ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN KAZAKHSTAN: VOICES OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT ONE HIGHLY SELECTIVE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Admission to higher education in Kazakhstan is centralized and managed by the National Testing Center, which administers the Unified National Test (UNT), a standardized and curriculum-based examination. The country has witnessed a notable rise in tertiary education enrollment, growing from 46.8% in 2016 to 56.5% in 2023. Despite this significant expansion and the implementation of a standardized admission system, equitable access to higher education for all youth in Kazakhstan remains a persistent challenge. On the contrary, disparities in educational outcomes are widening among students from different socio-economic backgrounds, particularly at top-tier higher education institutions (HEIs). Therefore, this mixed-methods study investigates the university admission processes in Kazakhstan, focusing on the perspectives of undergraduate students at a highly selective private university in Almaty, the country’s former capital. By employing Jacobs’ (2004) three-dimensional framework of equality of opportunity to assess the equity and fairness of the admission system to higher education, the study specifically examines students’ experiences during the admissions process, the role of the UNT in their admission journey, and the factors influencing university admissions. The study followed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design; an online questionnaire was completed by undergraduate students (N = 493), followed by individual semi-structured interviews with 21 students (N = 21) from the selected university. Overall, the findings suggest that Kazakhstan’s centralized admission system is transparent, with clearly defined steps. While the UNT serves as a key high-stakes exam for university entry, offering benefits such as multiple attempts and opportunities for tuition-free higher education, the testing process also has drawbacks, including issues related to test integrity. The findings also indicate that admission to highly selective universities in Kazakhstan is challenging, with rigorous UNT score requirements and high financial costs posing significant barriers, particularly for students from rural areas and low-income backgrounds. The analysis further reveals the considerable impact of socio-economic factors, such as family background, type of secondary school, geographical location, and access to fee-paying private tutoring, on university admission prospects. The study concludes by proposing practical recommendations to make admissions to highly selective universities in Kazakhstan more equitable for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.