Overview

Key Features

Our School has strong ties to the hospitals around Astana and is therefore in an ideal position as a link between bench and bedside. Our researchers are working on various topics among them cancer, inflammatory and infectious diseases.
The Biomedical Sciences program at Nazarbayev University provides broad training in topics necessary for good research as well as a focus on one specific area you are interested in. This program will prepare you for a career in either academia as well as in an industrial setting.
The PhD degree at Nazarbayev University is a four-year full-time lab based program according to international standards. It is offered within the School of Medicine and open to Master students of Life Sciences as well as MD students having completed a graduate program. The School of Medicine is in a unique position to offer this program as it has laboratory facilities as well as close links to the clinics in Astana. This program aims to bridge the gap between basic science and medicine.
Student graduating from the International PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences at the School of Medicine at Nazarbayev University will be trained to independently conduct scientific research in the field of biomedical sciences in an academic or industrial environment.

Biomedical scientists may use their knowledge of biomedical research to:

Be part of a multidisciplinary team of scientists to solve problems of different illnesses
Direct a research lab and conduct cutting-edge research
Translate discoveries and inventions from fundamental level to application in an industrial setting
Manage and coordinate large scientific projects (national and international)
Teach at national and international universities
Work in government advising policy makers about scientific matters related to health and disease development

Programme Structure

Courses included:

Biosafety, Animal welfare & Ethics
Biomedical Science Data Analysis & Design of experimentation
Molecular Basis of Health and Disease
NUSOM seminar
Advanced Biomedical Science Data Analysis & Design of experimentation
Writing for Biomedical Science
Publication analysis

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-02 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-08-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-03-31 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

46

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

5.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

240 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Astana, Kazakhstan

Disciplines

Biomedical Science

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

3

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

46

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

5.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

An undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, or a terminal medical degree (MD or equivalent). During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration;
A Minimum CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 CGPA in applicant’s Master’s (or equivalent) degree;
English proficiency:
Overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with sub-scores no less than 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL (except Home Edition) score as posted on the ETS website;
Candidates can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:
– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English.
Project proposal.

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

Studyportals partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Nazarbayev University and/or in Kazakhstan, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

25000 USD / year

≈ 25000 USD / year

Living costs

Astana

Kazakhstan

151250 - 222349 KZT / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.