Doctorate (PhD)
Following Schools of Nazarbayev University offer PhD programs:
The School of Engineering and Digital Sciences (SEDS) aims to be the leading engineering school in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The SEDS's goal is to prepare its graduates to meet the growing demand for professional practitioners in the fields of chemical and materials, mechanical and aerospace, civil and environmental, electrical, computer engineering and computer sciences. SEDS is the largest school by the number of Nazarbayev University students enrolled.
PhD Programs:
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.
1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent)
2. A Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A minimum CGPA of masters degree 2.75 out of a 4.00.
4. English proficiency:
1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
2) Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GMAT or GRE test (recommended);
6. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a statement of purpose.
1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts. During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Candidates should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
7. GRE or GMAT certificates valid as of date of online documents submission (recommended);
8. Statement of purpose outlining the candidate’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the program would help him/her to achieve these goals (500 words);
9. Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months (including at least one academic reference (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
10. Resume (1 page);
- Application periods for PhD programs:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – April 18, 2022 (inclusive)
- The final deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:
for International applicants – March 15, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan – April 18, 2022 (inclusive)
- The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): to be announced
- First day of classes: to be announced
The School of Sciences and Humanities (SSH) programs are designed to train leaders in all aspects of social development to have versatile knowledge in the field of social, liberal and natural sciences. SSH teaches its students to solve intellectual challenges they may encounter in their life and career regardless of their career choice.
PhD Programs:
For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.
1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A minimum CGPA of 2.75 out of a 4.00.
4. English proficiency:
1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) except for PhD in Eurasian studies program overall IELTS test score of 7.0 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
2) Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5) Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE test (recommended);
6) High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a personal statement;
7) Strong academic writing ability as demonstrated in a writing sample (academic paper, essay, published article);
8) Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal.
- Complete Application form;
- National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
- Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
- Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts; During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
- An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
- Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Candidates should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
- Valid GRE Test Report (general test). An applicant must indicate University as a recipient when registering for the test. In case the applicant passed the test earlier, he/she can contact the test center and indicate Nazarbayev University as a recipient. Although an official GRE score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance her/his application with a competitive GRE score;
- Personal statement outlining the candidate’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the program would help him/her to achieve these goals (250-500 words);
- Two confidential letters of recommendation in English (with notarized English translation) written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
- Writing sample (academic paper, essay, published article);
- Research proposal outlining the research topic the candidate would like to pursue in the Program (1500-2000 words);
- Applicants recommended for admission must provide hard copies of IELTS and GRE results (if applicable) as requested by the Admissions Department.
- Application periods for PhD programs:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – April 18, 2022 (inclusive)
Application periods for PhD in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – May 16, 2022 (inclusive)
- The final deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:
for International applicants – March 15, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan – April 18, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan (PhD in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry) – May 17, 2022 (inclusive) - The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): to be announced
- First day of classes: to be announced
Nazarbayev University School of Medicine (NUSOM) is the Republic of Kazakhstan’s first US-style curriculum which is taught in English with the goal of educating future medical leaders in health care, education, and biomedical research. The School aspires to be a world-class and to generate and sustain excellence in health education and biomedical research by creating a supportive and stimulating academic environment where creativity, life-long learning and discoveries are supported and encouraged. NUSOM offers Master programs, Doctor of Medicine, Ph.D., and Residency programs.
PhD Program:
For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.
1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, or a terminal medical degree (MD or equivalent). During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration;
3. A Minimum CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 CGPA in applicant’s Master’s (or equivalent) degree;
4. English proficiency:
1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
2) Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written Project proposal;
1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3.Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts;
During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). A candidate must indicate Nazarbayev University as a recipient when registering for the test. In case if the candidate passed the test earlier, he/she can contact the test center and indicate the Nazarbayev University as a recipient. Candidates can provide official electronic score report of valid Academic IELTS or TOEFL IBT certificates from Test Administrator and its scanned copy;
7. Project proposal (not more than 500 words);
8. Curriculum vitae;
9. Evidence of any professional and/or voluntary experiences that develop essential skills related to laboratory work;
10.Two confidential reference letters in English (or with notarized English translation) written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
11. 075/у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani candidates) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health (for international candidates);
12. Document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record – for Biomedical Sciences;
13. List of the applicant’s preferred three choices of PhD projects (optional) – for Biomedical Sciences;
14. List of graduate courses the applicant’s has taken in Epidemiology and Statistics – for Global Health.
- Application periods for PhD program:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – April 30, 2022 (inclusive)
- The final deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:
for International applicants – March 15, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan – April 30, 2022 (inclusive)
- The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): to be announced
- First day of classes: to be announced
The School of Mining and Geosciences aims to be a world-class institution within the area of natural resources by educating highly qualified professionals with up-to-date knowledge and skills in earth science and related subjects. The school offers undergraduate and graduate programs that aim to train engineering professionals who can design, operate and manage operations as well as develop research skills and knowledge to provide support to petroleum and mining industry to have safe, environmentally friendly, and economically viable operations.
PhD Programs:
For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.
1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A minimum CGPA of 2.75 out of a 4.00;
4. English proficiency:
1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
2) Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE or GMAT tests (optional);
6. High level of motivation and strong interest in the Program outlined in a statement of purpose.
1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s) with transcripts;
During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL);
7. GRE or GMAT certificates valid as of date of online documents submission (optional);
8. Statement of purpose describing candidate’s educational, professional, and research experience, reasons for applying to the School of Mining and Geosciences PhD program, further career perspectives and how new knowledge and skills obtained after the program completion would help to achieve those goals (up 1A4 page);
9. Two letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy);
10. Curriculum vitae;
- Application periods for PhD programs:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – May 10, 2022 (inclusive)
- The final deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:
for International applicants – March 15, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan – May 11, 2022 (inclusive)
- The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): to be announced
- First day of classes: to be announced
The Graduate School of Education (GSE) admitted its first students in September 2013. The main objective of the Graduate School of Education is to promote the further development of the education sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan by training future generations of educational managers and researchers. The School offers Master’s and Ph.D. degree programs and professional development programs.
PhD Program:
For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.
1. An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2. A Master’s degree or equivalent. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration.
3. A competitive CGPA in a candidate’s Master’s (or equivalent) degree.
4. English proficiency:
1) Overall IELTS test score of 7.0 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
2) Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
5. 2 years of work experience in a relevant field. At the discretion of the Admissions Committee candidates with less than 2 years of work experience may also be considered.
6. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE test (recommended);
7. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a personal statement;
8. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal;
1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts; During the application period final year students may upload official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Candidates should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
7. Documented proof of work experience (if applicable);
8. GRE certificate valid as of date of online documents submission (not recommended);
9. Personal statement outlining the candidate’s prior educational career, statement of his/her interest in the Program, his/her long-term career goals, and how the program would help him/her to achieve these goals (300-500 words);
10. Three confidential letters of recommendation written within the last two years in English language (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request);
11. Research proposal outlining the research topic the candidate would like to pursue in the Program (1500-2000 words);
- Application periods for PhD program:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – April 18, 2022 (inclusive)
- The final deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:
for International applicants – March 15, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan – April 18, 2022 (inclusive)
- The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): to be announced
- First day of classes: to be announced
The Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP) aims to educate professionals and leaders to understand and implement sound public policy and good governance to improve the quality of life of people. GSPP students include professionals from the public sector, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and decision-makers from the private sector. GSPP offers graduate degree programs, as well as short-term executive education programs that focus on key policy and leadership challenges.
PhD Program:
For registration, please create your personal account on admissions.nu.edu.kz, fill out the Application form and submit the required documents.
1. First or upper-class second honours Bachelor`s degree (or equivalent: Cum Laude; Magna Cum Laude; and Summa Cum Laude) or a Master’s degree in a cognate discipline. During the application period, final year students may submit an official current transcript for consideration;
2. At least 3 (three) years of relevant work experience. Based on GSPP’s Admissions Committee discretion, candidates with work experience less than 3 (three) years may also be considered if the applicant can demonstrate high academic performance;
3. English proficiency:
1) Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
2) Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English;
4. Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE/GMAT test (maybe submitted);
5. High motivation and strong interest in the Program as outlined in a cover letter;
6. Relevant research interest and knowledge of research subject as demonstrated in a written research proposal.
1. Complete Application form;
2. National ID (for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and passport (for international applicants);
3. Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
4. Degree diplomas (Bachelor’s and Master’s or equivalents) with transcripts. During the application period, final year students may upload the official current transcript for consideration;
5. An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: Nazarbayev University. Code for TOEFL: 6762;
6. Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for candidates who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL). Candidates should provide a detailed certificate/reference from the university indicating the number and list of subjects completed in English;
7. Documented proof of work experience (if applicable);
8. Resume;
9. GRE/GMAT certificate valid as of the date of online documents submission (if any);
10. Cover letter explaining the motivation to enrol in the Program;
11. Two confidential letters of recommendation (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy after receiving an email request);
12. Preliminary research proposal (2000 words).
- Application periods for PhD program:
for International applicants from December 9, 2021 – February 28, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 9, 2021 – May 3, 2022 (inclusive)
- The final deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:
for International applicants – March 15, 2022 (inclusive)
for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan – May 3, 2022 (inclusive)
- The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): to be announced
- First day of classes: to be announced
All registered candidates can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the candidate in the Personal account.
Application in processing. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the candidate on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address.
Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the candidates who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.
Disqualified. The status is assigned to candidates who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition. For example, provided deliberately false information.
Rejected by Admission Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the candidate’s application.
Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the candidate for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.
Pending. Candidate’s application is under consideration.
Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the candidate’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such candidates should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other candidates reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.
Recommended for admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend candidate for the program.
Withdrawn. Candidate decided to withdraw from the competition.
Accepted admission offer. The status is assigned to candidates who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the conditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.
Refused admission offer. The candidate was recommended for admission, but refused to study.
Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those candidates, who applied for several graduate programs. The status is assigned when the candidate chooses another program.
Deferred. The status is assigned to candidates who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.
Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to candidates who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the candidate refuses to study at University.
Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to candidates who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the candidates in the Waiting list.
Enrolled. The status is assigned to candidates who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Candidate officially became a student.
- To provide IELTS/TOEFL certificates, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:
1) To send an official electronic report of valid IELTS/TOEFL certificate via the Test administrator directly to Nazarbayev University;
2) To upload the scanned copy of the certificate in section UPLOAD IELTS/TOEFL RESULTS in the Personal account and indicate TRF number for IELTS, registration number for TOEFL.
Applicants can submit any number of certificates for the competition, but the last certificate uploaded to their Personal account will be considered.
The IELTS/TOEFL certificates are valid for 2 years after the exam date. - Applicants who have already obtained a PhD degree covered by the “Bolashak” scholarship or the state scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not eligible for admission under the state educational order to the Nazarbayev University’s PhD degree program. The following applicants will be considered for admission only as self-paid students or under other scholarships.
- Applicants who obtained their degree diplomas/certificates from foreign education institutions must request their official transcripts to be sent directly to the University: 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nazarbayev University, Admissions Department.
- All required documents indicated above (excluding letters of recommendation) must be uploaded by candidates to the Personal account before the indicated deadline.
- All submitted documents shall be in English or with notarized English translation.
- The submission of a complete application package does not guarantee admission to the Program.
- Applicants recommended for admission must provide hard copies of all documents as requested by the Admissions Department within an established period of time.
- Standardized test reports shall be sent by the official test administrator directly to the University.
- NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL CODES:
- GRE – 6496
- TOEFL – 6762
- GMAT – H6m-R7-93
- IELTS – Nazarbayev University
- Please follow this link to learn more on terms for the provision of educational services at Nazarbayev University.
- The Testing Center of the Center for Preparatory Studies Nazarbayev University provides the opportunity to take language courses, preparatory courses for international standardized tests, as well as taking international standardized tests: SAT, TOEFL PDT, GRE PBT, TOEFL iBT, GRE CBT, GMAT, PMI, TOEFL ITP, TOEIC). More information here.
- Nazarbayev University holds an Open House Day every year for potential applicants in order to inform them about its programs, entry requirements, specifics of studying at NU and about the opportunities after studying. This year the event was held in a virtual format. The following link open.nu.edu.kz provided to access the helpful videos from NU professors and staff prepared for the Open House Day.
- Email: Info_admissions@old.nu.edu.kz
- Phone number: +7 /7172/ 642 584