What to know about this Lending Partner
Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.
Status update - November 4, 2025
Kiva and American University of Central Asia have now ended their partnership. After defaulting any remaining loans to students that are not able to repay, this partner has repaid its outstanding balance to Kiva in full, and these funds have been distributed to lenders. We thank American University of Central Asia for the years of collaboration and wish them success in their future endeavors.
Status update - April 11, 2022
Kiva has moved this Lending Partner to inactive status which means American University of Central Asia is no longer fundraising loans on Kiva, though Kiva fully expects the partner to continue to send repayments owed to Kiva lenders as long as the partner has an outstanding balance. American University of Central Asia’s lending program saw high delinquency and defaults and Kiva and AUCA agreed that it was in the best of interest of both parties and AUCA’s students to retire the program. If and when this partner requests to fundraise again on Kiva, Kiva will first conduct any additional monitoring and due diligence tasks we believe necessary.
Partner description:
The American University of Central Asia (AUCA) is a nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary university in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Founded in 1993 with the support of the United States Government and the Open Society Institute, it provides a unique, American-style liberal arts curriculum for top students in the region.
AUCA offers a preparatory program, 11 undergraduate majors including sociology, business administration, international and business law, and a graduate program. Students are required to take courses in both Russian and English languages.
Kyrgyzstan’s economy was severely affected by the collapse of the Soviet trading block. As a result, more than 20% of the Kyrgyz population has moved to other parts of the former Soviet Union within the past 10 years to seek work. While strong growth in neighboring Kazakhstan and China has created opportunities for expansion, Kyrgyzstan’s economy remains vulnerable to external shocks. Persistently high inflation, coupled with the global financial crisis, threaten to undermine recent improvements in poverty levels.
AUCA prides itself on having upheld democracy, openness, and innovation over the course of its 20-year history. Since its inception, the university has graduated over 2,200 students, beginning with the first class of 47 graduates in 1997. Some of these students have gone on to continue their studies at prestigious universities around the world, including Harvard, Yale, the Sorbonne, and Central European University.
Kiva lenders’ funds are used to supplement the financial aid packages with loans offered to students starting their freshman year at AUCA.
A unique lending approach:
About 90% of AUCA students receive financial aid, with an average package of KGS 135,000 per student (US$2,813). Approximately 84% of these students are from Kyrgyzstan, and 60% of the students who receive financial aid are female. 32% of students are Kyrgyz and come from outside the capital city, representing every state (oblast) of the country.
AUCA has 2 application deadlines -- one in May and one in July. It expects to admit about 350 students into the freshman class, and about 90% of them will receive some form of financial aid. All students receiving financial aid will be asked to take out a loan -- either a Kiva loan or a loan from AUCA. Kiva loans will be available to support up to half of the incoming freshmen class.