The number of people leaving Uzbekistan to study abroad has decreased significantly

In the first three months of 2026, 5,862 citizens of Uzbekistan traveled abroad for the purpose of education and skill development, according to Zamin.uz.

These figures, provided by the Statistics Agency, show significant changes compared to the same period last year. In particular, the number of people going abroad for study has decreased by 21.2 percent compared to the same period last year.

This indicates a noticeable slowdown in the trend of educational migration from our country. Among Uzbek youth and students, the Russian Federation remains the most popular destination.

In the first quarter of this year, 1,241 of our compatriots traveled to Russia for education. South Korea took second place.

This country, distinguished by modern technology and high-quality education, attracted 1,131 Uzbek citizens. The Republic of Kyrgyzstan completed the top three with 1,059 students.

Interest in other countries also remains high. Specifically, during the reporting period, 424 of our citizens went to China, 423 to Turkey, 381 to Tajikistan, and 292 to the United Kingdom for study.

The remaining 911 citizens chose higher education institutions in various other countries around the world. These figures indicate that the geography of education for Uzbek youth is broad.

Experts in the field attribute the decline in the number of people going abroad for education to several important factors. First, the rising costs of living and studying abroad are prompting many young people to reconsider their decisions.

Second, the tightening of admission rules at international higher education institutions has also had an impact. Most importantly, in recent years, Uzbekistan’s higher education system has undergone fundamental reform, admission quotas have increased, and the number of branches of influential foreign universities has grown, providing young people with the opportunity to obtain quality education at home.