PhD

Objective of the grant program

Component 1 - Development of the Knowledge Base for Innovation also considers the implementation of the PhD Research and Training Grants. 

The aim of the program is to strengthen the scientific potential of Kazakhstan through the provision of grants for scientific trainings and researches for the PhD, postdoctoral degree candidates, graduate students and researchers in leading foreign universities and technical research centers with the possibility of introduction of scientific developments into production.

July 10, 2019

Announcement!

The Science Committee of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the Fostering Productive Innovation Project would like to congratulate the winners of the PhD Research and Training Grant Program. Grant program type A".

List of winners of the grant program winners:

In order to sign the Grant Agreement please submit the following documents until July 22th 2019:

a) Applicant's title documents (notarized copy of the charter5, certificate of registration of a legal entity, order or power of attorney for signing right to sign, if the Grant Agreement is not signed by the first manager).

b) originals of bank statements on availability of accounts and on availability of cofinancing funds in the Grantee's current account in the amount specified in the application. Co-financing funds shall be made prior to the signing of Grant agreement, if this term is not indicated in the application. If the funds are made by partner in tranches, the Grantee must submit the Investment Contract with a specific timetable.

c) a notarized copy of the Candidate's identity card.

d) a notarized copy of diploma Candidate with the application and notarized translations into English.

e) a notarized copy of birth certificate and marriage of the Candidate (if necessary).

f) a notarized copy of the contract between the Applicant and the Candidate, taking into account all conditions of the internship.

g) certificate from the place of work or study and notarized translation into English.

March 29, 2019

Dear applicants,

The Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the scope of the Fostering Productive Innovation Project announces the extension of the application deadline for PhD Research and Training Grant Program.

The deadline for applications is extended until May 2, 2019 until 18:00 Astana time.

For detailed information on the PhD Research and Training Grant Program please visit http://www.fpip.kz or contact e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: + 7-7172-27-71-21.

December 25, 2018

Dear applicants,

The Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, within the framework of the Project "Fostering Productive Innovation", announces a competition for the Grants Program for the PhD Research and Training Grant (Type A).

PhD Research and Training Grant Program is aimed at applying the potential of the world's leading educational, scientific and production organizations in the development of industrial and innovative potential of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of training, professional development and retraining, as well as joint scientific research, introduction of scientific developments to the industry.

The period of technology commercialization under this Grant Program should not exceed 12 (twelve) month.

The maximum amount of the grant will be 17 million tenge.

Acceptance of applications via the Portal (www.fpip.kz) begins on January 15 and ends on April 01  2019 at 6:00 pm Astana time.

Detailed information on the conditions and requirements for the competition will be available in the PhD Research and Training Grant Program Manual (Type A), which can be downloaded at www.fpip.kz in the "PhD" section.

Applicants should carefully read and comply with all the requirements for participation in the PhD Research and Training Grant Program Manual (Type A). All applications must be submitted in English, State and/or Russian via the Portal on www.fpip.kz. The applications in English will be considered as main document, since the examination of the projects will be carried out in English. Strict compliance with all requirements is required. Applications that do not comply with the rules of participation are subject to rejection and will not be accepted for consideration. Before starting the application, applicants should carefully read the environmental requirements for the subprojects, as well as with the prohibited activities under the Project.

On all questions you can contact PhD Research and Training Grant program manager Bektenov Daniyar by e-mail  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone +7 7172 27-71-21.

download the PhD Research and Training Grant Program Manual.

November 06, 2018

Dear applicants,

The Science Committee of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the Fostering Productive Innovation Project would like to congratulate the winners of the PhD Research and Training Grant Program. Grant program type A".

List of winners of the grant program winners

In order to sign the Grant Agreement please submit the following documents until November 20th 2018:

a) Applicant's title documents (notarized copy of the charter, certificate of registration of a legal entity, order or power of attorney for signing right to sign, if the Grant Agreement is not signed by the first manager);

b) originals of bank statements on availability of accounts and on availability of cofinancing funds in the Grantee's current account in the amount specified in the application. Co-financing funds shall be made prior to the signing of Grant agreement, if this term is not indicated in the application. If the funds are made by partner in tranches, the Grantee must submit the Investment Contract with a specific timetable;

c) a notarized copy of the Candidate's identity card;

d) a notarized copy of diploma Candidate with the application and notarized translations into English;

e) a notarized copy of birth certificate and marriage of the Candidate (if necessary);

f) a notarized copy of the contract between the Applicant and the Candidate, taking into account all conditions of the internship;

g) certificate from the place of work or study and notarized translation into English.

September 04, 2018

Dear applicants,

The Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the scope of the Fostering Productive Innovation Project announces the extension of the application deadline for PhD Research and Training Grant Program.

The deadline for applications is extended until September 30, 2018 until 18:00 Astana time.

For detailed information on the PhD Research and Training Grant Program please visit http://www.fpip.kz or contact e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: + 7-7172-27-71-21.

August 07, 2018

Dear applicants,

The Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, within the framework of the Project "Fostering Productive Innovation", announces a competition for the Grants Program for the PhD Research and Training Grant (Type A).

PhD Research and Training Grant Program is aimed at applying the potential of the world's leading educational, scientific and production organizations in the development of industrial and innovative potential of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of training, professional development and retraining, as well as joint scientific research, introduction of scientific developments to the industry.

The period of technology commercialization under this Grant Program should not exceed 12 (twelve) month.

The maximum amount of the grant will be 17 million tenge.

Acceptance of applications via the Portal (www.fpip.kz) begins on August 07, 2018 and ends on September 07 (*competition deadline has been extended until September 30th), 2018 at 6:00 pm Astana time.

Applicants should carefully read and comply with all the requirements for participation in the PhD Research and Training Grant Program Manual (Type A). All applications must be submitted in English, State and/or Russian via the Portal on www.fpip.kz. The applications in English will be considered as main document, since the examination of the projects will be carried out in English. Strict compliance with all requirements is required. Applications that do not comply with the rules of participation are subject to rejection and will not be accepted for consideration. Before starting the application, applicants should carefully read the environmental requirements for the subprojects, as well as with the prohibited activities under the Project.

On all questions you can contact PhD Research and Training Grant program manager Bektenov Daniyar by e-mail  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone +7 7172 27 71 21.

download the PhD Research and Training Grant Program Manual.

Memo on PhD Research and Training Grant Type A

PhD Research and Training Grant Program is aimed at applying the potential of the world's leading educational, scientific and production organizations in the development of industrial and innovative potential of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of training, professional development and retraining, as well as joint scientific research, introduction of scientific developments to the industry.

Objectives of the Grant Program:

• assistance in the development of fundamental training in technical disciplines of higher education that promotes science, production (training research engineers, constructors and designers of industrial enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan);
• focus of the domestic research on the needs of the real economic sector;
• creating conditions to stimulate research and innovations by establishing research and development departments;
• development and further maintenance of the partnership between scientific and research institutes, academic institutes of Kazakhstan with leading international organizations and universities.

Grants will be awarded to projects addressing strategic issues related to the future of Kazakhstan in priority areas of scientific and technological development defined by Higher Scientific-Technical Commission under the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev dated January 31, 2017 (except for research that does not comply with administrative criteria):

• Rational use of natural resources, incl. water resources, geology, processing, new materials and technologies, safer products and structures;
• Information, telecommunication and space technologies, scientific research in the field of natural sciences;
• Energy and mechanical engineering;
• Sustainable development of agricultural complex and safety of agricultural products;
• Life Sciences and health;
• National security and defense;
• Digital services, 3D printing, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and big data.

Each application for PhD Grant Program must:

• be market-oriented and scientifically competitive internationally;
• be relevant for present or future scientific, economic and industrial development of Kazakhstan, including the possibility of establishing research partnerships with local or foreign commercial companies;
• have the potential and interest in conducting multidisciplinary research;
• include proposals for outreach work in universities, high schools and public relations;
• be selected, evaluated and implemented in accordance with the principles and procedures set forth in POM, Procurement Guidelines and EMF.

Target group for grant A includes research organization for researchers who are studying or have recently graduated from the doctoral program (PhD) in the country or abroad (only residents of the Republic of Kazakhstan).

Proposals are reviewed on the following established administrative criteria:

The candidate must meet one of the following criteria:

- doctoral student who has completed the first year in doctoral program (PhD) (at the time of application) on technical education;

- received PhD degree no later than 3 years majoring in engineering sciences and technology (at the time of application).

To participate in the grant program of type A, Applicant shall:

- have R&D, on which the Candidate will work during his/her stay in the host foreign organization (or local host organization if an applicant studies or works outside of Kazakhstan);

- submit a letter of support describing the potential of the proposed research and/or technology and its readiness, and the need for additional research in the host organization (in free form);

- submit a letter from a local industrial organization about the interest in research project and/or training of the Candidate (letter must contain the specific scope of the proposed research and/or technology, and the required amount in cash terms per year);

- theme of the subproject should correspond to priority areas in accordance with Section 2 of this Manual;

- have co-financing of at least 20% of the total amount of the subproject from the directing organization and/or local production organization and/or physical person (letter of guarantee);

- host organization must be a centre of excellence (centres of excellence are: universities for not below the 100th place inclusively in QS World University Rankings by Subject by branches in 2018 - https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2018; for RSI not below the 500th place inclusively inmRanking WEB of research centers http://research.webometrics.info/en/world);

- submit reference from NCSTE about the absence of plagiarism in research work;-

- provide copies of documents confirming the unconditional invitation (except financial conditions) or a contract with a host organization abroad, including timelines, cost (with detailed calculations) of the planned research (if a candidate is studying or working at a local organization) or local host organization (if the applicant is trained or working in a foreign organization). Qualification of the host group and/or the head needs to match the area of sub-project of the Candidate;

- application in languages set forth in this Manual (State and/or Russian and English languages).

The following applications will be rejected:

• applications related to production and/or trade of tobacco, alcohol products, weapons and ammunition, gambling and dual-use goods;
• applications related to involuntary resettlement;
• applications which can be classified as "Category A" according to EMF. Preliminary environmental assessment form is part of the Application and is mandatory to fill in;
• applications whose activities are mentioned in the list of areas from EMF, for which the World Bank does not provide financing;

Grant type A is a scholarship program individual candidates provided by the Applicant that is selected by ISCB, that meet all selection criteria.

Grant funds cover:

• individual scholarship covers all expenses for accommodation in the country which the Applicant intends to visit for research.
• transport costs, including the costs of obtaining a visa and compulsory insurance;
• family allowance if the researcher is traveling with dependent family members (only for wife or husband and minor children);
• patent and publication costs (costs associated with obtaining a patent, while it is allowed to pay those patent applications that relate to subject matter of the subproject, and costs for publication of research results in peer-reviewed journals with impact factor of not lower than 0.2 in popular edition, which is included in the international Web of Science information resources and/or Scopus).

In case of lack of funds these categories can be funded from co-financing.

Co-financing funds cover:

• costs of remuneration of the host organization, supplies, equipment rental, all taxes and fees that arise during implementation of the subproject and other overhead costs associated with implementation of the subproject;

Based on the results of the sub-project implementation, the following mandatory key indicators shall be achieved:

• performed experiment or test (with submission of the test report);
• submitting an international patent application under PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) with assignment of registration number or a patent under PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty);
• academic publication published and/or submitted for consideration with impact factor not less than 0.2 in top-ranked edition that is part of the international information resources Web of Science and/or Scopus;
• developed software (if the sub-project is in information technologies);
• developed business plan and/orcommercialization strategy for the subproject;

Maximum duration of sub-project is not more than 12 (twelve) months.