State Program for the education of young people at prestigious higher education institutions of foreign countries for 2022-2028 (31.03.2025)

According to the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 30.09.2021 No. 2931 on expanding the educational opportunities of Azerbaijani youth in prestigious foreign higher education institutions (Order), the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been instructed to draft the State Program for the education of young people at prestigious higher education institutions of foreign countries to create human capital with modern skills necessary for the rapid development of the country and continue the state support for talented youth to study abroad in this context.

To ensure that the Order of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 28.02.2022 No. 3163 is implemented the State Program for the education of young people at prestigious higher education institutions of foreign countries for 2022-2026 (State Program) was approved.

According to the State Program

• financing of the implementation of the measures considered in the Program shall be carried out at the expense of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), technical and financial assistance of international organizations (funds), loans and grants, donations of foreign and local legal entities and individuals and other sources not prohibited by law,
• control over the implementation of the Program shall be carried out by the Ministry of Education (Ministry) through the State Program Management Group established under the Ministry of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
• it was approved that during the implementation of the Program annually no more than 400 people, in total up to 2000 citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan study abroad at the Bachelor's and Master's levels of higher education in prestigious higher education institutions,
• to ensure that the areas of specialization of youth to study in prestigious foreign higher educational institutions comply with the priority directions of socio-economic development of the country, priority areas, and specialties have been identified.

According to the relevant paragraphs of the Action Plan for the implementation of the State Program, the list of educational programs in priority areas of the Program and prestigious foreign higher education institutions was prepared by the Ministry, and by the relevant decisions of the Cabinet of ministers, financing of education in foreign higher education institutions and selection rules for young people to study abroad was approved.

Under the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 01.06.2022 No. 217, the Rule on criteria and procedures for the selection of young people to study abroad under the State Program was approved.

Under the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 01.06.2022 No. 218, the Rule for financing education in foreign higher education institutions under the State Program was approved.

Annually, a list of educational programs in priority specialization areas, along with prestigious foreign higher education institutions, is made available to the public after receiving approval through the Minister of Science and Education's order for the upcoming academic year.

In accordance with these normative documents, admission to the State Program for candidates eligible to study abroad is approved through an order issued by the Minister of Science and Education. Consequently, a corresponding agreement regarding the funding of their education is reached between the Ministry and the student.

In 2024, pursuant to the amendment to the Presidential Decree and based on the outcomes of the announced document submission process and subsequent interviews conducted within the framework of the State Program, a total of 500 Azerbaijani citizens (hereinafter referred to as “Program Participants”) were admitted to the Program by the relevant orders of the Ministry, against the quota of up to 500 participants. Of these, 125 were admitted to undergraduate studies and 375 to graduate studies, thereby achieving full implementation of the allocated quota.

As of 31.03.2025, on the basis of the orders of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, SOFAZ allocated a total of AZN 111 827.4 thousand ( AZN 14 920.5 thousand during the first quarter of 2025) to the relevant accounts at the Treasury Department No. 1 of the State Treasury Agency.

In the approved budget of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025, AZN 90 786.0 thousand has been allocated for the State Program. As of the first quarter of 2025, 16.4% of the allocated amount has been executed.

Information on the countries and priority areas of financing bachelor's and master's degree education abroad in the framework of the State Program as of 31.03.2025.