Unequal chances: How procedural fairness masks inequality in Kazakhstani university admissions
Baikenov K. Shamatov D.
November 2025Elsevier Ltd
International Journal of Educational Development
2025#119
Employing mixed-methods study offers the first empirical examination of undergraduate students’ perceptions of fairness within Kazakhstans centralized university admissions system, applying Jacobs’ (2004) three-dimensional fairness framework: procedural, background, and stake fairness. Drawing on survey responses from 493 undergraduate students and 21 semi-structured interviews conducted at a highly selective university in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the analysis reveals that while the admissions process demonstrates notable procedural strengths, particularly in terms of transparency, digitization, and flexibility, deep-seated inequities persist. These inequities, rooted in students’ socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, continue to undermine the systems broader claims to fairness. Key factors such as unequal access to private tutoring, disparities in school quality, and geographic inequalities significantly shape students’ preparedness and outcomes, thereby weakening the meritocratic foundations of the Unified National Testing system. Moreover, the high-stakes nature of state educational grants exacerbates these disparities, fostering highly competitive and strategic application behaviors and reinforcing barriers to entry for students with lower socioeconomic backgrounds. While quota-based policies aim to mitigate structural disadvantages, their effectiveness is compromised by implementation issues and persistent public distrust. The study concludes that although Kazakhstans university admissions system is procedurally robust, it remains substantively inequitable. To enhance fairness and restore trust, policy recommendations include targeted investment in disadvantaged schools, reforms to grant and quota policies to balance rigor with equity, and independent oversight mechanisms to combat corruption. These systemic reforms are essential to promoting equitable access to higher education and to realizing the meritocratic and public-good ideals the system purports to uphold.
Access to higher education , Equity , Fairness , Highly selective universities , Mixed-methods , University admission
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