Authorities in Uzbekistan have officially opened the application process for targeted state grants allocated to students enrolled in daytime bachelor's programs at foreign university branches and non-state higher education institutions operating across the country. While the initiative is ostensibly promoted as a measure to support broader educational access, critics and observers note that the program comes with strict restrictive conditions and bureaucratic hurdles for participants.

According to official announcements, applications are being accepted from October 10 through October 17 via the designated electronic platform my.uzbmb.uz. Participation in the competitive selection is strictly limited to students admitted to full-time undergraduate courses in fields of study for which state grant quotas have been specifically designated.

Candidates are required to participate in preliminary screening examinations covering a designated set of academic subjects, with testing procedures overseen by the Knowledge and Skills Assessment Agency. Furthermore, students who participated in general state university entrance exams earlier this year under matching subject blocks are reportedly allowed to utilize their previously accumulated scores in this specific selection process.

State grants will be distributed strictly in descending order of scores among candidates who manage to clear the established minimum passing threshold. However, a significant catch for recipients is the mandatory requirement that students who successfully secure the grant must commit to working for at least three years in state-owned enterprises or government-affiliated organizations upon graduation, potentially curtailing their post-university employment freedom.

Source: kun.uz