Samarkand State University
Samarqand davlat universiteti (Sharof Rashidov nomidagi)
One of Uzbekistan's oldest and largest universities, with a published fee list and a separate English-taught group for foreign students.
- Students
- 27,000
- International
- 1%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 12.8:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- UZS 10.3M
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1927
About SamSU
Samarkand State University (SamSU), officially named after Sharof Rashidov, started in 1927 as the Uzbek Pedagogical Institute. It became the Uzbek State University in 1933 and took the name Samarkand State University in 1961. The university describes itself on its foreign-student page as one of the most ancient and largest universities in Uzbekistan, with more than 27,000 students from various regions of Central Asia.
Its teaching is organised into institutes and faculties: the bachelor's page lists the institutes of Agrobiotechnology and Food Security, Engineering Physics, Human Resources and Mahalla Development Management and Biochemistry, and the faculties of Mathematics, Geography and Ecology, History, Psychology and Social-Political Sciences, Intelligent Systems and Computer Technologies, Law and Philology, plus joint education programmes with foreign universities. It also has institutes of Nuclear Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies, and Languages and Cultures of Central Asian peoples.
Foreign applicants can apply through a Google form on the university's site, or through the national Study in Uzbekistan platform, where the university keeps an account and says applications are accepted continuously. A separate English-language group is formed if at least 20 bachelor's or 10 master's students are recruited from abroad. Times Higher Education's 2026 profile lists 11,776 students and 1% international, so Samarkand suits students who want a low-cost degree in a historic Silk Road city and can accept a mostly Uzbek and Russian environment.
Why students choose SamSU
The university's fee page for foreign students (Uzbek version, 2025/26) publishes annual contract fees in Uzbek som: 10,317,000 for first-year bachelor's students, 14,700,000 for bachelor's years 2-4, 13,755,000 for first-year master's and 27,720,000 for PhD.
The university says a separate English-taught group will form when at least 20 bachelor's or 10 master's students come from abroad.
Applications from foreign citizens are accepted continuously through the Study in Uzbekistan platform and the university's own form.
The university has six dormitories and guest houses on and off campus, and the city centre location is close to the railway station, airport and bus station.
Admissions
2025/26 admission parameters (latest published; 2027 not yet published)
Selectivity
Samarkand does not publish an acceptance rate. Its 2025/26 admission table lists places by programme for grant, contract and foreign students, with foreign places for many programmes.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate | Requirements are listed on the university's 'Requirement for admission of international students' page; documents are submitted through the university's form or the Study in Uzbekistan platform |
|---|
Deadlines
The university says applications from foreign citizens are accepted continuously; no fixed 2027 deadline is published on the pages we could reach.
How to apply
Foreign applicants submit documents through a bachelor's or master's application form on the university's foreign-students page, or through the university's account on the Study in Uzbekistan platform, where applications are accepted continuously. Programmes include Uzbek, Russian and English-language options; a separate English group forms when at least 20 bachelor's or 10 master's students are recruited from abroad.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school certificate for bachelor's applicants (or a bachelor's degree for master's applicants).
- Meeting the programme's language of instruction: Uzbek, Russian or English.
- A complete set of documents submitted through the official form or platform.
Tips for applying to SamSU
- 1 Check the 2025/26 admission table to see which programmes offer places for foreign students and in which language.
- 2 Ask early about the English-taught group: it only forms if enough students enrol.
- 3 Fees are set in Uzbek som and rise when the national minimum wage rises; the English fee page quotes 12,557.62 som per US dollar but does not date it, so check the current rate.
- 4 Use only the university's own form or the Study in Uzbekistan platform to submit documents.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in UZS
The university lists a page of foreign scholarship programmes. Its 2025/26 admission table lists grant and contract places and a separate column of places for foreign students. Fees are for study 'without scholarship'.
- 10,317,000 Uzbek som (same for evening and external study)
- Bachelor's tuition per year, first year (Uzbek fee page, 2025/26)
- 14,700,000 Uzbek som; this is the 14.7 million figure that also appears, undated, on the English fee page and as the 2023/24 year 1-2 figure (14 x minimum wage of 1,050,000) on earlier-year tables
- Bachelor's tuition per year, years 2-4 (2025/26)
- 13,755,000 Uzbek som in year 1; 28,350,000 in later years
- Master's tuition per year (2025/26)
- 27,720,000 Uzbek som
- PhD tuition per year (2025/26 Uzbek page; English page says 1,000 US dollars)
- Six dormitories and guest houses on and off campus
- Dormitories
Academics
Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
Among the programmes with the most places in the 2025/26 admission table.
Information Systems and Technologies
Offered in Uzbek, Russian and English in the admission table.
Artificial Intelligence
Bachelor's programme listed in the 2025/26 admission table, with a dedicated institute.
Jurisprudence
Offered in Uzbek, Russian and English with places for foreign students.
Nuclear Physics and Technologies
Master's programme at the Institute of Nuclear Technologies, with 8 places in the 2025/26 table.
Biochemistry and biotechnology
The university has a dedicated Institute of Biochemistry and lists Biotechnology among its programmes.
Research
- The Research Institute of Turkology of SamSU is listed on the university site.
- The university has a department of commercialisation of scientific and innovative developments.
- Institutes of Nuclear Technologies and of Engineering Physics run their own departments.
Schools & faculties
- SamSU Institute of Agrobiotechnology and Food Security
- SamSU Institute of Engineering Physics
- SamSU Institute of Human Resources and Mahalla Development Management
- SamSU Institute of Biochemistry
- SamSU Institute of Nuclear Technologies
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies
- Institute of Languages and Cultures of the Peoples of Central Asia
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Faculty of Geography and Ecology
- Faculty of History
- Faculty of Psychology and Social-Political Sciences
- Faculty of Intelligent Systems and Computer Technologies
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Philology
Student life
The university says it has a sport complex, medical centre, computer classes and creative centres, and it lists an alumni association. Its Vice Rector for Youth Affairs and Spiritual and Educational Work leads student activities, and there is a university psychologist. Six dormitories and guest houses on and off campus house students, and students can also rent apartments in the city centre close to the university. Transport from the railway station, airport and auto station is by municipal buses, minibuses and taxis.
- Sport complex, medical centre and computer classes on campus.
- Six dormitories and guest houses.
- An alumni association and a university psychologist.
- Joint education programmes with foreign universities.
Housing. The university has six dormitories and guest houses on and off campus, and students can rent apartments in the city centre.
Location
The university is in the centre of Samarkand, a historic city in eastern Uzbekistan. Transport between the railway station, the airport and the auto station is provided by municipal buses, minibuses and taxis. Renting an apartment near the university is an option outside the dormitories.
Nearest airport: Samarkand International Airport (SKD)
Frequently asked questions
How do foreign students apply to Samarkand State University?
Through the application forms on the university's foreign-students page, or through its account on the Study in Uzbekistan platform, where applications are accepted continuously.
How much are tuition fees at Samarkand State University?
For foreign citizens, the university's Uzbek-language fee page (2025/26, latest found) lists annual contract fees of 10,317,000 Uzbek som for first-year bachelor's students (14,700,000 a year in years 2-4), 13,755,000 for first-year master's and 27,720,000 for PhD. Amounts rise when the national minimum wage rises; no 2026/27 table was found.
Can I study in English at Samarkand State University?
The university says a separate English-taught group will be formed if at least 20 bachelor's or 10 master's students are recruited from abroad; some programmes also list English in the admission table.
Does Samarkand State University have dormitories?
Yes, six dormitories and guest houses on and off campus.
Where does Samarkand State University rank?
The QS World University Rankings 2027 place it in the 1001-1200 band; Times Higher Education 2026 lists it as a reporter without a rank.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- QS World University Rankings 2027
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026
- Samarkand State University: English home page
- Samarkand State University: admission for foreign students
- Samarkand State University: application submission for international students
- Samarkand State University: accommodation and tuition fee
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