American University of Armenia

The American University of Armenia in Yerevan was founded in 1991 with the support of the University of California and the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and teaches in English with American accreditation. Its University of California affiliation is the distinguishing feature and should be understood precisely. This is an affiliation rather than a branch campus, so what appears on the degree certificate and how the University of California relationship is expressed should be confirmed in writing before applying. For a Kazakh applicant Armenia sits further away than Bishkek or Tashkent but remains within the post-Soviet space, with Russian widely spoken and direct flights from Almaty and Astana. Armenia is also a Eurasian Economic Union member alongside Kazakhstan, which may simplify entry and residence. The comparison to make is with the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, which is closer, comparably accredited, and carries a Kazakhstan-specific full scholarship funded by the United States Department of State.