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KazNU Provides Comprehensive Support for Students from Low-Income Families

Overview

KazNU Provides Comprehensive Support for Students from Low-Income Families

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University provides financial, social, housing, food, academic and legal support to students from low-income families. These measures are intended to address the barriers that may prevent students from continuing and successfully completing their studies.

Support is provided across the University and forms part of KazNU’s social policy, the Program for Academic and Social Support of Students from Low-Income Families, and the University’s contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 1, “No Poverty.”

Food Support

Providing free meals to students experiencing financial hardship is one of the University’s main areas of social support.

KazNU provides free single-use meal vouchers to students from low-income and other socially vulnerable families. The vouchers allow students to receive free meals at University dining facilities and help reduce their daily financial burden.

During the 2024–2025 academic year, free meal vouchers were distributed in stages:

250 students received vouchers in October and November;
30 students received vouchers in February;
70 students received vouchers in March;
200 students received vouchers in April.

A total of 550 students received free single-use meal vouchers during the academic year.

This support continued in the 2025–2026 academic year. In November 2025, 60 free meal vouchers were provided to students from low-income families, students without parental care, students with disabilities, and students demonstrating high academic performance and active participation in University life.

This measure helps meet students’ basic needs and creates conditions that allow them to concentrate on their studies.

Housing Support

KazNU provides housing support to students who need accommodation while completing their studies.

Students’ social circumstances are taken into account when places in student dormitories are allocated. Students from low-income families are included among the categories that may submit documents confirming their need for social support.

Decisions on the provision of accommodation are made by a designated commission, taking into account the number of available places, the student’s social status and their housing circumstances.

The Program for Academic and Social Support of Students from Low-Income Families provides for dormitory accommodation coverage of at least 95% of students in the target group who require housing. Access to dormitory accommodation helps reduce living expenses and the risk of students discontinuing their studies for financial reasons.

Financial and Material Assistance

Students from low-income families may receive the forms of financial and material support provided by the University, including:

social educational grants;
tuition fee discounts;
emergency financial assistance;
free meals;
assistance through the Komek Public Fund;
other forms of assistance included in the University’s student social support package.

Support is provided on the basis of an application and documents confirming the student’s social status or financial hardship.

Transportation Support

The Program for Academic and Social Support of Students from Low-Income Families provides for the possibility of subsidised transportation for students in the target group.

This support is intended to reduce the daily costs associated with attending classes and accessing University facilities.

Free Legal Assistance

KazNU operates a Student Legal Clinic that provides legal consultations free of charge.

Students, including those from low-income families, may receive:

free initial legal consultations;
assistance in preparing applications and complaints;
assistance in preparing other legal documents;
information about their rights and available social protection mechanisms.

Consultations are provided by senior law students under the supervision of faculty members and practising lawyers.

Academic and Psychological Support

To reduce the risk of dropout and support successful completion, students from low-income families are provided with:

academic mentoring;
additional consultations in key academic disciplines;
support in adapting to the University environment;
psychological consultations;
training in study organisation and time management;
early identification of academic, financial and social difficulties.

Together, these measures are intended to prevent students from discontinuing their studies because of financial hardship.

Monitoring the Support Provided

The implementation of support measures is monitored by the relevant KazNU units in cooperation with the faculties.

Monitoring includes:

maintaining records of students from low-income families;
analysing the grants, discounts and material assistance provided;
recording the number of free meal vouchers distributed;
monitoring the provision of student dormitory accommodation;
analysing academic performance;
tracking cases in which students discontinue their studies for social reasons;
assessing student satisfaction with the support received.

Al-Farabi KazNU therefore provides comprehensive support to students from low-income families, including food, housing, financial and material assistance, transportation support, free legal services, and academic and psychological support. These measures help reduce socioeconomic barriers and enable students to continue and successfully complete their studies.

Official Documents and Resources

Main Program created and approved: September 2025
Program period: 2025–2026 academic year
Last updated: 2026