Our MBA is a program that plays a key role in our mission to develop the next generation of business leaders in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Intended for early-career professionals, our MBA program provides you with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to.
New program delivery in the evenings and weekends allows busy professionals to earn an MBA degree in 17 months while continuing their career growth.
2. Fill out the online application form and upload required documents;
3. Take the ALEKS/GMAT/GRE test;
4. Take IELTS/TOEFL test;
5. Submit application;
6. Pass through a personal interview;
7. Wait for the results!
The registration for the 2026-2027 academic year will open in October 2025.
Please note that registration for foreign candidates is only possible during early and regular registration. As the next stage of working on your Visas takes time.
Please note that before submitting the completed application form, all supporting documents must be uploaded to a personal account of the candidate.
After the submission of the application form, the extension of the deadlines for the provision of supporting documents for this period is not expected. An incomplete package of documents uploaded to the online system before the end of the Early Online Registration Period will be checked for compliance with the competitive selection requirements and may be sent for revision. Candidates who receive notification of an incomplete package of documents for participation in the competitive selection are automatically transferred to the standard registration period.
Applicants have to submit an online application form and all required documents on our portal.
Applicants to the Full-Time MBA program are expected to have:
- At least 3 years of cumulative work experience, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to consider exceptional applicants with less than 3 years of work experience.
- Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree diploma (or equivalent) with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.00 or equivalent on applicant’s degree (undergraduate or graduate).
- ALEKS/GRE/GMAT results, IELTS/TOEFL certificates and all supporting documents that must be uploaded to the candidate's personal account.
Applicants must submit the following documents:
Two confidential letters of recommendation (to be provided by referees electronically after receiving an email request).
Emails asking for recommendations will be automatically sent to your referees after you click the SUBMIT button. Please kindly note that your referees will be given up to 5 days to complete the online recommendation form.
We require two letters of recommendation. The most valuable recommendations come from people who know your professional skills and abilities. We require you to submit one recommendation from your current supervisor. If you do not have an immediate supervisor, you may submit a recommendation from someone who knows you well in your current position and can critique your professional performance. We strongly encourage you to contact your recommenders early in the application process. Recommendations from relatives or family and friends are strongly discouraged by the Admissions Committee. An application is not considered as “complete” until we have received all recommendations.
Before you submit your application form, please check that you have included the corporate/institutional email addresses of your referees and they have agreed to provide recommendation letters for you.
As soon as you press the “Submit application” button on your personal page, the reference form will be automatically sent to the referees’ email addresses you provided below.
Please note that reference letters should be sent from indicated corporate/institutional email addresses.
Two essays in English.
Essay 1
In 500 words, or less describe how your education, work, and life experience will contribute to your classmates’ MBA experience.
Essay 2
In 500 words or less describe three things others do not know about you.
CV in English (it should not exceed one page).
Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree diploma (or equivalent) with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.00 or equivalent on applicant’s degree (undergraduate or graduate).
Notarized copy of Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree diploma with transcript including a notarized English translation. Applicants who obtained Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree diplomas from foreign educational institutions must request their official transcript(s) to be sent directly to the Admissions Department.
Applicants to the MBA program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may 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 degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English;
- the applicant is a graduate of Nazarbayev University;
- an applicant is determined as a native speaker.
Applicants will have to provide test scores from one of GRE or GMAT or ALEKS.
ALEKS test administered on campus (in Astana) will be conducted as indicated in the table below. We strongly recommend candidates to take online trial version/ training for this test well in advance of deadlines and accurately plan dates.
Preparation instructions are available at the following link
ALEKS study topics are outlined at this link
The retake cost of the ALEKS test is 10 000 KZT
ALEKS test dates:
Early registration:
- November 20, 2024
- December 12, 2024
- December 24, 2024
Regular registration:
- January 23, 2025
- February 20, 2025
- March 12, 2025
- March 18, 2025
Late registration:
- April 17, 2025
- May 15, 2025
- June 19, 2025
- June 27, 2025
- July 3, 2025
- July 15, 2025
Test dates for the next academic year will be posted on this page.
Please refer to the following website — www.aleks.com (Module: Essential Math Skills for business) to take a free trial test.
Applicants who provide valid GRE or GMAT test results may request exemption from the ALEKS test. An applicant must indicate Nazarbayev 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 the Nazarbayev University as a recipient.
Notarized copy of the applicant’s identity card or passport.
Documented proof of work experience with notarized English translation.
Submission of completed application package by the applicant does not guarantee admission to the MBA program.
Applicants are invited for an interview by the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee has the right to conduct an additional interview with applicants.
Every applicant must complete an online application form in English and submit it on the official University website admissions.nu.edu.kz;
- 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 degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English;
- The applicant is a graduate of Nazarbayev University;
- An applicant is determined as a native speaker.
You can access free trial on ALEKS test website: www.aleks.com or purchase a monthly subscription: http://www.aleks.com/buy_aleks_now. The section we require is Essential Math Skills for Business.
There is an opportunity to retake the ALEKS test one time only. The retake cost is -10 000 KZT