Islam Mashanlo from Bishkek High School # 61, Timur Dolgopolov from Kara-Balta High School #6 and Igor Sim from Bishkek High School # 24 outshone more than a hundred of their peers to win the “Brain Ring” competition. The “Brain Ring” is a tournament of wits for Kyrgyz high schools, where winning students are awarded AUCA scholarships. All the winners receive a prize of 100% of the tuition fee.

Over 2,000 high school students from more than sixty schools around Bishkek took part in the preliminary rounds of this intellectual competition. The students were tested on their knowledge of math, geography, history, logic and the English language. 110 students who scored the highest were invited to the final round.

AUCA administration, faculty members and representatives of the City Department of Education made up the panel of judges. The finalists were asked more than 500 questions. Regrettably, only the top three winners can receive a coveted “Brain Ring” AUCA scholarship (they must also meet other admissions requirements).

The “Brain Ring” Scholarship is part of AUCA’s generous financial aid policy which enables exceptionally talented students, especially those from financially disadvantaged families, to get an AUCA university education. The contest has been running annually since 2005.