Procedure for Distributing Vacant State Educational Grants

Procedure for Distributing Vacant State Educational Grants based on Mid-Term Assessment Results

1 The procedure for providing vacant educational grants is established in accordance with the order of the Acting Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan of August 25, 2023 No. 443 (registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan on August 31, 2023 under No. 33345).

2 Vacant educational grants, including educational grants for individuals from western, densely populated and newly formed regions, that become available in the process of obtaining higher or postgraduate studies (hereinafter referred to as vacant grants), are awarded on a competitive basis to students on a fee-paying basis in groups of education programs.

3 The competition is held based on the results of the midterm assessment based on the average grade point average (GPA) for the entire period of study with the issuance of a certificate.

4 The University posts an open competition notice on its official website, indicating the number of vacant grants. The Registrar’s Office submits a list of vacant educational grants to the Academic Affairs Department annually on January 1st and July 1st.

5 In case of the same GPA, priority is given to students who have only grades A, A- (“excellent”), then to grades from A, A- (“excellent”) to B+, B, B-, C+ (“good”), and then to mixed grades for the entire period of study.

6 In case of F, FX grades in the average GPA, the student cannot participate in the competition for vacant grants.

7 The vacant grant is awarded based on the student’s GPA for the main session (the GPA for a repeat exam with an F or FX grade is not counted). Students with outstanding academic records are not eligible for the competition when transferring from one course to another. However, students with outstanding academic records prior to the end of the academic year may participate in the competition, with preference given to students enrolled at the University from their first year.

8 Vacant grants are awarded during the summer and winter holidays on a competitive basis.

9 The faculty/school/institute collects the candidates’ documents, discusses them at a faculty’s council meeting, and, based on a Minutes decision, submits them to the Academic Affairs Department. The Department reviews the documents and forwards them to the University’s Scientific Council. The documents are collected in the following order:

• - a student on a fee-paying basis submits an application to the Chairman of the Management Board – Rector of the University for further education under an educational grant for higher or postgraduate studies, indicating consent to the publication of his/her GPA score in the public domain;
• - received applications are considered at a meeting of the Scientific Council of the University;
• - The University posts on its official website the data of applicants for vacant grants, indicating the GPA score by education program group, training area, and course;
• - Based on the Scientific Council’s decision, a list of applicants for transfer to vacant grants is sent to the authorized body in the field of science and higher education for a decision by August 5 and January 25 of the current year. Copies of student applications, the Scientific Council’s decision, student transcripts, enrollment orders, copies of identity documents, original certificates of educational grant recipients, those expelled, and excerpts from expulsion orders from the University are attached to the list.
• - In the absence of applicants, vacant educational grants offered to the authorized body in the field of science and higher education will be redistributed by the republican commission on a competitive basis.

10 Students transferred from a foreign university may not participate in the competition for vacant educational grants, except in cases where they have a Unified National Testing (hereinafter referred to as UNT) certificate.

11 Any applicant for a vacant educational grant who is the holder of a differentiated grant may participate in the competition provided that they are fully familiar with the procedure for providing a differentiated grant, agree to the terms and conditions, and write a letter of voluntary consent.

12 The competition for individuals of Kazakh nationality who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan is held according to approved quotas from the total volume of the approved state educational order among the specified categories. Only students of the same category are eligible for educational grants for citizens of Kazakh nationality who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the absence of a candidate, the grant is returned to the state.

13 The University reviews the received documents in terms of groups of education programs, forms and periods of study, taking into account the year of admission, and, if the decision is positive, issues an order to award a vacant grant (if there are no applicants for a group of education programs, vacant educational grants that become available in the process of obtaining higher and/or postgraduate studies are redistributed within the area of training or field of education).

14 Vacant educational grants that become available in the process of obtaining higher education in joint education programs within the framework of a strategic partnership, in branches of foreign organizations of higher and (or) postgraduate studies, in dual degree programs, are awarded on a competitive basis to students in joint education programs within the framework of a strategic partnership, in branches of foreign organizations of higher and (or) postgraduate studies, in dual degree programs to the relevant groups of education programs.

15 The conditions for participation in the competition for the award of vacant educational grants that have become available in the process of obtaining higher education through joint education programs within the framework of a strategic partnership in branches of foreign organizations of higher and (or) postgraduate studies through dual degree programs are determined by the university on its part based on the following requirements:

• - level of proficiency in a foreign language (certificate);
• - scientific articles;
• - experience working with a project, etc.

16 Based on the order of the authorized body in the field of science and higher education, the National Testing Center (NTC) issues a certificate of award of an educational grant and transfers the data to the University within three working days.

17 Based on the certificate, the Chairman of the Management Board – Rector of the University issues an order for further education under an educational grant.

18 The recipient of an awarded educational grant is obliged to pay for tuition before the date of publication of the order of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the award of the grant.