Acceptance of applications for scientific internships abroad within the framework of the Bolashak program has started

Applications for participation in the competitive selection for a scientific internship abroad will be accepted until March 15, 2023. The award will be carried out by the Republican Commission in February and May 2023.

“On behalf of the Head of State, every year 500 domestic scientists will be able to undergo scientific training at the expense of the state, conduct research in advanced laboratories of the world. This year, the criteria for selecting scientists have been improved, a list of universities and research centers for internships has been formed for the first time, and a list of specialties in relevant research areas has been developed. The requirements for the composition of the expert commission have been strengthened. Now the commission consists only of doctors of engineering, medical, humanities and natural sciences” said Anuar Zhangozin, Chairman of the Board of JSC “Center for International Programs” of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan scientists have been allocated 500 grants for internships abroad in leading research centers and universities of the world. The state pays interns the costs of an internship, round-trip flights, as well as medical insurance and a monthly stipend. The amount of the scholarship varies depending on the city and the standard of living in a particular country.

Applicants with an unconditional invitation from a foreign organization included in the recommended list can participate in the competition for the award of a scientific internship, as well as have scientific results, for example, articles indexed in Kazakhstani and international scientific publications and databases. The total work experience of candidates should be at least 12 months in the chosen field of specialization. It is also mandatory to have a certificate of passing exams in the state language with a result of at least level B1, in a foreign language with an IELTS result of at least 5.0 out of 9.0.

The list of universities, research centers, leading foreign organizations recommended for scientific internships includes more than 400 universities, research centers, organizations from 34 countries of the world included in the top 250 international academic rankings QS World University Rankings, Academic Rankings of World Universities, Times Higher Education World University Rankings and rankings scientific Institutes of Saimago (SCImago Institutes Rankings). The list of priority areas of scientific research for scientific internships provides 134 specialties. Priority specialties are distributed in such areas as research in the field of engineering, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, as well as in the fields of information and communication technologies, medicine, art, education, agriculture, national security and defense.

The list includes such relevant specialties as “Water resources and water use”, “Virology”, “Green Innovations”, “Nanotechnology and nanomaterials”, etc.

It should be noted that the competitive selection for the grant award takes place in 3 rounds: comprehensive testing, a personal interview with members of the expert commission and consideration of documents at a meeting of the Republican Commission for Training Personnel Abroad.

More detailed information is available on the website of the Center for International Programs.