ASTANA – This year, 20 universities from Kazakhstan have been included in the QS World University Rankings 2026, published on June 19.
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty. Photo credit: farabi.university
Among them are three institutions making their debut in the global rankings: Yessenov University (ranked 1,201–1,400), Manash Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University, and Shakarim University (both ranked 1,401+).
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, ranked 317th, achieved a milestone by entering the global top 100 for the Employer Reputation indicator for the first time. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (ranked 166th) and five other Kazakhstan universities were ranked among the top 100 globally for the Faculty-Student Ratio (FSR) indicator, which reflects the quality of teaching and the availability of academic staff per student, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University climbed 43 places to 628th in the world, up from the 671–680 range last year.
The 2026 edition of the QS World University Rankings includes over 1,500 of the world’s top universities, representing more than 100 locations. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained its position as the world’s best university.
Earlier this year, four Kazakhstan’s universities were featured in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025. These are Nazarbayev University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and Satbayev University.
