Bolashak International Scholarship — Kazakhstan's 30-Year Return-Service Talent Programme

The Bolashak International Scholarship, established by presidential decree on 5 November 1993 and administered by JSC "Center for International Programs", fully funds high-achieving Kazakhstani citizens to complete master's, doctoral or professional qualifications at foreign universities, on condition that they return to Kazakhstan and work there for a fixed term after graduation. It is one of the longest-running national return-service scholarship schemes in the world.

According to Kazakhstani state media, the programme had produced 12,731 graduates over its first 30 years as of a September 2024 report. Enforcement is tracked closely: 235 individuals — 1.9% of all graduates — have lost their scholarships for failing to return and fulfil the work obligation, and the government recovered 1.151 billion tenge (approximately US$2.39 million) in misused scholarship funds between January and July 2024 alone.

A former parliamentary deputy, quoted in the same Kazakhstani press coverage, has publicly questioned whether the programme has built sufficient domestic expertise after three decades, pointing to continued reliance on foreign specialists in some key positions despite the scheme's scale — a direct, sourced critique of its long-run impact alongside its clear reach and enforcement record.

Read the full analysis: https://bolashak.gov.kz