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Speech therapist

A speech therapist helps children and adults speak clearly: they teach how to pronounce sounds, develop speech and help with difficulties in reading and writing. In Kazakhstan this work belongs to special education, also called defectology, which supports people with speech, hearing, vision or developmental needs. If you are patient, love children and can celebrate someone else's small wins, take a closer look at this career.

Speech therapist

Special education has several directions. Speech therapists work with speech, teachers of the deaf with children who have hearing loss, teachers of the visually impaired with children who have vision loss, and other specialists support children with intellectual disabilities. The work is built on regular sessions, games and exercises, and results often take time. But a specialist like this can truly change the life of a child and their family.

What the job involves

  • Assesses a child's speech and development
  • Runs individual and group sessions
  • Designs a session plan for each child
  • Advises parents and shows them how to practise at home
  • Works together with teachers, psychologists and doctors

Skills you need

  • Patience

    Progress can be slow, and one exercise is sometimes repeated dozens of times.

  • Observation

    You need to notice small changes in a child's speech and behaviour.

  • Biology knowledge

    It is important to understand how the brain and the organs of hearing, vision and speech work.

  • Creativity

    Turn a boring exercise into a game and a child will try harder.

  • Talking with parents

    Families need support and clear advice.

Who it suits

Personality types

Strong intelligences

  • Interpersonal
  • Linguistic
  • Intrapersonal

UNT subjects to take

State grants 2026

Main competition, full-time study. Quotas and separate state orders can have lower scores. Check your chances

Where to study

To become a speech therapist or another special education specialist you need a 4-year bachelor's degree in Special Education (group B020). The UNT profile pair is biology and geography. It is a teacher-training field, so the minimum score is higher: 75 points in 2026. Specialists are trained, for example, at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (which runs a Special Education: Speech Therapy programme), Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University and Uzbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University.

Students learn anatomy and physiology, psychology, speech therapy and methods of corrective teaching, with practice in kindergartens and schools. You can try it while still at school: volunteer at an inclusive centre or help younger children learn to read. This will show you whether calm, careful work with a child suits you.

Outlook

In Kazakhstan, speech therapists and other special education specialists work at kindergartens, mainstream and special schools, psychological, medical and pedagogical consultations (PMPK), correction rooms, rehabilitation centres and private speech therapy practices. Children with special needs also study in mainstream schools and kindergartens, so specialists work there too.

Frequently asked questions

Which UNT subjects do I need to become a speech therapist?

For group B020 Special Education the profile pair is biology and geography. It is a teacher-training field, so the minimum score is higher than usual: 75 points in 2026. You also take the compulsory subjects, including the history of Kazakhstan.

What is the difference between a speech therapist and a defectologist?

Defectologist is the general name used in Kazakhstan for a special education specialist. A speech therapist is one of its specialisations and works specifically with speech. Teachers of the deaf and of the visually impaired are other specialisations.

Do I need a medical degree to become a speech therapist?

No. In Kazakhstan a speech therapist is a teacher who studies Special Education at a pedagogical university. The course includes many medical topics, such as the anatomy of speech and hearing, and at work speech therapists often cooperate with doctors.

Is this career right for you?

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