The U.S.-CAEF Enterprise Student Fellowship pays for a four-year bachelor’s degree at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek. The U.S. Department of State funds it, the U.S.-CAEF board governs it, and American Councils for International Education runs it.
Fellows study business administration, economics, software engineering, or applied mathematics and informatics. Applications usually run from October to mid-January, but as of October 2026 the official site still shows the 2025–26 cycle as closed and lists no later call.
Benefits & funding
- Full tuition and fees for four years at AUCA.
- Housing allowance, monthly stipend and travel allowance.
- Fully funded regional summer internships, awarded competitively.
- Tutoring, advising, development events, study-abroad co-funding and the alumni network.
Eligibility
- Citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan or Uzbekistan with permanent residence there; anyone living or working outside these four countries is barred, except current FLEX participants.
- Not already a university student; must gain AUCA first-cohort admission in one of the four majors.
- English proficiency, academic excellence, financial need and leadership potential.
- Non-Kyrgyz citizens must be able to obtain and keep the required immigration documents.
- Committed to returning to, or staying in, the home country after the program.
- Barred: U.S. citizens or permanent residents, citizens or permanent residents of any other country, their spouses, and American Councils employees and their relatives.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Tajikistan · Uzbekistan
Residence required
Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Tajikistan · Uzbekistan
Education required
High School
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Application process
- 1Complete Part 1 and Part 2 of the U.S.-CAEF online application by its deadline, with family financial details, three essays, transcripts and two recommendation letters.
- 2Separately meet AUCA’s entrance test minimums and file AUCA first-cohort admission and financial-aid applications.
- 3Semifinalists are interviewed in April; finalists must also be admitted to AUCA and pass final approval.
Program timeline
Last published cycle opened
Oct 1, 2024
Deadline, 17:00 Bishkek time
Jan 22, 2025
Semifinalist interviews
April 2025
Final decisions
June 2025
Studies began at AUCA
August 2025