Market Snapshot: Kazakhstan

The US remains the leading destination for Kazakh students, though enrolments have declined slightly year-on-year. The UK is the only Big Four destination showing growth, with demand concentrated in Russell Group institutions. Canada and Australia have both seen modest declines. 

Russia operates as a significant parallel destination, driven by proximity, cost, and language alignment, and sits outside the standard Big Four comparison. 

Kazakhstan is a relationship-led, agent-dependent market. Many agents prefer training and engagement in Russian. Conversion is driven by direct interaction, family reassurance, and clarity of outcomes rather than digital or campaign-led approaches. 

Kazakh students are price-sensitive and scholarship-reliant. In the UK, 62% of undergraduates and nearly 50% of Master’s students pay between £15,000 and £20,000 per year post-scholarship. In the US, nearly 60% of undergraduates pay under $25,000 per year. 

Business and Management is the dominant subject area across all three destinations, at both undergraduate and Master’s level. 

English proficiency scores average IELTS 6.3 and TOEFL iBT 73. 

Kazakhstan’s economy is the largest in Central Asia. GDP grew approximately 4.8% in 2024 and accelerated to around 6.5% in 2025, driven by industry, transport, construction, and expanding oil and gas production. 

Kazakhstan has 20 universities in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, up from 14 in 2021, with one ranked in the top 200. The government aims to host 100,000 international students by 2028. 

Around 23 foreign universities currently operate in Kazakhstan. Expansion of transnational education (TNE) and local branch campuses may gradually reduce outbound mobility, particularly among price-sensitive students. 

Agent relationships are the primary conversion lever in this market. Providers that invest in consistent, high-touch engagement and in-market presence are better positioned than those relying on digital or campaign-led approaches alone. 

Scholarship and pricing strategies are critical. Kazakh students cluster in the £15,000–£20,000 and sub-$25,000 tuition bands. Institutions unable to compete at these price points after discounts will struggle to build volume. 

UK growth is concentrated in the Russell Group, while other institutions show softer pipeline development. The ability to clearly articulate value and outcomes to students and families is increasingly the differentiating factor. 

The expansion of TNE and branch campuses within Kazakhstan represents a structural risk to outbound mobility, particularly for price-sensitive students. Providers need to make a clear case for the value of overseas study.