Students are charged tuition and fees for each semester they are enrolled. If students choose to live on campus, there are also housing and meal fees added by the university. An academic year is composed of two semesters. The first semester usually starts in August and finishes in December and the second begins in January and ends in May. Intensive summer courses may be offered between June and August. Depending on the degree and program of study, it could take students many years to complete their university education. Bachelor degree programs usually take four years or more to complete; masters programs take one or two years to complete; and doctoral programs usually take five to seven years.
Although the cost of higher education in the United States is typically significant, there is financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants that international students may be eligible to receive. Parents can encourage their children to explore government scholarships, such as the Bolashaq International Scholarship for Kazakh students. Although international students are not eligible for U.S. federal student loans or in-state tuition, they could be eligible for university grants and scholarships and automatically considered once they submit their applications. Additionally, the U.S. government sponsors many educational exchange programs for students and professionals that are managed through embassies and partnering organizations. These include the one-year Fulbright Program. For more information on U.S. government-sponsored education programs in Central Asia, check the website of the U.S. embassy in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as EducationUSA and their offices in each country.
