SIX ORLEU WINNERS WILL STUDY FOR FREE

How many participants applied for the Orleu Program?
The Program started in 2022. In previous years, we received 33 and 41 applications, respectively. This year 60 applications were submitted. However, we had to disqualify 47 of them at the first stage, since they did not meet the requirements of the Program Provisions in terms of the speciality chosen by the applicants. The Provisions clearly stated that only applicants to specialities in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, information and communication technologies, engineering, construction and manufacturing industries, health care and pedagogical sciences (only in natural science subjects) can participate in the competition for the grant. And thus applications to specialities such as international relations, finance, accounting, auditing, etc. were disqualified.

What was the procedure of the most important second stage of the competition?
Only 13 contestants reached the second round, and 5 of them were winners of the Orleu Program of the two first years. Two finalists chose the state grant (it fully covers undergraduate study’s cost) and dropped out of the competition, so finally 11 young Kazakhstanis applied for grants. At the final stage of the competition they were interviewed in-person and also solved cases in groups, discussing a solution and coming to a consensus. The interviews were conducted by a professional psychologist and the Foundation’s employees. In order to understand individual goals and objectives of the participants, we asked them a variety of questions, cleared up the value of a higher education for them, what motivated them to choose a university and a speciality. We assessed the progress of those applicants who participated in the competition not for the first time: how their motivation had changed, how good they were at studying. Since the winners of the Program already had an experience of attending annual meetings of the participants of all the Foundation’s programs, they were pleasantly surprised to learn that such immersion in the Foundation’s community helps their personalities develop. In the second round there was a task for the participants to ask each other questions. In this way we assessed their outlook as well as their goodwill, sincerity of their emotions and so on.

Past winners of the Orleu Program can participate in the competition for a grant every year. Did they submit their applications this year?
Yes, all past winners applied because unfortunately their families are still facing financial difficulties. Anuarbek Ashikbayev participated in the competition for the third time. He studies dentistry and has entered the third year at KazNMU. We are happy for his success. Qymbat Oqas studies general medicine there too. Kamilla Ismailova participated in the competition for the second year like Qymbat, and she is also a student at the same university. Aigerym Makset studies teaching mathematics at SDU, and Rashid Dosmambetov entered the second year at Semey Medical University. All of them successfully completed the course with a GPA higher than 2.6, and Kamilla has 2.88 GPA. They proved themselves in the competition, therefore they again won the Yessenov Foundation grant.

Tell us about the new winner of the Program. There is only one this year.
Yes, Olzhas Nurdaulet became the only one new winner of the Program this year. A 17-year-old boy graduated from the Zhana Gasyr gymnasium No. 175 in Almaty. He comes from a big family and has three sisters. His 74-year-old grandmother also lives with them. Olzhas is entering the Kazakhstan-Russian Medical University to study dentistry. The winner of the Orleu Program is also a candidate master of sports in chess.

What are the prospects for the Orleu Program in 2025?
Over the years of the Program’s existence, young Kazakhstanis from low-income families who want to get higher education had many new opportunities: state and private programs that pay for undergraduate education for such children. There are targeted grants awarded by the regional akims (heads of administration) either. Many large companies also pay for education, offer internships at their enterprises, so that young specialists can apply for jobs there. Therefore, the Foundation decided that this year’s competition will be the last. However, we have also decided that all winners of the Orleu Program this year, subject to the terms of the agreement (for example, a GPA not lower than 2.5), will receive grants from the Foundation every year, as well as a scholarship and compensation for housing. But every year they have to demonstrate compliance with the Program requirements. Thus, all of them will be able to complete their undergraduate degrees with funding from the Yessenov Foundation.