more than 10,200 citizens of Turkmenistan were studying at universities in Kazakhstan. This was 2.3 times more than a year earlier, and they accounted for nearly one-third of all international students in the country.
Turkmenistan Leads in the Number of Foreign Students in Kazakhstan
At the start of the 2025/2026 academic year, 33,500 international students were enrolled at Kazakh universities.
Turkmenistan ranked first by number of students studying in Kazakhstan, ahead of India and Uzbekistan.
The growth comes alongside expanding academic ties between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Universities in the two countries are developing student and faculty exchanges, joint research and academic mobility programs.
For Kazakhstan, this strengthens the country’s role as a regional education hub, with foreign students forming an increasingly visible part of the university community.
Applications Can Be Submitted Through Study in Kazakhstan
Foreign applicants can use the official Study in Kazakhstan information platform.
Through the portal, citizens of Turkmenistan can explore the list of Kazakh universities, choose an academic program and complete the required stages of remote document submission.
The platform includes bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs.
Detailed information about admission requirements, application deadlines and required documents is available on the official studyinkz.kz resource.
From Engineering to Artificial Intelligence
International students can choose from a range of in-demand academic fields.
Official information for applicants from Turkmenistan highlights engineering and technical disciplines, information technology and artificial intelligence, economics, international relations and medicine.
Some programs are available in Russian and English. Kazakhstan’s higher education system is integrated into the European Higher Education Area through the Bologna Process.
Universities in the Two Countries Are Expanding Academic Cooperation
Cooperation is also developing directly between universities.
Earlier, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University and Magtymguly Turkmen State University discussed short- and long-term academic mobility, student and faculty exchanges, joint research and access to scientific resources.
The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Turkmenistan also provides information support on education, youth exchanges and academic cooperation.
The scale of student mobility already reflects the depth of these ties: more than 10,200 citizens of Turkmenistan chose universities in Kazakhstan in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Earlier, we reported on how Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are expanding academic mobility and cooperation between universities.
