There is a decline in interest in studying abroad among citizens of Uzbekistan. In the first nine months of 2026, 16,522 people traveled to foreign countries for educational purposes. This figure is 8.1 thousand people, or 33%, less than in the same period last year.
Changes in Popular Destinations
The list of most sought-after countries for study has changed. While Tajikistan led the way last year, Russia now holds the top spot. Previously, Tajikistan held the first position, but in the current period, it dropped to seventh place in the ranking.
According to data from the National Committee on Statistics, in January-September 2025, 5.5 thousand Uzbeks chose Tajikistan for their studies, whereas in 2026, this number decreased to 904 people.
Russia is currently the leader, with 3.8 thousand Uzbek citizens traveling there in nine months. The Republic of Kyrgyzstan is in second place with 2.8 thousand people, and the Republic of Korea is in third place, having accepted 2.1 thousand students.
Among other popular destinations, Turkey remains, chosen by 1.8 thousand Uzbeks during the reporting period. Additionally, 1.2 thousand people went to China for education, and 1.1 thousand to Kazakhstan.
European countries and the USA did not make it into the top seven most popular destinations. 784 Uzbek citizens traveled to the United Kingdom for study, 374 to Germany, and 231 to the United States. Furthermore, almost 1.3 thousand Uzbeks chose other countries for their studies.
The trend of a decrease in the number of Uzbeks leaving the country for study was observed previously as well. In the first two months of 2026, this figure was 3.9 thousand people, which is 1.2 thousand less than the previous year.