Market report Kyrgyzstan

The Kyrgyzstan Study Abroad Market

In this Market Report on Kyrgyzstan, we examine the country’s socio-economic context, education system, and emerging student mobility trends. The Kyrgyz Republic is a lower-middle-income country with a population of approximately 7.4 million, characterized by a young demographic and a strong reliance on natural resources, agriculture, and remittances. In recent years, the government has placed increasing emphasis on economic diversification, with targeted investments in hydropower generation, tourism, and skills development.

Education plays a central role in Kyrgyzstan’s long-term development strategy. Public expenditure on education is relatively high by international standards, reflecting the government’s commitment to human capital development. Policy reforms have focused on improving access, quality, and sustainability across the education system, with particular attention to higher education and workforce readiness. Digitalization of education has been identified as a key driver of reform, supporting both quality improvement and broader access, especially outside major urban centers.

Kyrgyzstan’s political framework has also evolved over the past decade. Following periods of political instability, institutional reforms have aimed to strengthen governance structures and accountability, creating a more predictable environment for long-term policy implementation in sectors such as education.

From an international education perspective, Kyrgyzstan remains a small but developing outbound student market, with students seeking internationally recognized qualifications, English-language instruction, and career opportunities abroad. Popular destinations include Russia, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, China, and select European countries.

At the same time, Kyrgyzstan is emerging as a prominent hub for inbound international students. Estimates for the 2024–2025 academic year indicate some 49,500 foreign students, reflecting rapid growth in international enrollment. Around 25,000 students from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries are enrolled in Kyrgyz universities. India and Pakistan are the largest source countries, particularly for medical programs, as Kyrgyzstan has become a key regional destination for international medical education. This sector drives a substantial portion of the foreign student population and highlights the country’s growing role as a regional education hub.

Overall, Kyrgyzstan presents a dynamic recruitment market with opportunities for universities to engage both outbound students and a rapidly expanding inbound cohort. The combination of a youthful population, policy-driven education reforms, digital modernization, and internationalization initiatives positions Kyrgyzstan as an increasingly important player in Central Asian higher education.

Kyrgyzstan Education System

Higher Education system

Currently, Kyrgyzstan is operating parallel systems of high education, one based on the European model and the other on the old Soviet model. While many institutions are now using the ECTS credit system, few are issuing the Diploma Supplement. The following qualifications are delivered by higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan:

Bachelor (bakalavr): the duration of study is four years. There are no three-year degrees offered. Admission is based on the diploma of completion of secondary school education.
Diploma of Specialist: this is a holdover qualification from the Soviet era and the duration of study is five years (six in medical fields and architecture). Like the bachelor, admission is based on the secondary school diploma. Study time is quantified in hours rather than credits.
Master (magistr): the duration of study is two years, with admission based on the bakalavr.
Candidate of Science: the duration of study is three years and ECTS credits are not applicable to this research degree. Admission is based on the diploma of specialist or magistr.
Doctor of Philosophy: the duration of study is two to three years and admission is based on the diploma of specialist or magistr.
Doctor of Science: a high level research degree based on the completion of the candidate of science or PhD, requiring at least three years of research-based study. Source: world education news and reviews.

Latest Kyrgyzstan Higher Education study abroad stats

At this point a total number of 13,757 students from Kyrgyzstan are studying abroad (for or as part of a degree in higher education), according to UNESCO. These are the most important study abroad destinations for Kyrgyzstani students:

IB schools in Kyrgyzstan

• Bishkek International School – Bishkek – https://www.bis.kg/school/
• Oxford International school – Bishkek – https://www.oxford.kg/
• Silk Road International School – Bishkek – https://www.sris.edu.kg/

Scholarships for students from Kyrgyzstan