Editor’s note: This article is published as part of a partnership agreement between The Astana Times and The Korea Times. A special series seeks to provide readers with in-depth insights into the opportunities, challenges, and trends linking our two countries.
ALMATY – South Korea is becoming one of the study destinations for Kazakh students, a trend highlighted by the first-ever K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 unveiled by The Korea Times. The new ranking emphasizes internationalization, making it especially relevant for prospective students from Kazakhstan and abroad.
Kyungpook National University. Photo credit: Korea Times.
Korea University ranked first overall with 144.86 points, followed by Seoul National University (141.48) and Yonsei University (140.33).
The evaluation framework covered 54 universities nationwide and distributed 190 points across education, research, student support and graduate outcomes. Woosong University and Handong Global University were recognized for their strong focus on globalization.
With over 208,000 international students in Korea in 2024 and the government aiming for 300,000 by 2027 under its Study Korea 300K Project, demand for reliable information has grown sharply.
According to the Korean Educational Development Institute, 1,516 Kazakh students were studying in Korea as of April 1, 2024.
Kazakhstan – Korea education ties grow stronger
The rising popularity of South Korea among Kazakh students is part of broader educational cooperation between the two countries. Earlier this year, Woosong University opened a branch campus in Turkistan, and exchange partnerships have been expanding across multiple institutions.
Starting in 2024, the Seoul administration provides five educational grants for Kazakh citizens pursuing master’s studies in technical and engineering fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, biology, and blockchain.
In addition, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek has advanced new cooperation agreements, signing a memorandum to send Kazakh graduates from pedagogical universities to teach Russian in provincial schools.
By spotlighting both elite and emerging institutions, the K-universities Global Excellence Rankings reflect Korea’s growing role as a global education hub — and one that is drawing the attention of more Kazakh students each year.
