Astana Hub, Alem.ai Foundation and Yandex Qazaqstan have launched ML School Kazakhstan, a two-year training program in machine learning and artificial intelligence. The first cohort will include up to 35 people, with tuition provided free of charge (the-tech.kz, profit.kz).
Applications close on October 8, 2026. Organizers do not specify a closing time, so applying early is preferable to waiting until the final evening.
Where and how classes take place
Classes are in person at the alem.ai International Artificial Intelligence Center in Astana, two or three times a week for three hours each (the-tech.kz). That means six to nine classroom hours weekly, excluding homework and project work. Combining the program with full-time employment is possible, but the workload is substantial.
The announcements do not include an online option. Participants from other cities will need to live in Astana or travel there for their studies. Organizers do not mention relocation or accommodation support. The start date and day-by-day schedule have not yet been published.
Who the program is for
The program targets students and professionals in IT, mathematics and technical fields with “a high level of preparation” (the-tech.kz). It is not intended for beginners. Selection tests knowledge of linear algebra, algorithms, statistics and calculus.
Public sources do not state age limits or diploma or citizenship requirements. Organizers also do not explicitly specify the language of instruction.
How selection works
Selection has two stages (the-tech.kz, profit.kz):
- online testing with mathematics and programming tasks;
- an in-person interview for the highest-scoring candidates.
Test and interview dates have not yet been announced.
What the curriculum covers
The theoretical component covers mathematics, statistics, algorithms, classical machine learning, neural networks, computer vision, generative AI and natural language processing (NLP).
Practical work includes handling data, training and evaluating ML models and solving computer vision and NLP problems. Participants will also undertake applied and research projects, examine real system architectures and meet ML specialists from Yandex and other technology companies (profit.kz).
Teaching will be provided by Yandex experts, technical university lecturers and ML and AI researchers. The announcement does not name individual instructors.
What graduates receive and what the terms do not promise
Graduates will receive an ML School completion certificate and access to additional courses from Yandex’s School of Data Analysis (the-tech.kz). Organizers do not promise employment, an internship or a stipend.
The publications do not describe post-training obligations, such as working for a partner company or repaying tuition after withdrawal. Program rules have not been publicly released. Applicants should therefore clarify attendance and withdrawal conditions with the organizers before applying.
How to apply
Applications are submitted through the Astana Hub platform. An astanahub.com account is required: the form page does not open without signing in.
Program profile in RAEM’s grants directory
Terms checked on September 26, 2026.
