Academic mobility rules and procedures

1.1. Regular Exchange program

• Call for applications with requirements and deadlines is announced a minimum 4 months prior to a commencement of the mobility period.
• The exchange program information session is compulsory.
• Students may participate in the exchange program not more than twice within the degree (excluding Erasmus and online exchange programs).
• Students have to study the “Course approval procedure” and “Course transfer policy” in L-drive: International Mobility: Before application: Academic mobility policy.
• Participants may take any course, including professional and research internship, thesis I and II, dissertation (except state exams and thesis/dissertation defense) at a partner institution upon approval by their college.
• Participants should follow the admission and registration policies of the partner university.
• Participants have to remain registered as full time degree students at KIMEP University, and shall not be enrolled as degree students in the host institution.
• Participants have to register for the KIMEP “Exchange Program” before leaving to a host university and pay tuition to KIMEP U (unless otherwise articulated in the partnership agreement).
• Participants are exempt from paying tuition fees to the host university (unless otherwise articulated in the partnership agreement). Payment conditions, including student fees are stipulated in the partnership agreement. Other fees (medical fee, books, etc.) are subject to the partner’ rules.
• Scholarship and tuition waiver requirements at KIMEP are applied to participants while studying abroad if not otherwise stipulated in the agreement.
• Participants are responsible for travel, visa, and living arrangements and expenses, medical insurance, textbooks and supplies, deposits, meals and personal expenses, while neither of the institutions are responsible for such expenses.
• Participants are encouraged to promote KIMEP and Kazakhstan through participation in social and cultural events of a partner institution.
• Upon return, the participant must submit feedback on his/her academic mobility experience to the International office and is encouraged to become a mentor to prospective participants.
• Participant agrees that his/her personal data may be disclosed to a third party.
• Academic related issues should be referred to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
• Any finance related appeals, requests, etc. should be referred to the Vice-President for Finance and Financial Aid Office.
• All complaints related to student’ nonacademic misconduct filed by the KIMEP U and/or the host institutions are referred to the KIMEP U Student Affairs Disciplinary Committee.
• KIMEP and the partner institution have a right to withdraw the participant from the exchange program in case of a violation of the institutions ‘policies by the participant.
• Students are subject to rules of the host and home institutions and countries. In case of violation of the countries’ rules, the participants shall bear responsibility in accordance with the legislations of the host or home countries.

1.2. Force majeure

A party shall not be liable for any failure of or delay in the performance of the agreement when certain circumstances beyond their control arise including, but not limited to: earthquake, flood, fire or any natural disaster, military action or coup, decision of any state body prohibiting or influencing thereto and other circumstances beyond the control of the participants in the country of the host and home institutions which occurred right before or after the commencement of the exchange program.

If the fulfillment of the obligations becomes impossible for the participant, he/she is obliged to inform the host and home institutions within 5 (five) calendar days from the moment the circumstances have occurred. If the participant fails to inform the institutions in time, he/she may not refer to any of the above mentioned circumstances to be released from his/her responsibility for non-fulfillment of the obligations. Any events caused by negligence and/or intentional actions of the participant are not considered as force majeure.

Participants should have:

• a solid command of English language (average GPA in English language courses min. B (3.0)/ IELTS 6/ TOEFL IBT 72/ TOEFL PBT 523);
• be at least 18 years old;
• have GPA of 3.00 or higher;
• be full-time degree student;
• Earn:
  • 30 for undergraduate students;
  • 9 credits for graduate students;
  • 9 credits for post-graduate students;
  • GPA 3.0 for Fast Track students at the application stage.

• Have no more than one semester of studying on exchange program;
• Have no disciplinary records;
• Have no debts;

Scholarship exchange program, Erasmus Plus, is offered for the period of one semester and travel, living and accommodation expenses are partially covered by the European Commission.

Participants should have:

• a solid command of English language (average GPA in English language courses min. B (3.0)/ IELTS 6/ TOEFL IBT 72/ TOEFL PBT 523);
• be at least 18 years old;
• have GPA of 3.7 or higher;
• be full-time degree student;
• Earn:
  • 30 for undergraduate students;
  • 9 credits for graduate students;
  • 9 credits for post-graduate students;
  • GPA 3.7 for Fast Track students at the application stage.

• Have no disciplinary records
• Have no debts

1

Call for applications with requirements and deadlines is announced minimum 4 months prior to a commencement of the mobility period. The access to the online application is open on the Student Portal during the designated period of time. Applicants are expected to apply online, indicate up to three partner universities in a priority order, and upload required and optional documents.

Required:

• Online Application form
• Copy of international passport
• Attendance of at least one mobility program information session

Optional:

• Certificates of intellectual challenges, Olympiads, competitions
• Certificates of athletic challenges
• Community service certificates
• Referee’s recommendation
• Confirmation of vulnerability status

Submission of an online application form does not guarantee participation in the program.

Submission of falsified documents leads to immediate dismissal from the exchange program and filing a complaint to the Student Affairs Disciplinary committee.

Maximum score: 49.33

The following criteria will be assessed:

1. GPA – up to 4,33 points;
2. Absence of previous exchange experiences – 1 point;
3. Presence of previous exchange experiences – 0 points;

4. Confirmation of intellectual challenges, Olympiads, competitions organized or hosted by KIMEP University:

• International level – 4 points,
• Republican level – 3 points,
• City level – 2 points,
• University level – 1 point.

Not more than one from each category from current level of study

Total: 10 points

5. Confirmation of athletic achievements organized or hosted by KIMEP University:
   • International level – 4 points;
   • Republican level – 3 points;
   • City level – 2 points;
   • University level – 1 point.

Not more than one from each category from current level of study

Total: 10 points

6. Confirmation of community service at KIMEP University:
   • Membership in KSA organization (President, Vice President, Deputy) – 3 points;
   • Student organization section:
     • President/Vice President of student organization – 3 points;
     • Head of student organization – 2 points;
     • Member of student organization – 1 point;
   • Volunteering at KIMEP University – 1 point;
   • Community service beyond the University community – 1 point.

Not more than one from each category from current level of study

Total: 8 points

7. Referee recommendation:

• From KIMEP faculty member:
  • Strongly recommend – 3 points;
  • Recommend – 2 points;
  • Recommend with reservation – 1 point;
  • Don’t recommend – 0 points;
• From KIMEP staff member:
  • Recommend – 2 points;
  • Recommend with reservation – 1 point;
  • Don’t recommend – 0 points;
• From KSA government or student organization:
  • Recommend – 1 point;
  • Don’t recommend – 0 points.

Not more than one from each category

Total: 6 points

8. Vulnerability:

• Special needs according to the data from Medical Office – 10 points;
• Orphan student (upper age limit is 23 years) – 10 points;
• Students from multi-children families (upper age limit is 23 years) living all together according to a residential registration certificate – 5 points.

Not more than one category

Total: 10 points

• Applicants are evaluated in accordance with the above-mentioned criteria by the software program.
• The program selects the applicants with the highest scores and ranks them accordingly.
• The program sends a message to a chosen candidate with a request to confirm his/her participation in the exchange program within a week period.
• If a student does not respond or declines the offer, the place is passed to the next candidate from the list.
• Once all selected students confirm their participation, they are officially nominated for the exchange program, which is reflected in the Exchange Program Selection Result protocol signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
• The Coordinator prepares the Exchange Program Selection Result Order that indicates the names of participants, host institutions, program names, mobility periods, etc. and names of reserved candidates. The order is signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or Provost and General Deputy to the President. If a partner university gives additional places for the academic mobility program after the order is signed, nomination of additional candidates will be done from the reserved list according to the ranking of the students. The relevant amendment is produced and signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or Provost and General Deputy to the President.
• If a student cannot participate in the exchange program, he/she has to inform the Coordinator and he/she will be replaced by the next candidate from the reserved list and the amendment to the order should be produced and signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or Provost and General Deputy to the President.
• If the selection is conducted by a partner university, the Partner Selection Result Order should be produced and signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or Provost and General Deputy to the President.
• A partner institution accepts the nominated exchange students but reserves the right to deny admission.