According to the Model Admission Rules for educational organizations implementing educational programs of primary, basic secondary and general secondary education, applications from parents or legal representatives of children entering the first grade are accepted from June 1 to August 30 of the current year.

Also, according to the Model Rules, recruitment of classes according to the level of training and the degree of development of students is not allowed, and the maximum number of students in one class should be no more than 25 students.

Parents or other legal representatives of a child have the right to choose any educational organization for education (subject to availability).

Onset of school life is a significant and exciting event both for a child and parents.

The school provides children with basic education, develops social skills and becomes a second home for many years.   

Parents should get all the paperwork done to ensure seamless enrollment of a child to school.

In the material we will describe how to do this.

1. What is the best age to send a child to first grade?

In 2019, amendments to the Law “On Education in RK” were introduced according to which children reaching 6 years old within a current year should go to school.

Comprehensive schools can also enroll 5-years-old children, if by the end of December of a current year they turn 6 years old.  

Note that pre-school preparation is provided at pre-school organizations beginning from five years old within one academic year as well as at pre-school classes and family.

2. What skills are expected from a child going to a first grade?

Mind that a child should:

- know his/her surname, name, age, parents` names, places of their work and residence address;

- articulate all the sounds, answer the questions using complete sentences, make up stories consisting of 3-4 sentences;

- be able to retell the content of a story, fairy tale and other pieces;

- be able to count from 1 to 20;

-be able to name geometrical figures;

- be able to orientate in directions (right, left, up-down, etc.);

- be able to distinguish colours, colour a colouring book using pencils or paints and remain within outlines, etc.

Availability of the skills ensures that a child is ready for school. If you believe that a child does not have the above knowledge and skills, do not worry.

Teachers will help children to adapt to a school life.

3. Enrollment to a general education institution

Acceptance of applications from parents or other legal representatives of children (guardian, foster parent) is carried out from June 1 to August 1 of a current year.  

Application to an education institution can be submitted via e-Gov Portal. In case if parents submit incomplete document packages, expired documents or unreliable documents or if grades are overloaded, an education organization refuses to accept applications.  

There are no exams or tests for children enrolling to a first grade of a comprehensive school, while enrollment to gymnasiums and lyceums is performed on a competitive basis.

4. The list of documents required for enrollment to a comprehensive school

For Kazakhstani citizens:

• Application submitted by a parent or another legal representative.
• Birth certificate (copy).
• Health certificate – health passport (f-026/u-3), vaccination certificate (f-065/u).
• 2 photos (3х4 cm).

 Gymnasiums and lyceums enroll children on a competitive basis. Within such a selection type, a child is interviewed to establish his/her level of training. The board of interviewees includes elementary grades teachers, a medical worker (psychologist), social teacher.     

 For foreigners

Conditions applied to citizens of RK are also valid for the foreigners. Parents and other legal representatives should reside in the country on a temporary or permanent basis.

Foreigners should submit a document giving the right of permanent residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan with a mark of registration as a place of residence:

• foreigner – foreigner residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• stateless individual – stateless person certificate;
• refugee – refugee certificate;
• asylum-seeker – asylum-seeker certificate;
• oralman – oralman certificate or statement issued by migration authorities.

The requirement is not applied to the employees of embassies and consulates pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Individuals temporary residing in RK should submit a copy of passport and a copy of migration card. The headmaster enrolls their children to a relevant grade based on an educational level obtained in a foreign country in accordance with educational documents.  If there are no such documents than an education organization establishes a commission, which determines an applicant`s educational level.  

The list of documents required from foreigners:

• Application in no particular format from a child parents or guardians;
• Copy of birth certificate;
• Health certificate;
• 2 photos (3х4 cm);
• Residence permit and migration card;
• ID document

 5. Do schools enroll children wearing religious clothing?

Pursuant to “Requirements to mandatory school uniform”, inclusion of religious elements of various confessions is not allowed.  Moreover, Article 47 of the Law of RK “On Education” states that pupils “should observe the requirements to mandatory school uniform set forth by an authorized agency in the field of education”.