The University of Central Asia Cambridge Scholarship Programme (Academic Year 2027-2028)

The University of Central Asia (UCA) in partnership with the Cambridge Trust is pleased to announce prestigious scholarship opportunities for master’s and doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. The initiative is a part of UCA’s ongoing Central Asian Faculty Development Programme (CAFDP) designed to promote scholarship among the Central Asian postgraduate community and equip regional talent for careers in academia and particularly at UCA.

Programme Overview

The UCA-Cambridge Scholarship is available to outstanding candidates from UCA’s founding states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan (applicants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan will also be considered; however, priority will be given to applicants from the founding states). It supports applicants in a wide range of subjects relevant to UCA's strategic goals.

UCA is Central Asia’s sole regional university with fully residential campuses in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan and Khorog, Tajikistan, with further plans for a campus in Tekeli, Kazakhstan. UCA’s Graduate School of Development, based predominantly in Bishkek, with smaller offices in Dushanbe and Khorog, leads the University’s research and development initiatives. The partnership between UCA and the Cambridge Trust builds on the quality and standing of both UCA and the University of Cambridge, to enhance the academic quality of UCA’s and Central Asia’s future faculty and research community.

While the scholarship remains open to both master’s and doctoral applicants, priority will be given to strong PhD candidates, reflecting UCA’s current focus on doctoral development.

To date, the scholarship has supported 1 Postdoctoral, 8 PhD, and 5 master’s researchers, each making significant contributions to their respective fields and advancing the mission of fostering academic excellence and innovation within the Central Asian region. Scholarship holders are also expected to gain teaching experience and pedagogical training during their doctoral studies, where appropriate.

Fields of Study

The scholarship is available for graduate and postgraduate studies in subjects that align with UCA’s research and education interests and expertise at the School of Arts & Sciences and the Graduate School of Development.

Eligible fields include Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences, Computer and Data Sciences, Media and Communications, Development Economics, Climate Economics and Public Policy, Public Health and Health Economics, Cultural Heritage and Society. Other fields may be considered based on UCA’s needs. Where appropriate, preference will be given to research topics engaging with theoretical or applied work especially pertinent to the Central Asian region.

For doctoral scholarship holders, it is expected that the research undertaken will also have direct relevance to Central Asia and that fieldwork would therefore normally be expected to be undertaken in Central Asia during the 2^nd or 3^rd year of the doctoral programme.

Note: MBA, EMBA, MFin and BusD degrees are not covered by this scholarship.

Scholarship Value

The UCA-Cambridge scholarship will cover:

• University tuition fee (paid directly to Cambridge).
• Annual stipend in accordance with the applicable scholarship terms and funding arrangements.
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
• Visa costs, subject to the applicable scholarship terms and any stated limits.

Additional support from UCA:

• Annual research allowance (PhD only) subject to applicable UCA policies and funding availability.
• Travel expenses to and from the UK at the start and conclusion of the studies in accordance with UCA’s applicable travel and reimbursement policies.
  
  Note: Please note the scholarship does not provide any support or funding for any dependents or family members. 

Conditions

CAFDP scholars are expected to remain engaged with UCA during their studies and to contribute to the University following completion of their programme, through teaching, research, or other agreed activities. Any post-graduation engagement, including employment or a service agreement, will be subject to UCA’s needs, available opportunities, and applicable recruitment and approval processes, and does not constitute a guarantee of employment.

Scholarship recipients will be assigned to a UCA mentor throughout their studies at Cambridge, in addition to their Cambridge mentor/supervisor. This will support their continued engagement with UCA and subsequent reintegration following completion of their studies.

UCA’s Eligibility Criteria

All applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria that includes:

• Citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan (Applicants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan will also be considered however priority will be given to applicants from the founding states).
• Higher education degree with excellent academic records from a recognised university.
• Interest in master’s or PhD programme in departments reflecting UCA fields of interest, outlined above.
• Interest in a career within academia, including research and teaching.
• Demonstrated competency in chosen discipline.
• Demonstrated commitment to contributing to UCA following the completion of the CAFDP programme.
• Excellent English language skills: IELTS score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component) or TOEFL score of 110 (with 25 in each element).

Applications will be reviewed by the UCA selection committee and shortlisted applications will be invited to submit a full online application to the University of Cambridge, by December 3, 2026/January 5, 2027 depending on the chosen programme (please refer to the Postgraduate Course Directory).

All candidates are therefore encouraged to familiarise themselves with the online admission application form in parallel to submitting their application to UCA.

Shortlisting or selection by UCA does not guarantee admission to the University of Cambridge or the award of any scholarship or funding that is subject to separate University of Cambridge or Cambridge Trust requirements.

Contact Information 

For further information, please contact: cafdp@ucentralasia.org. Early enquiries are welcome. 

UCA reserves the right to amend the eligibility criteria, deadlines, or application requirements where reasonably necessary, and to reject or not consider applications that are incomplete, late, or do not meet the applicable requirements. Nothing in this announcement constitutes a guarantee of admission, scholarship award, or employment with UCA. 

By submitting an application, applicants acknowledge that UCA will collect and process their personal data for the purposes of administering the CAFDP scholarship programme, assessing eligibility and applications, communicating with applicants, and, where applicable, facilitating the University of Cambridge application process. Personal data will be handled in accordance with UCA’s applicable privacy and data-protection policies and applicable law.

Applicants should review UCA’s Privacy Notice for Applicants before submitting their application.