OSCE Academy Scholarships 2027 in Kyrgyzstan

OSCE Academy

Scholarships
Kyrgyzstan
September 29, 2026

The OSCE Academy in Bishkek offers scholarships for three Master’s programmes for the 2027–2029 intake. The scholarships include tuition-free study, a monthly stipend of €450, round-trip travel support and basic medical insurance for eligible students.

The new application cycle is scheduled to open on 1 October 2026. The deadline for the MA programmes is 31 January 2027 at 11:00 p.m. Bishkek time.

Quick Details

Detail	Information
Host Country	Kyrgyzstan
Institution	OSCE Academy in Bishkek
Study Level	Master’s
Programmes	3 MA programmes
Duration	18 months
Study Mode	Full-time, in person
Tuition	Tuition-free
Monthly Stipend	€450
Applications Open	1 October 2026
Deadline	31 January 2027, 11:00 p.m. Bishkek time
Application Method	Online

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Available Master’s Programmes

Applicants can apply for one or more of the following programmes:

MA in Politics and Security

This programme focuses on politics, security, international relations and contemporary issues in Central Asia.

Applicants should have a relevant academic background such as international relations, political science, social sciences, humanities or an equivalent subject.

MA in Economic Governance and Development

This programme focuses on economic and development challenges, with academic, analytical and research training.

Relevant backgrounds include economics, finance, management, business administration or equivalent subjects.

MA in Human Rights and Sustainability

The MA in Human Rights and Sustainability is an interdisciplinary programme covering areas such as international law, governance, sustainability, human rights and democratization.

Applicants should normally have a relevant background in social sciences, humanities, law, sociology or a similar field. They must also demonstrate professional and/or research interest in human rights, sustainability and democratization in Central Asia.

Students in this programme must be willing to travel and relocate during their studies. The first year is based at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, while the second year includes study at a Global Campus Central Asia partner university.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must have completed an eligible higher education qualification or be in the final year of their Bachelor’s programme.

For the 2027–2029 programmes, the academic requirement is a Bachelor’s degree with at least 240 ECTS credits, a Specialist Diploma, or final-year Bachelor’s status. The previous degree must be relevant to the selected MA programme.

Final-year students may apply if they expect to receive their degree before the beginning of the academic year. They must provide official confirmation of their expected graduation date and their current transcript.

Eligible applicants include citizens of:

Afghanistan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Mongolia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Other OSCE participating States

Afghanistan is specifically accepted as an exception even though it is not an OSCE participating State.

There is no age limit specified in the current official admission information.

Scholarship Benefits

Accepted students receive:

Full tuition waiver
€450 monthly stipend
Economy-class round-trip travel to and from Bishkek*
Basic medical insurance*
Funded internship opportunities on a competitive basis*

Basic medical insurance is not provided to citizens of Kyrgyzstan.

The Academy does not provide dormitory accommodation. Students arrange their own housing, and the €450 monthly stipend is intended to help with living costs in Bishkek, including accommodation.

Travel and other specified benefits are subject to the OSCE Academy’s internal rules and regulations.

English Language Requirements

All courses at the OSCE Academy are taught in English.

Applicants are expected to provide proof of English proficiency. The accepted scores listed by the Academy are:

IELTS Academic: minimum 6.5
TOEFL iBT: minimum 90
TOEFL PBT: minimum 570

Applicants shortlisted without an IELTS or TOEFL certificate must take the OSCE Academy’s English language test.

Therefore, it would be inaccurate to describe this scholarship simply as “no IELTS required.” An applicant without IELTS or TOEFL may instead need to pass the Academy’s own English test.

Required Application Documents

The current admission information confirms that the online application includes academic documents and other supporting materials used during selection.

Confirmed requirements include:

Academic documents
Statement of purpose
Two reference letters
Proof of English proficiency, if available

One of the two reference letters must be academic. Reference letters must be signed and not older than two years.

Diplomas and transcripts that are not in English or Russian must be translated into English or Russian. The translation must be certified by the applicant’s university department or a notary.

Final-year students who do not yet have their diploma must provide an official university letter or certificate confirming their expected graduation date together with their current transcript.

Applicants should follow the document fields shown in the official online application form when the 2027 application cycle opens.

How to Apply

Applications are completed online through the OSCE Academy’s Embark application system.

Applicants should create an account using a personal email address, choose the appropriate MA programme, complete the application form in English and upload all required documents.

It is possible to apply to more than one MA programme, but applicants should not submit duplicate applications for the same programme.

Documents sent by email are not accepted. Applicants also cannot edit their application or replace documents after final submission, so everything should be checked carefully before submitting.

Selection Process

Admission has three main stages:

Online application and document review
Written examinations
Interviews

During the first stage, the selection committee considers academic achievements, professional experience, the statement of purpose and recommendation letters.

Only shortlisted applicants move to the later testing and interview stages.

Programme Duration and Study Location

The programmes are full-time and require students to study in person.

The 2027 academic year begins on 1 September 2027, and the programmes run for 18 months.

For Politics and Security and Economic Governance and Development, admitted students must also attend a preparatory Summer School in Bishkek from 2 to 27 August 2027.

Students cannot complete these programmes online. Full-time employment is also not permitted while studying at the OSCE Academy.