The impact of government-sponsored education abroad on entrepreneurship: case study Bolashak scholarship

This paper investigates the impact of education abroad on the likelihood that a graduate will become an entrepreneur within five years after her/his graduation, using data of 5,555 graduates in Kazakhstan whose education abroad was sponsored by the Kazakhstani government, Bolashak International Scholarship, during the period 2001-2015. Using mixed methods of logit modelling and interviews with graduates we found that graduates who studied arts or technical subjects abroad while funded by the Bolashak International Scholarship are more likely to become entrepreneurs. However age, gender and degree are not associated with a choice in entrepreneurship. Perception of business environment in home country is important for entrepreneurship choice. Education abroad affects personal abilities to start and run a business in a home country.