The University of Central Asia’s (UCA) School of Arts and Sciences is accepting applications for the 2017-2018 academic year.  Applications are now available for undergraduate study at UCA’s Naryn campus in Kyrgyzstan, as well as Khorog in Tajikistan.

Press release issued by UCA says the University offers majors in Communications and Media; Computer Science (Naryn Campus); Earth and Environmental Sciences and Economics (Khorog Campus).  Based on the chosen major, students can attend either UCA’s campus in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan or Khorog, Tajikistan.

The University’s first year preparatory program is designed in partnership with Seneca College in Canada. UCA’s undergraduate majors will be designed in partnership with world renowned universities.  For example, the Computer Science program is developed with the University of Toronto, Economics with the Higher School of Economics, Moscow and, Earth and Environmental Sciences with the University of British Columbia.  UCA is currently developing an innovative co-operative education program with the University of Victoria in Canada.

UCA’s undergraduate program, taught in English, offers majors and minors that are closely aligned with Central Asia’s market needs.  It has a very desirable student to faculty ratio of 9 to 1 - the best in the region.  Admission to the University is merit-based; no student is denied admission because of financial hardship.  UCA offers generous financial aid that includes merit-based scholarships, needs-based grants, and interest-free student loans.

Undergraduate students pursue a five-year degree, beginning with a one-year Preparatory Program to ready them for the international level of academics offered at UCA.  This is followed by two years of general education through rigorous core curriculum, modeled on North American liberal arts degree programs.  The final two years will focus on undergraduate specializations.  From the second year, students will be engaged in a coop program each summer, ensuring they have an equivalent of a year’s work experience by graduation.  The third internship will be abroad.

The University of Central Asia was founded in 2000. The Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan and His Highness the Aga Khan signed the International Treaty and Charter to establish this secular and private, not-for profit University.  The treaty was ratified by the respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations.  The Presidents of the three host countries are Patrons of UCA and His Highness the Aga Khan is the Chancellor UCA’s School of Arts and Sciences began classes in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, in September 2016, and the campus in Khorog, Tajikistan, is expected to open in September 2017.

UCA was established to offer an internationally recognized standard of higher education in Central Asia and prepare graduates to contribute leadership, ideas, and innovation to the economies and communities of the region.  UCA’s mission is to foster the socio-economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain societies, while helping the peoples of the region to preserve and draw upon their rich cultural traditions and heritages as assets for the future.