After receiving a bachelor's degree, the yesterday's students face the question: "What is next step?"
You can start looking for a job, be re-enrolled in the 1 course to graduate from a second higher education, or apply for a master program.
With the first two options, everything is clear, but not everyone knows exactly what the master's degree program gives and who needs it.
What is the master's degree program, the admission procedure, what exams you need to take, we will answer these and other questions in our material.
To ensure compliance with uniform criteria and resolve disputed issues in the evaluation of test tasks, as well as to protect the rights of applicants, a Republican Appeals Commission is established for the testing period. The chairperson and members of the Republican Appeals Commission are approved by an order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Republican Appeals Commission reviews applications from applicants to master’s degree programs regarding the content of test tasks and technical issues within 7 (seven) working days after the testing date.
An appeal on technical grounds is considered in cases where part of the test task content (texts, diagrams, drawings, tables) is missing, making it impossible to determine the correct answer.
An application for an appeal on technical grounds is submitted by the applicant during the testing process. Throughout the testing period, a “Submit an Appeal for Technical Reasons” button is displayed on the monitor screen. By clicking this button, a screenshot of the task is automatically sent to the appeal experts.
Appeals regarding the content of test tasks are considered in the following cases:
The correct answer does not match the answer key (the correct answer option must be specified);
The correct answer is missing;
More than one correct answer exists in test tasks designed for selecting one correct answer from the proposed options (all correct answer options must be specified);
The test task is incorrectly formulated.
When submitting an appeal regarding the content of test tasks, the applicant must provide a reasoned justification (a full explanation).
Applications for appeals requesting review of all test tasks without a justified explanation (full explanation, step-by-step problem solution) are not subject to consideration.
An appeal regarding the content of test tasks must be submitted by the applicant within 30 minutes after the completion of testing.
Only the specific facts stated in the appeal application are subject to review.
The results of the online appeal are displayed in the applicant’s personal account after review by the Republican Appeals Commission.
Decisions of the Republican Appeals Commission are made by a majority vote of the total number of commission members. In the event of a tie, the chairperson’s vote is decisive.
The decision of the Republican Appeals Commission is final and not subject to further review.
When entering the testing venue, applicants are admitted into the building one at a time. During entry, the applicant’s identity is verified using a three-dimensional facial recognition scanner based on an identity document or passport.
Handheld and walk-through metal detectors are used when admitting applicants to the testing venue. The use of metal detectors is intended to ensure the safety of applicants during testing and to prevent attempts to bring prohibited items into the building, including:
cheat sheets;
educational and methodological literature;
dictionaries;
the periodic table and salt solubility table;
paper formats A0–A10;
calculators;
cameras;
mobile communication devices (pagers, mobile phones, tablets, iPads, iPods, smartphones, walkie-talkies, laptops, players, modems/mobile routers, smart glasses, smart watches, fitness bracelets/trackers, wired and wireless headphones, micro-earphones, wireless video cameras, GPS navigators, GPS trackers, remote-control devices, voice recorders, and other information exchange devices operating on GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, VHF, UHF, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, or DECT standards).
The involvement of impersonators in testing is strictly prohibited. Applicants who involve impersonators are not allowed to participate in the testing and are also prohibited from taking any retesting during the current year.
During comprehensive testing, applicants are not permitted to:
Leave the examination room (computer classroom) without permission and accompaniment by the testing administrator serving as corridor supervisor;
Talk to others or change seats;
Leave the examination room more than twice or remain outside for more than 10 minutes in total.
Exiting is not permitted during the first and last hours of testing, except in emergency, force majeure, or health-related situations;
Exchange documents or A4 sheets issued for solving test tasks;
Remove from the examination room any documents or A4 sheets issued for solving test tasks, or damage them by tearing or crumpling;
Take away the A4 sheets issued for solving test tasks;
Bring into or use in the examination room cheat sheets, educational literature, dictionaries, the periodic table and salt solubility table, paper formats A0–A10, calculators, cameras, mobile communication devices (pagers, mobile phones, tablets, iPads, iPods, smartphones, walkie-talkies, laptops, players, modems/mobile routers, smart glasses, smart watches, fitness bracelets/trackers, wired and wireless headphones, micro-earphones, wireless video cameras, GPS navigators, GPS trackers, remote-control devices, voice recorders, and other information exchange devices operating on GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, VHF, UHF, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, or DECT standards);
Make noise before or during testing;
Remove, discuss, or disclose the content of test questions;
Intentionally damage testing equipment or the security system;
Attempt to interfere with or interfere in the testing software, or commit any other violations during testing.
At the same time, applicants are allowed to use the calculator, periodic table, and salt solubility table available within the computer testing interface.
Whenever an applicant leaves and re-enters the examination room, they are checked again with a metal detector.
If violations of the Rules for Conducting Comprehensive Testing approved by Order No. 190 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated May 8, 2019, are discovered, the testing administrator draws up an official report, removes the applicant from testing, and annuls the testing results.
To participate in the competition for the award of a postgraduate education grant, the applicant must submit an application to the admissions office of a higher education institution (HEI). When submitting the application, the applicant must provide all supporting documents.
To participate in the competition for the award of an educational grant, the applicant must not have the status of “student” or “graduate” in the Unified Higher Education Platform (UHEP).
Applications for participation in the competition for educational grants funded by the republican budget are accepted within the following periods:
from August 12 to August 18 of the calendar year;
from December 12 to December 18 of the calendar year.
Admission applications for applicants to master’s degree programs at higher and postgraduate education institutions (HEIs) are accepted by the admissions committees of HEIs and/or online through the website of the National Testing Center (app.testcenter.kz) within the following periods:
from June 1 to July 8 of the calendar year;
from October 28 to November 10 of the calendar year.
Entrance examinations in the Arabic language and creative examinations for applicants to master’s degree programs are conducted independently by HEIs within the following periods:
from July 16 to July 25 of the calendar year;
from November 21 to November 28 of the calendar year.
Comprehensive testing (CT) is conducted within the following periods:
from July 20 to August 10 of the calendar year;
from November 18 to December 11 of the calendar year.
The CT certificate issued for testing conducted from July 20 to August 10 is valid until December 1 of the calendar year.
The CT certificate issued for testing conducted from November 18 to December 11 is valid until March 1 of the calendar year.
Enrollment in master’s degree programs is carried out within the following periods:
from August 15 to August 28 of the calendar year;
from December 26 to January 10 of the calendar year.
Applicants holding international certificates confirming proficiency in a foreign language, including IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test), DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang), TestDaF-Prüfung, TFI (Test de Français International), Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF), DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française), TCF (Test de connaissance du français), as well as international GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) certificates, must provide the certificate details when submitting an application for participation in CT and in the competition process.
The conversion of scores from the above-mentioned certificates is carried out after submitting an application for participation in the competition for educational grants funded by the republican or local budget, or during enrollment in HEIs on a tuition-paying basis.
Applicants to master’s degree programs in the educational fields of “Pedagogical Sciences,” “Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics,” “Information and Communication Technologies,” “Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction Industries,” as well as training areas in “Humanities,” “Social Sciences,” and “Business and Management,” may, at their discretion, be exempt from the foreign language block and the readiness test for scientific and pedagogical master’s programs with Kazakh or Russian as the language of instruction, provided they possess an international GRE certificate, in accordance with the score conversion scale.
Comprehensive testing is conducted at CT administration centers located in the capital city, regional centers, and cities of republican significance.
To conduct CT locally, regional state commissions for the organization and administration of comprehensive testing are established and approved by the authorized body in the field of education. The regional state commission includes representatives of law enforcement agencies, public organizations, and the mass media.
During CT administration, the regional state commission ensures public order during admission to testing centers and throughout the testing period, organizes the work of medical personnel during CT, arranges assistance for persons with disabilities — including assistants who are not instructors of the subjects tested for individuals with visual impairments and musculoskeletal disorders, and sign language specialists for individuals with hearing impairments — and ensures the safekeeping of applicants’ personal belongings in lockers during testing.
At the same time, the chairperson and members of the regional state commission do not participate in the testing process.
To monitor the administration of comprehensive testing, testing administrators from the Republican State Enterprise on the Right of Economic Management “National Testing Center” (Center) are dispatched to the CT administration centers.
A master's degree program not only in the Republic of Kazakhstan, but throughout the world implies post-graduate education for students who already have had a bachelor's degree. Accordingly, the Master's degree is awarded to those who have fully mastered the Master's degree educational programs.
A master's degree is not a second higher education, but an educational level following a bachelor's degree, a kind of step along which the student rises on the path of obtaining special disciplines and improving his qualifications. This is the main difference from the undergraduate program.
In addition, the duration of study and the conditions of admission differ. So, to get a master's degree, it will take 1-2 years, and you cannot enter a master's program without going through a bachelor's degree.
For admission to the master program, you must pass a comprehensive test (CT).
Persons who have completed higher education programs are admitted to master’s degree programs.
Comprehensive Testing (CT) is a form of examination conducted simultaneously in several academic disciplines using information and communication technologies.
Applicants to scientific and pedagogical master’s degree programs take CT, which includes:
a foreign language test (English, German, or French, by choice),
a test in the profile of the educational program group, and
a test to determine readiness for study in Kazakh or Russian (by choice).
Applicants to specialized master’s degree programs with Kazakh or Russian as the language of instruction take CT, which includes a test in the profile of the educational program group in Kazakh or Russian (by choice).
Applicants to specialized master’s degree programs with English as the language of instruction take CT, which includes a test in the profile of the educational program group in English.
Applicants to master’s degree programs in educational program groups requiring creative training take:
CT, which includes:
a foreign language test (English, German, or French, by choice), and
a test to determine readiness for study in Kazakh or Russian (by choice);
two creative examinations in the profile of the educational program groups at the HEI to which they are applying.
Applicants to master’s degree programs in educational program groups requiring knowledge of the Arabic language take:
an entrance examination in the Arabic language at the HEI to which they are applying;
CT, which includes:
a test in the profile of the educational program group, and
a test to determine readiness for study in Kazakh or Russian (by choice).
Applicants to specialized master’s degree programs take either a test in the profile of the educational program group or creative examinations.
To obtain information about the correspondence of educational program groups according to the classifier of training areas for higher and postgraduate education, applicants should consult the admissions office of the higher education institution (HEI) before submitting an application for participation in CT for admission to a master’s degree program.
The admissions office of the HEI provides:
консультации applicants on issues related to the selected group of postgraduate educational programs;
familiarization with the procedures of comprehensive testing and/or entrance (creative) examinations;
organization of entrance examinations in the Arabic language and/or creative examinations for educational program groups.
An applicant submits an application for participation in CT online through the Center’s website at: app.testcenter.kz
To submit an application, the applicant must:
Visit the website app.testcenter.kz or the UTO.KZ application (via App Store or Play Market) and select the interface language.
Complete registration by providing an email address (the applicant must confirm the email address through the email received from the Center).
Note: If the applicant has previously registered on the Center’s website, they may submit an application through their “Personal Account.” To do this, click “Login” and enter the username and password.
Log in to the application submission system using the received username and password (the email containing the username and password should not be deleted until the end of the current year).
Enter the Individual Identification Number (IIN) and click the search button (surname, first name, and patronymic will be displayed automatically), then provide a contact phone number (mandatory).
Go to the “Submit Application” section and select “Postgraduate Education.”
Select the required type of testing: “Comprehensive Testing for Admission to a Master’s Degree Program.”
Select the testing category:
CT for admission to a master’s degree program;
CT for specialized master’s degree programs with English as the language of instruction;
CT for master’s degree programs requiring creative training;
CT for master’s degree programs requiring knowledge of the Arabic language.
Select the master’s degree training direction:
scientific-pedagogical, or
specialized.
Select the field of education for the master’s degree program.
Select the code and name of the educational program group.
Select the language of testing.
Select the foreign language test language from the drop-down list (if the selected training direction is “scientific-pedagogical”).
Select the testing city.
Applicants with disabilities must provide information about their disability (visual, hearing, or musculoskeletal impairments).
Note: Supporting documents approved by Order No. 44 of the Minister of Healthcare and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 30, 2015, “On Approval of the Rules for Conducting Medical and Social Expertise,” confirming special status, must be attached.
Carefully review the CT rules and confirm acknowledgment.
Review and confirm acknowledgment of the public offer agreement.
Select the preferred payment method for testing and complete the payment. Payment for participation in testing can be made through the following methods:
online payment by bank card (the system automatically redirects to the payment website);
online payment via Kaspi.kz (an order number must be generated and paid through a QR code or the Kaspi.kz application).
Note: Payment must be completed within 1 hour (60 minutes) after generating the application. If payment is not made within the specified time, the application will be canceled.
After payment, in the “My History” section, applicants may, if necessary, make changes to the submitted application (change the testing city, educational program group, or testing language) or delete the application before the application database closes.
After the application is registered, information about the testing location and time will be available in the applicant’s personal account under the “My History” section. The applicant is personally responsible for reviewing the testing information.
After successfully completing all stages, the following message will be displayed:
“Application submitted successfully!”
The participation fee for CT is 14,693 tenge.
If an applicant needs to make changes to a submitted application (change the testing city, educational program group, or testing language), they are allowed to edit the application until the application submission deadline (until July 8 or until November 10).
After the application submission period ends, the selected educational program group cannot be changed.
To make changes to the application, the applicant must:
Log in to their personal account;
Go to the “My History” section;
Open the application and click the “Edit Application” button;
Make the necessary changes;
After editing, click the “Save” button.