The article contains an analysis of the main development trends of private universities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This was a new experience for the higher education system of Kazakhstan, the scientific analysis of which is important for identifying its strengths and weaknesses, its capabilities in the process of further development of the educational system. The evolution of private universities, their place and role in the process of formation of the educational system of independent Kazakhstan is traced. Their strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and prospects in relation to state universities are compared. The content of those problems that have become common for universities regardless of their form of ownership is revealed. In some elements of the analysis, the authors rely on the retrospective experience of the Kazakh-American Free University (East Kazakhstan, Ust-Kamenonorsk).