Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In Kyrgyzstan, between 2000 and 2025, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education rose steadily from 33.69 % to 53.88 %. initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita also increased from 15.74 % in 2000 to 23.80% in 2023. Initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita was 0.21 %, as of 2021.
Tuition-free status
Tuition at public tertiary institutions is generally fee-based. However, according to Article 7 of the Law on Education, citizens have the right to receive free education on a competitive basis in public educational organizations within the limits of the state order and educational standards. In all other cases, higher and postgraduate professional education is fee-based, with tuition fees regulated by the Regulation on the Formation and Application of Tariffs for Paid Educational Services in the Kyrgyz Republic, approved by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic on 18 May 2009 No. 300.
Governance
The education system is organised under a multi-level framework defined in Chapter V of the Law on Education. Overall management is shared among the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, central and regional education authorities under the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MoHES), and local self-government bodies. The State retains primary responsibility for developing national education policy, determining spending priorities, forming the education budget, and defining which higher education institutions receive state funding, as stipulated in Article 35. Local self-government bodies, in turn, manage the financing and maintenance of subordinate schools, while higher education governance and funding remain under central control. Educational institutions are granted limited autonomy over staffing, research, and financial management within their charters, but the appointment and election of rectors in public universities are subject to MoHES approval.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
There are no funding transfers from the central to local governments for public higher education. Financing and oversight of universities are managed centrally by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MoHES), as stipulated in Article 35 of the Law on Education.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
There is no public funding for private universities. State funding is reserved for public higher education institutions included in the official list determined by the Government under Article 35 of the Law on Education.Private universities operate on a self-financing basis, deriving income from tuition fees and other non-budgetary sources, although they may receive licensing and accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MoHES) to ensure compliance with national standards.
Allocation and equity
Under Government Resolution No. 370 (July 1, 2016), government subsidies for public higher education are allocated through a formula-based “state educational grant” system without any equity-targeting mechanisms. Each university receives funding calculated by multiplying a base amount by a field-of-study coefficient and by the number of enrolled students. The Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MoHES) determines the number and distribution of grants across disciplines, while the Ministry of Finance transfers funds from the republican budget directly to universities through the state treasury. These resources cover salaries, teaching materials, and institutional operating costs in accordance with public budget regulations
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
There are no specific admission criteria or quotas for vulnerable groups in higher education. Admission to public universities is based exclusively on the results of nationwide testing. However, higher education institutions may independently grant benefits to orphans, students with disabilities, and other eligible groups in line with their internal regulations on student support.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
Under Government Resolution No. 261 of June 27, 2005, the Kyrgyz government established a unified system of academic and social stipends for students in state institutions of primary, secondary, and higher education (official text). Social stipends are awarded to orphans, children deprived of parental care, and students with physical or mental disabilities enrolled full-time in public higher education institutions. These beneficiaries receive a fixed monthly social stipend, and they are exempt from performance-based scholarship payments. The regulation also guarantees continued payment during approved medical leave and applies regional coefficients for students living or studying in high-mountain and remote areas.
Social Educational Loans
As stipulated in the Law On Education, the state may offer social educational loans to students. These loans are issued at an interest rate no higher than the discount rate of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, with repayment deferred until after graduation, and the Government subsidizes commercial banks for the margin between the loan interest rate and the bank’s cost. The regulatory framework for these loans is developed by the Government and coordinated through the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MoHES), which oversee eligibility, loan terms, and priority groups. However, although a legal framework for social educational loans exists under the Law on Education, the scheme has not yet been implemented in practice.
4. Support for students’ living costs
The Law on Education guarantees student accommodation, transportation benefits, and access to textbooks as part of the State’s social protection obligations under Article 30. However, while the law establishes these rights “in accordance with the procedure determined by the Government,” public information on how they are implemented in practice remains limited.
