Study In Turkey

In recent years, Turkey has become a centre of attraction for economic and political aspects. Elements that bring out this situation are briefly as follows:

• Turkey's economy is second only to China among the world's fastest-growing economies.
• Turkey ranking among the G-20 countries draws a surging graph in the world politics as well as the economy.
• With a growing popularity, Turkey has impressive economic and political openings for the new emerging markets.
• From the countries in the region, there is a strong interest in the culture and lifestyle of Turkey.

For any international student, Turkey has a lot to offer: high quality education and a very multicultural population, lively cities and beautiful landscapes, artistic, cultural and sportive events. Living and studying in Turkey will definitely inspire you and change your perspectives permanently.

Study programs in Turkey will overwhelm international students with a plenty of schools, programs and locations. At the same time you will have the opportunity to experience both modernity and tradition in one of the safest and most stable countries in the region.

There are now around 170 colleges and universities across the country, with more than 30,000 international students. Language studies are very popular among international students. However, studying languages is not the only thing bringing students to Turkey: there is a variety of English-language programs offered in a number of other subjects. Some Turkish universities use English as the medium of teaching while others offer at least the opportunity to learn English. Above all, the high quality of education will prepare you for a future anywhere in the world.

The Turkish education system offers international students a rich field of choices. You will find a number of options to fit just about any need from specialized degrees to unique programs geared toward international students. Multicultural affairs studies are popular as well as programs in International Relations, Eastern Mediterranean Studies, Business Management, Engineering, Travel, Tourism and Hospitality.

Turkish education system is under the supervision and control of the state, namely the Ministry of National Education. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, everyone has the right to receive education. Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 14 and free in state schools. The country's primary schools currently have a 98 percent participation rate.

The academic year in Turkish education institutions generally begins in the mid-September or early October and continues to May or early June. There is also a two-week winter break in February.

The university system in Turkey is governed by the Higher Educational Council (YOK). Turkey has 104 state and 62 private universities (a total of 166 institutions of higher learning), 5 of which are located in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Apart from the public and private universities, 8 foundation higher vocational schools serve the job market.

Generally, undergraduate education takes 4 years at universities, but some fields such as medicine (6 years), dentistry (5 years), and veterinary science (5 years) take longer. Turkish high school graduates go directly into fields of study such as medicine, law, dentistry and so on. No tuition fee is charged at public schools (devlet universitesi); students pay only a small basic fee. Students need to pass a nationwide University Entrance Exam (OSS) to enter a university. The graduates of 4-year programs are awarded with the Bachelor’s Degree (Lisans Diplomasi).

The medium of instruction at some state universities is English, German or French. Therefore, all correspondence with the university staff and applications to the faculties can be done in English, German or French. However, instruction language at state universities is mostly Turkish. When entering the exam of the university, the knowledge of Turkish is not necessary. Those who pass the exams, and have only a little knowledge of Turkish, are considered to take one year of language foundation to gain proficiency in the Turkish language.

Graduate-level programs consist of master and doctoral programs, coordinated by institutes in universities. Medical specialty programs are carried out within the faculties of medicine and the training hospitals owned by the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Institute (SGK).

Studying in Turkey offers a great opportunity for a high quality education, but there is so much more on offer. Turkey's cities have many historical and cultural sites to visit, music concerts of popular and traditional music and an abundance of exhibitions and festivals for those who feel like exploring Turkish culture to the fullest.

As an international student you may consider joining one or more of the many social clubs and student associations to enrich your social life. In this beautiful country you can enjoy four distinct seasons, all of which provide their own outdoor sporting possibilities, ranging from swimming (scuba diving and snorkeling), white water rafting, and sailing to skiing. Football, basketball, volleyball and of course cycling and jogging, as well as yoga and Thai-chi, are all part of the vast array of sports and recreational activities you can enjoy.