Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Nazarbayev University School of Medicine offers a premiere, state-of-the-art undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program that integrates international education, training, and qualifications for both the European Union standards and the U.S. requirements for baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. It is the only BSN program of its kind in all of Kazakhstan.

Admission to the premiere program grants applicants the unique opportunity to work with medical students, public health specialists, faculty, and medical professionals in a curriculum with a core foundation in science, humanities, and nursing.

General information

Campus: Astana, Kazakhstan, NUSOM building

Language: English

Delivery mode: Full-time, on-campus

Duration: 4 years

Total ECTS credit: 250


The BSN program utilizes our state-of-the-art Simulation Center where students practice direct patient care and clinically focused learning in a hospital setting. These simulations build competencies in clinical patient care by the fourth year.


Throughout the program, students collaborate on faculty/student research projects aimed at mastery of research practices that students demonstrate in their Senior Capstone Project.


This 4-year Bachelor of Science program in Nursing provides:

  • The unique opportunity to study and work alongside medical students, public health specialists, faculty, and medical professionals;
  • A program built upon a core foundation in sciences and humanities and a core nursing-specific curriculum;
  • Learning opportunities where you will have both classroom and simulation training in Simulation Center and direct patient care clinically focused learning in hospital settings;
  • In-hospital clinical patient care begins in the Year 2 Spring semester
  • Student progression from classroom focus to a more clinical patient-care focus by the fourth year;
  • Opportunities for research throughout the program, students will have an opportunity to work on faculty and/or student research projects.

The final year will require the completion of a Senior Capstone Project.


Nursing is a high-demand industry both locally and globally. Graduates of the BSN program are prepared to advance their skills in the following fields:

  • Health-Related Fields – Begin working in the healthcare industry as a nurse in private practice, hospital, or critical care.
  • Graduate Education – Continue your professional development as a lifelong learner in the field of nursing with one of our master's programs.

How to apply

STEP 1. Create your personal account

Register on www.admissions.nu.edu.kz portal to create a Personal Account. Read the instructions about the application procedure given in your Personal account.


STEP 2. Complete your Application Form and attach the required documents

Fill out the application form and attach the required documents:

  1. Scanned copy of a National ID card or passport;
  2. Scanned copy of secondary school or higher education institution certificate (attestat/diploma) transcript or certificate from the school (spravka) according to the sample in the personal account;
  3. Motivation letter in English;
  4. Valid copies of certificates. The results of standardized tests must be sent directly to the University through test administrators.

STEP 3. Pay an application fee and finish the registration process

Finish the registration process by pressing the “Pay and Submit application” button. After submission applicants can’t change their applications.


The application fee is paid online via your Personal account with a bank card. The amount to pay is 5 000 tenge. Please be kindly informed that the application fee increases 3 times its established amount for applicants who pay the application fee within the last two weeks before the first officially approved deadline and during the extension period for application for participation in the admissions process for the Undergraduate programs (except Bachelor in Nursing (2-year) program of the School of Medicine). All application fees are non-refundable.


Step 4. Upload IELTS/TOEFL certificates

Upload IELTS/TOEFL results/certificates in your personal account in the section "Upload IELTS/TOEFL" and fill up the required information about the certificate.


Further steps

Check your e-mail for notifications from the NU Admissions Department and your personal account to learn about your application status.


If you experience any difficulties with the registration or online application, please contact info_admissions@nu.edu.kz. Refer to your IIN and/or Applicant ID while sending us your requests.

Entry requirements

Mandatory entry requirements for all categories

*Superscoring does not apply to IELTS/TOEFL

**IELTS Online or IELTS Indicator, TOEFL iBT Home Edition or TOEFL PDT are not considered

***IELTS/TOEFL test certificates are considered valid if their results do not expire by the 1st of August of the relevant academic year to which Applicants are applying. Results of a test, taken before August 1, 2022, are not considered in the competition.

List of documents to be submitted by the applicants for online registration

List of the applicants’ documents for online application

  • Application form.
  • Scan copy of passport or national ID, or birth certificate for applicants under the age of 16.
  • Scan notarized copy of nationally recognized certificate stating completion of a secondary school or college with transcript or its foreign equivalent, A-level certificate or UK Foundation Programme (if available at the time of documents submission) or a certificate from educational institution according to the sample in personal account of applicant (in case the applicant is a current student of the final year at the time of online application).
  • Scan notarized copy of NIS Grade 12 Certificate or its academic reports with predicted scores acknowledged by the school with obligation to submit the hard copy of the document in due time (only for graduates of NIS Grade 12 Certificate).
  • Scan notarized copy of IB Diploma Programme with transcript or predicted scores acknowledged by the school with obligation to submit the hard copy of the document in due time (only for IB Diploma Programme graduates).
  • Scan copy of Motivation letter in English.
  • Verified score report of valid ACT certificate or verified score report of valid SAT Reasoning certificate downloaded from the test administrator system. ACT and SAT must be valid and passed no more than 3 years ago at the moment of online application. In case the applicant provides several valid SAT Reasoning/ACT certificates, the Superscoring will be applied.
  • Score report of valid (no more than 2 years at the moment of online application) Academic IELTS/TOEFL certificate verified from the test administrator system and scanned copy of the certificate, or a scanned copy of a valid TOEFL PDT certificate.
  • Scan copy of Diploma/Certificate of International and/or Republican Olympiad (only for International/Republic Olympiad winners indicated in Appendix 2 to these Regulations).
  • Scan copy of transcript from the university attended in original language and English or academic reports with predicted scores acknowledged by the university attended (only for transfer students).
  • Scan copy of course description of studied courses/subjects from university attended in both English and original languages (only for transfer students).
  • Provost Two electronic academic reference letters in English (only for transfer students).

List of documents to be submitted by the applicants for online registration for enrollment

1. An original of a nationally recognized certificate stating completion of a secondary school, technical, vocational or post-secondary school.

2. An original of a NIS Grade 12 Certificate or A-level certificate (only for A-level/ NIS Grade 12 Certificate category applicants).

3. An original of an IB Diploma Programme with transcript (only for IB Diploma Programme graduates).

Important dates

Important dates for those who are applying for the 2024-2025 academic year:

Online Application period deadline:

  • for “NUET applicants” category, including foreign applicants – October 16 - December 4, 2023 (until 12:00 p.m. Astana time);
  • for other categories (citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan) – October 16 - April 3, 2024 (until 12:00 p.m. Astana time);
  • for international applicants – October 16 - February 29, 2024 (until 12:00 p.m. Astana time).

Selection process and enrollment

  • Applications are considered to be complete upon their online submission. All electronic copies of the required documents must be uploaded to “Personal Account”.
  • Applicants are responsible for ensuring the receipt of all required documents by the Admissions Department. Application documents are not subject to be returned.
  • Nazarbayev University expects applicants to meet the minimum admission criteria but we do not guarantee admission to any applicant. The NU Admissions Committees make decisions on applicants based on a thorough evaluation of submitted applications, required documents, and test scores.
  • The applicants with the highest-ranking scores are offered admission. Once a decision is made by the Admissions Committee, the Admissions Department will notify the applicants via email. The applicants can check the status of their applications in their NU personal accounts.

Description of the status assigned to the applicant at every competition stage.

Status is placed in the order of assignment to the applicant in the Personal account.


Does not meet the entry requirements. The applicant does not meet the minimum requirements of the program and is put down after checking the application forms and documents by the University's Admission Department.


Withdrawn. The status is assigned to applicants who refused to participate in the competition for the undergraduate program before the decision of the Admissions Committee is released


Recommended for admission. The applicant is recommended for admission by the Admissions Committee and an admission offer will be sent.


Waiting list. The applicant is on the waiting list. They meet the minimum requirements of the program, but due to lower scores, they are at the bottom of the ranking. Such applicants should expect a notification from the University, as there is a chance that offers may be sent if one of the previously recommended applicants refuses to enroll.


Rejected by Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee rejected the applicant after reviewing his/her documents, without placing him/her on the waiting list or after the closing of the competition.


Refused admission offer. The applicant was recommended for admission but refused to study at NU.


Refused in favor of CPS. This status is available to the applicants who applied both to NUFYP and undergraduate programs. The applicant rejected to study in the undergraduate program in favor of the NUFYP. This status is given after the written refusal of the applicant to study at the Undergraduate program or if the applicant was on the waiting list and before receiving the letter of invitation to the Undergraduate program, confirmed his admission to the NUFYP program. In this latter case, the offer letter is not sent.


Guarantee fee paid. The applicant was recommended for enrollment and paid the mandatory guarantee fee.


Accepted admission offer. The status is assigned to applicants who have received letters of invitation to study, agreed to and fulfilled the conditions of the University - paid the guarantee fee, and submitted the original documents for enrollment


Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. This status is given to applicants who have agreed to study, submitted the original documents, but did not participate in the Orientation Week of the School. Applicants from the waiting list can be invited to the established vacant seats, if available.


Enrolled. The applicant is enrolled, and the status is assigned after the decision of the Provost on enrollment, which designates that the applicant officially becomes a student of the University.


Enrolled conditionally. The applicant is enrolled with a condition to submitting the original the attestat before the specified deadline.


Did not submit the documents/refused. The applicant did not provide the originals of the documents within the specified period. This means that the applicant refuses to study at the University.

  • The applicants offered admission are required to formally accept or decline the University's offer to study by sending the completed Enrollment Form. This will be available upon the acceptance of the admission offer you will need to pay an Enrollment Deposit, refunded only upon signing the Contract on Rendering Education Services with the University after matriculation.
  • All hard copies of the required documents must be delivered to the Admissions Department by the established deadline.

Curriculum

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Faculty

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