Uzbek citizens going abroad to study fall 33% in first nine months of 2026
According to the National Statistics Committee, 16,522 citizens left Uzbekistan for study in January–September 2026 — down a third year on year. Russia led the list while Tajikistan dropped from first place.
The number of Uzbek citizens who travelled abroad for educational purposes in January–September 2026 fell to 16,522, down 33% — roughly 8,100 people — from the same period a year earlier, according to Uzbekistan's National Statistics Committee. In January–September 2025 the figure was about 24,600.
Top destinations
Russia was the most popular destination with 3,847 citizens, followed by Kyrgyzstan (2,809), South Korea (2,118) and Türkiye (1,818). China received 1,248 and Kazakhstan 1,112. The United Kingdom ranked seventh with 784, followed by Germany (374) and the United States (231). Another 1,277 citizens went to other countries to study.
The rankings shifted
The ranking changed markedly in a year. In January–September 2025, Tajikistan led the list, receiving 5,534 citizens; in the same period of 2026 that figure collapsed to 904. Russia took first place, while interest in South Korea and China continued to grow.
South Korea context
Earlier data showed that, as of 1 April 2026, 20,876 Uzbek citizens were studying in South Korea — 6.8% of all international students there. This stock figure differs from the nine-month outbound flow: it reflects the total number currently enrolled abroad.
The bigger picture
The statistics point to a decline in outbound study travel. At the same time, independent outlets have reported rising foreign-student interest in Uzbekistan's own universities. The committee's figures are based on border-crossing data and cover trips recorded for educational purposes.
