The constitution of 1995 specifies that education through secondary school is mandatory and free, and that citizens have the further right to compete for free education in the republic's institutions of higher learning. Private, paid education is permitted but remains subject to state control and supervision.

In 1994 Kazakstan had 8,575 elementary and secondary schools attended by around 3.2 million students, and 244 specialized secondary schools with about 222,000 students. In 1992 about 51 % of eligible children were attending some 8,500 preschools in Kazakstan. In 1994 some 272,100 students were listed in the republic's 61 institutes of higher learning. 54% of the students were Kazak, and 31% were Russian.

Education is compulsory in Kazakhstan until age 17. Primary education begins at age 7, and secondary education begins at age 11 and lasts for a 7 years time. Primary and secondary schools offer education free of charge. Kazakhstan’s literacy rate is nearly 100 % for ages 15 and older. Illiteracy was high before the Soviet time but was nearly eliminated under the Soviet system of free and universal education. State funding for schools has been reduced since the collapse of the Soviet Union.Institutes of higher education in Kazakhstan include the Kazakh Al-Farabi State National University, located in Almaty, and the Qaraghandy State University, located in Qaraghandy. The republic also has numerous institutes that offer specialized courses of study in fields such as economics, civil engineering, and medicine.