Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) is a technical and business university in Almaty, founded in 2001. Its home page lists 10 schools and 10,570 students.[1] Its bachelor’s programmes are taught in English.[2] In the QS World University Rankings 2027 an aggregator places it in the band 1201–1400.[3]
KBTU’s own pages we could read give no tuition amounts for international students. The press reports 35,000 to 50,000 tenge per credit for bachelor’s programmes (the university’s 2025–2026 figures), and the admissions office quoted 2.1 to 3 million tenge a year for 2026.[4] Applicants register at admissions.kbtu.kz and take an English test.[5]
Key facts
| Official name | Kazakh-British Technical University JSC (KBTU)[6] |
| Location | Almaty, Kazakhstan (59 Tole Bi Street)[2] |
| Legal form and type | Joint-stock company (JSC). KBTU’s pages do not call it public or private; Wikipedia lists it as public[6] |
| Founded | 2001[1] |
| Students | 10,570 (university home page; year not stated)[1] |
| Schools | 10, including Energy and Petroleum Industry, Geology, Information Technology and Engineering, Business, International School of Economics, Kazakhstan Maritime Academy, Applied Mathematics, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Green Technologies, and Law[2] |
| Language of teaching | English-medium bachelor’s programmes[2] |
| Accreditations | ABET, ACBSP, IQAA, CIMA, ACCA and CFA recognition[7] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 1201–1400 (aggregator; not confirmed by a university or press source)[3] |
| Tuition, bachelor’s | 35,000–50,000 KZT per credit (university site, 2025–2026 figures as reported by the press); no separate foreign-student price read[4] |
| One-off student fee | 50,000 KZT paid once on admission (10,000 entrance fee + 40,000 student fee)[8] |
| English test for international applicants | IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo or KELET (minimum scores not stated on the page)[5] |
| Official website | kbtu.edu.kz |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.
About Kazakh-British Technical University
KBTU was founded in 2001 and describes itself as one of the leading technical universities in the region, with partnerships such as the University of London, Harvard Business School, Kyoto Institute of Technology and the University of Reading.[1][7] Its International School of Economics has been a recognised teaching centre of the University of London since 2005, and its students study for a University of London degree under the academic direction of the London School of Economics.[9] The Kazakhstan Maritime Academy has trained maritime personnel since 2012.[9]
The university’s legal name ends in “JSC” (joint-stock company).[6] According to BES.media and Wikipedia, the government and the British Embassy and British Council were founders, KazMunayGas was the sole shareholder from 2003, and in 2018 the shares passed to the Nursultan Nazarbayev Education Fund.[4][10] Wikipedia lists KBTU as public; KBTU’s own pages do not state a public or private status, so we do not label it either way.
How is KBTU ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026) the aggregator xuanxiao.org lists KBTU in the band 1201–1400. We could not confirm this with a university or press source, and QS’s own site blocks automated access.[3] KBTU’s own rankings page is out of date: it describes QS 2023, where the university was in the band 801–1000.[12] Wikipedia lists 1001–1200 for 2025.[10] The same aggregator lists Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 at 2001+.[3]
We found no QS Asia 2027 position for KBTU in the press reports we read, so we give none. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. See the Kazakhstan ranking for the other universities in the country.
What can you study at KBTU?
Undergraduate teaching is organised in these schools:[2]
- School of Energy and Petroleum Industry, School of Geology, School of Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Green Technologies
- School of Information Technology and Engineering, School of Applied Mathematics
- Business School, International School of Economics, School of Law (bachelor’s programme “Information Technology and Digital Law”)
- Kazakhstan Maritime Academy
A bachelor’s degree takes four years. The university lists English-medium instruction, and the Business School says its undergraduate and graduate programmes are taught exclusively in English.[2][9] Students can apply for the military departments of Almaty universities.[2] KBTU also runs master’s and PhD admission.[1]
How much does KBTU cost?
KBTU’s English pages we could read publish no tuition table and no separate price for foreign students. Prices are charged per credit. BES.media (27 July 2026) reports 35,000 to 50,000 tenge per credit for bachelor’s programmes according to the university website, which at that date still showed 2025–2026 figures, and at least 240 credits over four years. The admissions office told BES.media that 2026 tuition is 2.1 to 3 million tenge a year; an earlier figure of 1.8 to 2.4 million tenge applied to 2025–2026. The article advises confirming costs with the admissions office.[4] We treat these as press-reported, not official, figures. Check the current price list at admission@kbtu.kz.
A one-off student fee of 50,000 tenge (10,000 entrance fee and 40,000 student fee) is paid on admission.[8]
Visa and other costs
Students from non-CIS countries need a C9 study visa issued abroad after an invitation letter from the university. The state fee for the invitation was 2,166 tenge (2025) and the multiple-entry visa fee is 200 USD. A visa extension in Kazakhstan costs 119,460 tenge in state fees. Recognition of education documents costs about 70 USD.[5]
Scholarship
KBTU’s international admissions page describes a state scholarship programme for studying at universities in Kazakhstan, administered through the Bolashak website. It covers tuition for the full degree (4 years for bachelor’s, 2 for master’s, 3 for doctoral) and a monthly stipend, but not visa costs, rent, personal expenses or flights.[5] The page lists monthly stipends of 52,372 tenge (bachelor’s), 117,098 tenge (master’s) and 262,500 tenge (doctoral) with a 2025 application window, so check the current figures on the Bolashak site.[5]
How do you apply to KBTU as an international student?
- Register on the portal admissions.kbtu.kz/apply.
- Complete the application form and upload the documents.
- Take an English language test (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo or KELET).
Documents for the bachelor’s: passport, school certificate with attachment, English certificate (IELTS or TOEFL if available) and a motivation letter in English of up to 600 words. The master’s adds a higher education diploma and two recommendation letters (at least one academic); the PhD also asks for a CV and a research proposal.[5]
Non-CIS students may enter Kazakhstan only with a study visa; students from CIS and EAEU countries enter visa-free but must obtain a Temporary Residence Permit.[5] After arrival you need an IIN number, nostrification of your documents during the first semester, a medical certificate and laboratory certificates.[5] We give no deadlines here because they change every year.
Which English level do you need?
Bachelor’s teaching is in English, so international applicants submit an English test result: IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo or KELET.[2][5] The page does not give minimum scores for general admission. The IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 46 and TOEFL PBT 453 thresholds on the same page belong to the state scholarship programme, and the page adds that no language certificate is needed for the scholarship if your previous education was in the programme’s language.[5] Ask the admissions office for the minimum for your programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is KBTU a private university?
How much does KBTU cost?
BES.media reports 35,000 to 50,000 tenge per credit for bachelor’s programmes and 2.1 to 3 million tenge a year for 2026, according to the admissions office.[4] We found no official table for international students, so confirm the price with the university.
Are KBTU programmes taught in English?
How is KBTU ranked in QS?
An aggregator lists it in the band 1201–1400 in QS World University Rankings 2027; we could not confirm this with another source.[3]
How do international students apply to KBTU?
Register at admissions.kbtu.kz/apply, upload the documents and take an English test. Non-CIS students then need a C9 study visa.[5]
More about studying in Kazakhstan
- Kazakhstan: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Kazakhstan
- Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
- L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
- Nazarbayev University
- Satbayev University
Sources
[1] KBTU: Home page (page without a date; shows 2001, 10,570 students, 10 schools)
[2] KBTU: Admission to a Bachelor’s Degree (page without a date; lists schools and address)
[3] xuanxiao.org: Kazakh-British Technical University (ranking aggregator) (QS World 2027 edition 1201–1400, THE 2027; aggregator, page without a date)
[4] BES.media: Admission to KBTU in 2026, a guide for applicants (article of 27 Jul 2026; press source for fees and ownership history)
[5] KBTU: International admissions (page without a date; some figures dated 2025)
[6] KBTU: Corporate Governance (page without a date; mentions an ISO/IEC 27001 confirmation in February 2026)
[7] KBTU: About Us (page without a date)
[8] KBTU: Student Fee (page without a date)
[9] KBTU: Schools (page without a date)
[10] Wikipedia: Kazakh-British Technical University (type, decree date, ownership, QS 2025 band (secondary source))
[11] Satbayev University: History of university (page without a date)
[12] KBTU: Rankings (page without a date; describes QS 2023)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.