Uzbekistan has approved education loans of up to $20,000 for students admitted to top 300 universities worldwide, according to a government resolution.
The measure was introduced under Resolution No. 88 of the Cabinet of Ministers and aims to support young people pursuing higher education at leading international universities.
Under the new rules, the loans will be available to applicants aged up to 30, including teachers, who are admitted to foreign universities ranked in the top 300 of global rankings compiled by QS World University Rankings or Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The education loan may be provided for undergraduate and master’s degree programs. Funding will be issued in national currency equivalent to up to $20,000 per academic year.
Repayment of the principal will begin seven months after the student’s official period of study ends and will be spread over seven years. The interest rate will be set at the level of the base rate of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.
Applicants must submit several documents when applying to a bank for the loan, including proof of admission to a university, academic records for continuing students, tuition agreements and financial information about co-borrowers.
Separately, Uzbekistan has introduced a national ranking system for higher education institutions. The regulation governing the system was registered by the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan on February 28, 2026.
The national ranking will be maintained by the Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and will include both public and private universities.
Universities will be evaluated across four categories: applied sciences, medical sciences, social and humanities fields, and creative and sports disciplines.
The ranking will be published annually by November 1 based on the previous year’s results. Surveys conducted among students, faculty members and employers, as well as assessments by international experts, will form part of the evaluation process.
Officials said the ranking methodology will rely on 25 indicators, including five derived from nationwide surveys, with at least 20% of students and academic staff required to participate for the results to be considered valid.
