"At school, I wanted to know all the laws," says third-year student Madina Sayatova. – "Initially, I wanted to enroll in Astana but missed a point on the UNT, so I came here from Pavlodar. I plan to pursue a master's after graduation."
Students turn to bank staff for any problem, who help solve them. However, if an academic issue arises, they must handle it themselves – no one will assist with exams or course transfers. Students must study diligently.
However, Sarsenov notes that some, despite the opportunity, choose not to use it, dropping out of school. Reasons vary: for girls, it's starting a family; for boys, it's receiving a government apartment or losing interest in studying.
"We offered options like academic leave or transferring to part-time. But when they refused, we replaced them with others. We aren't focused on quantity – we started with five students, adding 7-8 each year. Today, 27 are studying, and one graduate works at our bank," says Eldar Sarsenov.
Students from other cities in Kazakhstan are provided temporary accommodation like a hostel, promoting unity and supervision by senior peers. Local students often live in youth homes.
"The project proposed by "Nurbank" is a great cause. One could approach it formally by providing funds, but the bank engages with students over several years, assisting them voluntarily. The bank takes on commitments unusual for a financial institution. Here, human support is as vital as financial support," notes Caspian University Rector Zholdasbek Musilimuly Nusyenov.
Furthermore, at the start of the academic year, the bank launched another program allowing students on a commercial basis to receive grants or discounts.
To qualify, students participated in the "Nur challenge" competition, which involved multiple stages. Each stage required students, grouped in teams, to complete tasks like earning money, organizing a flash mob, pranking, etc.
The winning team received various tuition discounts. For instance, Rustam Zhansetov received a 100% discount, and Valery Sveshnikov got 50% off at Caspian University.
"One task was to exchange a pen for something useful. I traded it several times, eventually bringing an old camera to the university. We discovered its value at 140 thousand dollars!", shares Valery.
"This is a great opportunity," says the university rector. – "We offer education on preferential terms. We gave students a chance to showcase their creativity, knowledge, and skills. Half the success is in the desire."
