Uzbekistan strengthened its appeal as a higher education destination in 2025, welcoming 37,200 international students between January and November, according to the National Statistics Committee. The figure represents a 54.3% year-on-year increase.
Indian students formed the largest group, with 16,300 arrivals recorded over the 11-month period, far outpacing other countries. Turkmenistan followed with 8,900 students, while Tajikistan accounted for 2,700 arrivals, reflecting strong regional demand from Central and South Asia. Pakistan and China also featured prominently, sending 1,700 and 1,400 students, respectively.
Beyond neighbouring and regional countries, Uzbekistan also attracted students from a wider range of international markets. South Korea sent 870 students, while 823 arrivals were recorded from Kyrgyzstan. Egypt contributed 737 students, the Philippines 501, and the United States 464, pointing to growing interest from non-traditional source countries.
Turkiye, Afghanistan and Jordan together accounted for more than 800 students, while arrivals from the United Kingdom, Russia, South Africa and Iran added to the diverse international student population.
European countries were also represented, with 113 students arriving from Kazakhstan, 97 from Bangladesh, and 94 from Italy during the period.
These statistics reflects broader reforms in education sector of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan spent over UZS 34.2 trillion ($2.84bn) on education-related market services from January to November 2025, marking a 8.8% increase year on year.
Additionally, 22 universities from Uzbekistan were included in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, with eight institutions improving their positions compared to the previous year, signaling rising academic quality and international competitiveness.
