More than Just a University!

While studying at KTMU you can live in a dormitory on campus or an apartment off-campus. The dormitories are subsidized by the university and thus only cost $8-16 per month. There are four students in each dorm room. If you decide to live in an apartment, there are many modern and soviet-era apartments within walking distance of the university. Monthly rent runs from $200-600 depending on size, location, and furnishings.

Most students choose to stay in the dormitories provided by KTMU at least for their first year. The dormitories are outfitted with modern ammenities including dining halls, cafes and snack shops, a buffet, wifi, a fitness center, study rooms, showers and laundry facilities.

KTMU has two dining halls with daily set Turkish menus, and four combination snack shop-cafes where students can eat breakfast or take a break between classes. Two of the cafes are located within the dormitories to provide students with places to study and socialize. The Jal campus also has numerous privately-run shops with an assortment of fresh food and Turkish fast food, such as doner and kebabs. There are many restaurants and grocery stores around both campuses, and a weekend bazaar located directly across from the Jal Campus entrance.

Bishkek is a capital of the Kyrgyzstan and a regional commercial center. There are several modern shopping malls and three large bazaars in the city. From food to medicine to electronics to clothes you should be able to find anything you need, though prices for some imported goods may be higher than in your home country. You may want to bring good quality warm boots and a winter jacket with you as Bishkek can be quite cold in winter and imported winter wear can be expensive.

You can find internet acccess in our university very easily ebcause every department and dormitory building provides free wifi. 3G service for cellphones is also widely available and failry cheap - packages with comprehensive service + 3G run around $6-15 a month.

There is an on-campus health clinic staffed with professional medical staff and open to students 24 hours a day. The clinic provides check-ups and first aid. If there is a medical problem requiring specialized care, they will send the student to the appropriate clinic. The university also has a private ambulance for student and staff use.
 

Bishkek has a soviet-designed system of trams, buses and minibuses. Both campuses are on major bus lines with easy access to downtown and other places of interest. Bus fare is 8-10 som ($0.14-$0.17). Taxis are abundant and average $2-3 for a ride within the city. KTMU also provides a free hourly shuttle bus between campuses.

The national language of Kyrgyzstan is Kyrgyz. Both Kyrgyz and Russian are official languages used in government, business, education and on the street. Few people speak English, though a growing number are learning Turkish due to Turkish business and Turkish high schools. While you can get around without speaking much Russian or Kyrgyz, language skills will be necessary for a longer stay in the city.

The city of Bishkek attracts around 50 000 students each year, contributing to the city’s energetic social scene, sports activities and night life. On weekends students often go out to eat at Bishkek’s many cafes and restaurants, go shopping, play sports, take daytrips to the nearby mountains, go to cinema or theater, or listen to live music in one of Bishkek’s bars or clubs.

How much it costs to live in Bishkek depends a lot on how you live. Life in the Kyrgyz capital can cost a fraction of what you would expect in a western city - or it can be quite comparable.
Use the list below - and your knowledge of your own preferences and spending habits - when setting a budget for your stay in Bishkek.

1. Shared Dormitory: $100/year
2. Private Room in Shared Apartment: $250/month
3. Private 1 Bedroom Apartment - $300-$600/month
4. Apartment utilities - $10-$20/month
5. Internet in Apartment - $30/month
6. Phone Service - $6-25/month
7. Public Transportation - $0.20/One Ride; $3/one month tram pass
8. Taxi ride: $3 in-city
9. Meals on campus: $2.00/day for two meals
10. Lunch or Dinner in a local cafe: $2-5
11. Lunch or dinner at a mid-priced restaurant: $6-$12
12. Lunch or dinner in an international restaurant: $10-25
13. Movie ticket: $2-5
14. A Haircut: $3-8
15. T-Shirt from the bazaar: $5
16. Brand-name T-shirt: $30
17. Total Entertainment and Personal Spending: $150-$300/month
18. School Supplies: $10/semester
19. Total Meal Expenditure: $60-$200/month
20. Total Monthly expenditures: $240-$1180

Kyrgyzstan has a primarily cash-based economy, so outside of modern shopping malls, restaurants and franchise grocery stores you will want to make sure you have enough cash on you. You can withdraw both USD and Kyrgyz som from most ATMS using a VISA. If you have Union Pay, you can use Halyk Bank, PCK Bank, Росинбанк, and Commercial Bank of Kyryzstan. Currently, the only ATM’s compatable with Master Card are those attached to KazKom banks. In Bishkek you can also find different international money transfer systems including money gram, western union and zolotaya krorona. The Jal Campus has a Demir Bank branch, and both KTMU campuses have Demir Bank ATMs.
 

It is easy to set up a bank account in Bishkek as long as you have a copy of your passport and valid visa.
 

Bishkek is a relatively small city and does not have a high crime rate. Violent crime against foreigners is especially rare. However, we do recommend that you take normal precautions: walk in groups of 2-3 when out at night, be careful with your belongings in crowded public places, use crosswalks and wait for a green light when crossing the street, and don’t verbally antagonize anyone in a bar or who appears to have been drinking. Walking around at night is not recommended, as sidewalks can be uneven and streetlights may be too dim for drivers to see pedestrians. In terms of apparel, Bishkek is more modern and liberal than some parts of the Kyrgyz countryside; most females will feel comfortable wearing clothing considered acceptable in western cities. However, they be aware of their surroundings and may feel more comfortable dressing slightly more conservatively (knee length skirts or pants, t-shirts instead of tank tops) in certain neighborhoods and outside of the city.
 

KTMU offers vocational, undergraduate and graduate education in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts. Some programs of note are Communications/Journalism, International Relations, Economics & management, Central Asian studies, Turkish Studies, Translation Studies, Computer Science, Food Science, and Agricultural Sciences. We also have have a veterinarian school, a music conservatory, a sports trainer program, and a beverage and hospitality school. For a full list of programs, please visit KTMU:Academics. KTMU also offers Kyrgyz language courses, and short-term study for academians and foreign graduate students.
 

We offer a full range of taught and research degrees at the graduate, all of which place emphasis on equipping postgraduates with specific analytical and research skills. This training enables our postgraduates to make a real contribution to their field of research, enjoying the benefits of working with, and learning from, internationally recognised research specialists.

Our university located in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Please see Our Location
 

Application Procedures and Application Assessment depends on the applicant’s country of origin. For more information, please visit our International Students page 
 

For students residing outside of Kyrgyzstan who are not Turkish citizens enrollment procedures are coordinated by a commission established by the rectorate.  Students are accepted after individual assessment by the commission.  The assessment takes the following into account in assessing applications: the interview (in person or on Skype), secondary school GPA, and intended course of study.
 

Education at KTU-Manas is free.

Professional High School degrees take 3 years; bachelors degrees take 4 years; master’s degrees take 2 years; and PhDs take 4 years. This is in addition to Kyrgyz and Turkish language preparatory classes, which usually last one year.

Yes, all students who have bachelor degree can apply for further education at KTMU.

All foreign students who do not know Kyrgyz or Turkish languages have to attend one year of preparatory languages courses.

It is possible to take a leave of absence for personal or medical reasons for up to one year. Students who need to take a leave of absence must talk to their department head.

Visa requirements vary depending on your country of citizenship. For more specific information concerning visa requirements and application, please see KTMU: Visas

If there is a Kygyz embassy in your home country, you can apply using your student registration documents before arrival. However, most nationals can also enter Kyrgyzstan visa-free and apply for a visa after arrival in Bishkek. For more information, please visit your local Kyrgyz embassy or KTMU: Visas

KTMU diplomas are registered in both Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. As KTMU is also an internationally accredited university, your diploma should be accepted anywhere.

Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University's academic staff come from Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, the US and other countries. They are all experts in their fields, and the majority hold advanced degrees. There are 57 professors, 77 associate professors and 27 assistant professors currently working at KTMU.

Yes, all students are encouraged to do an internship, usually at the end of their third year. For some departments, internship practice is required. Many students do internships at reputed organizations in Turkey, and we have a growing offering of internships at embassies and international organizations in Bishkek.

KTMU Offers a variety of exchange programs for its students and staff for periods of several weeks to one year. Students and staff are also eligible for outside programs run by various embassies and international organizations. Some of the larger programs KTMU participates in are Mevlana, Global U-GRAD, ERASMUS+ and Fulbright. For more information on individual programs, please visit KTMU: Exchange Programs

KMTU offers a variety of exchange programs for students and academians for periods of several weeks to one year. Some of the larger programs KTMU participates in are Mevlana, Global U-GRAD, ERASMUS+, and Fulbright. In the future, KTMU may also host summer FLAS programs.

To be a Mevlana Exchange Programme student you must be an enrolled degree-seeking student at a university in the Mevlana system with a GPA of at least 2.5 for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduate students. For exchange through ERASMUS+ you must be a currently-enrolled degree-seeking students at an institution participating in ERASMUS or ERASMUS+. For more specifics on programs and program applications, please visit KTMU: Exchange Student for foreign students or KTMU: Exchange Programs for currently enrolled KTMU students.

Yes, students can enroll directly in programs at KTMU provided that they meet the program requirements.

Every summer our university organizes Russian, Kyrgyz and Turkish language programs.

We only offer language study for non-full-time registered KTMU staff and students in the summer. Languages offered are Russian, Kyrgyz and Turkish. For students interested in full-time enrollment, we offer degree programs in English, Russian, Chinese, and Turkish Studies, as well as Turkish-English, Turkish-Kyrgyz, Turkish-Russian, and Kyrgyz-English Translation.

KTMU hosts the Centeral Asian Research Center.  Students and scholars who wish can work with this center on research, workshops and other projects. For more information, please visit KTMU: ORASAM

KTMU places emphasis on practicing methods learned in the classroom and expanding our exisiting knowledge. In addition to departmental research, KTMU also hosts 6 research centers. The university is open to working with Fulbright Fellows, ERASMUS participants, professors on sabbatical, and independent scholars. Please contact individual departments or the International Relations Office (iro@manas.edu.kg) for more information.