Job Description

Opportunity Description

Looking to study in Central Asia without paying full tuition? The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded through an international treaty between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, in partnership with the Aga Khan Development Network. UCA runs one of the region’s most generous undergraduate financial aid programs at its School of Arts and Sciences, subsidising up to 95% of the total cost per student and awarding full scholarships to top-performing applicants. The five-year bachelor’s program (including a preparatory year) is open to applicants from Central Asia and beyond, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, for the 2026-27 intake.

Key Details

• Provided by: University of Central Asia (UCA), in partnership with the Aga Khan Development Network
• Host institution: UCA School of Arts and Sciences
• Location: Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, and Khorog, Tajikistan (residential campuses)
• Admission Deadlines (2026-27 cycle):
  • Stage 1 – Application form and supporting documents: February 14, 2026
  • Stage 2 – UCA Admissions Test: March 7–8, 2026
  • Stage 2 – SAT score submission deadline: March 7, 2026
  • Stage 3 – Application forms and interviews: April 2026
  • Stage 4 – Financial aid application: April 22, 2026
• Degree Level: Undergraduate (five-year bachelor’s program, including one preparatory year)
• Gender: All genders
• Type: Scholarship / Need-based Financial Aid
• Eligible Nations: Open to all nationalities. Full scholarships are prioritized for citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. UCA also runs admissions test centres in Afghanistan (Kabul, Shugnan, Faizabad) and Pakistan for other applicants.
• Eligible Degree Programs:

Bachelor’s Degrees (five-year track starting with a preparatory year in English, mathematics, and science):

• BA, Global Economics in (Khorog, Tajikistan)
• BSc, Computer Science (Naryn, Kyrgyzstan)
• BA, Communications and Media (Naryn, Kyrgyzstan)
• BSc, Earth and Environmental Science (Khorog, Tajikistan)

Program Benefits

• Tuition coverage: up to 95% of the US$5,000 annual tuition fee, subsidized based on merit and financial need
• Accommodation and meals: on-campus residential package (valued at the equivalent of US$3,000 per year), also eligible for subsidy
• Full scholarships: 100% tuition and fee waivers for top scorers on UCA’s Admissions Test, 1st-place Republican Olympiad winners, and Gold Certificate ORT recipients
• Added perks confirmed by UCA: laptop computer, textbooks and instructional material, health insurance plan, fitness center and recreation access, individual tutorials and counselling, and wifi connection

Awards Summary

Applicants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan:

• Full Scholarship: 100% tuition and fees waived, awarded competitively to top scorers in UCA’s Admissions Test, 1st-place Republican Olympiad winners, and Gold Certificate ORT winners. Tenable at UCA’s Naryn or Khorog campus.
• Need-based financial aid tuition subsidy of up to 95%, based on documented family financial circumstances. Tenable at UCA’s Naryn or Khorog campus.

International applicants (including Afghanistan and Pakistan):

• Need-based Financial Aid applied for using UCA’s separate “International” Financial Aid Application Package.

Eligibility Criteria

• Citizenship/residency: open worldwide; full scholarships reserved for citizens of the three founding states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan)
• Academic records: international applicants must submit official academic transcripts at Stage 1
• Military conscription note: Enrollment in the Preparatory Program does not grant military deferment under the laws of the founding states. Male students in the Prep Program may be subject to conscription; this does not apply once a student reaches freshman year and beyond.
• Language of instruction: English
• Language requirement, by test:
  • IELTS Academic: 6.0–6.5 (Preparatory Programme placement) / 7.0 and above (Direct Entry)
  • TOEFL iBT: 79–95 (Preparatory Programme) / 96 and above (Direct Entry)
  • TOEFL cBT: 212–241 (Preparatory Programme) / 242 and above (Direct Entry)
  • TOEFL pBT: 548–588 (Preparatory Programme) / 590 and above (Direct Entry)
  • Cambridge English Test: B1 (Preparatory Programme) / C1 (Direct Entry)
  • Applicants may submit SAT scores instead of sitting UCA’s English/maths test (SAT code 7834): Math 500 (Prep) / 600 (Direct Entry); Evidence-Based Reading & Writing 500 (Prep) / 550 (Direct Entry)

How to Apply?

• Submit UCA’s Stage 1 Application Form along with a government-issued photo ID and a recent photograph through the official online application portal by February 14, 2026.
• After Stage 1, applicants outside Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are shortlisted and invited to sit the paid UCA Admissions Test ($15 fee) or submit SAT scores by March 7, 2026

Apply Now