ASTANA – The Bolashak International Scholarship, one of Kazakhstan’s most renowned programs for sending students abroad, has produced 12,731 graduates over its 30-year history.
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Funded by taxpayers, the initiative continues to shape the nation’s future, with 939 students currently studying abroad. Most are enrolled in master’s programs (704), while 133 are pursuing doctoral degrees, and 102 are completing internships. In recent years, 2,607 graduates have returned home with international qualifications, contributing to the country’s development.
Which universities?
According to the Center for International Programs, which runs the scholarship, Kazakh students benefiting from the Bolashak International Scholarship are studying at prestigious universities ranked in the top 250 by the QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Popular destinations include the United States, with high demand for institutions such as the University of Illinois, Columbia University, New York University, and the University of Southern California. In the United Kingdom, students often choose universities such as the University of Warwick, the University of Sussex, and Queen Mary University of London.
The cost of excellence
Costs vary depending on the program, country, and chosen field of study. Factors such as university ranking, location, and program length also play a role. Each scholarship recipient in a master’s program costs around 10-15 million tenge ($20,784 – $31,176), while those in doctoral programs cost around 20-25 million tenge ($41,500 – $51,900). These include tuition, scholarships, air travel, and other study-related expenses.
A key condition of the Bolashak scholarship is that graduates must return to Kazakhstan and work upon completing their studies. However, not all comply. To date, 235 individuals—1.9% of all graduates—have lost their scholarships for failing to return. In such cases, the scholarship is revoked, and the government seeks reimbursement for education costs. If the recipient refuses to repay, legal action is pursued.
From January to July 2024, 1.151 billion tenge ($2.393 million) was returned to the budget, while in 2023, the total was 1.9 billion tenge ($3.949 million). The Center for International Programs reports that 200 million tenge ($415,688) is now being returned monthly.
Employment among Bolashak graduates
Most Bolashak program graduates—42.8%—find employment in the private sector, while 31% work in government agencies. Another 16.2% are employed in the quasi-state sector and 5.8% work with foreign organizations operating in Kazakhstan. A smaller portion of graduates pursue careers with international organizations, diplomatic posts, national companies, and public associations.
In healthcare, 905 specialists are employed, including 470 practicing doctors. In education, there are 1,380 specialists, with 913 working in various educational institutions, including primary, secondary, higher, and postgraduate levels, as well as educational centers. Many graduates also work in rural areas.
In the economy, around 4,000 graduates are employed, including 2,200 engineers, 1,300 IT specialists, nearly 400 scientists in natural sciences, and 156 professionals in agriculture.
Program administrators highlight the significant impact of Bolashak graduates, noting their contributions to improving professionalism, driving innovation, and fostering new areas of activity across various sectors.
“Many graduates have founded technological startups and innovative projects. Some are involved in launching and modernizing leading universities like Nazarbayev University, Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and Suleyman Demirel University,” said the program representatives.
Success stories
Among the standout stories are those of the Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor Azat Shpekov, who perform complex neurosurgical operations, including treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Cardiac surgeon Arman Baideuov has performed over 800 open-heart surgeries.
Other success stories include Arman Suleimenov, who founded a coding school that has trained over 500 students, and Doszhan Zhussupov, whose MedTech startup, Cerebra, developed an AI system for early stroke recognition. Having analyzed CT scans of 130,000 patients, Cerebra has also garnered international attention. It was accepted into Stanford University’s prestigious StartX acceleration program and won the Global Startup Awards in 2023 as the Best VerTech Startup.
Sanzhar Kenzhekhanuly launched Bilimland.kz, an educational platform serving over two million users, including children with special needs. Ulan Kairbekov created Naimi.kz, a marketplace connecting people with service providers, helping create jobs and simplify daily tasks.
Criticism and concerns
Over the years, the program has faced criticism regarding its cost-effectiveness. In 2022, Aigul Zhumabayeva, former deputy of the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of Kazakhstan’s Parliament, questioned whether the program had fully achieved its objectives. She noted that after nearly 30 years of taxpayer funding, Kazakhstan continues to rely on foreign specialists for key positions, raising concerns about the program’s long-term impact and return on investment.
“If we still do not have 200 qualified specialists and need to bring in foreign experts at higher salaries after 29 years, we must reconsider the program’s effectiveness,” she said.
Zhumabayeva also highlighted the government’s efforts to internationalize higher education by attracting foreign universities to Kazakhstan and offering grants.
The article was originally published in Kazinform
