10 Reasons to study in Turkey

Turkey is one of the countries that has made a massive leap in the field of higher education, especially during the last decade. This advancement is reflected through the annual increase in the number of international students, with more than two hundred fifty-thousand international students from more than 80 countries around the world studying in Turkey.

Hence, if you just completed high school and are looking to pursue your undergraduate abroad, Turkey should be your first option on the list. The study opportunities in Turkey are not limited to the undergraduate programs; however, many postgraduate programs, scholarships for the secondary level, and admissions at diploma institutes are also available. In this article, we will discuss the ten main reasons that encourage you to study in Turkey and the advantages of studying in Turkey.

1. Turkey Location

Turkey has an exceptional location between Asia and Europe, especially Istanbul, which is divided into two parts, i.e., European and Asian. Due to its privileged location, Turkey can be easily reached from any MENA and Europe countries, from Iran and Pakistan in the east to Morocco and UK in the west, with a flight duration that does not three hours

Given Turkey's geographical proximity and historical affinities to the Arab world, as most of the Arab world countries were one state under the Ottoman Caliphate, you will not feel alienated much because of the tremendous cultural rapprochement between Turkey and the Arabs.

Read more about: How to begin studying in Turkey?

2. Quality of Education in Turkey

Turkey is also distinguished by its high quality of education due to its compliance with European education system standards. Turkey has 6 of the top 500 universities in the world, most notably Istanbul University. Turkish universities are also autonomous and not subject to the ministerial changes of the state, giving opportunities to develop, emerge and compete among them and uplifting the education and university level.

3. Recognitions and Accreditations of Turkish Universities

Most Turkish universities are recognized by Turkish authorities, such as the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and MÜDEK accreditation, for the quality of engineering programs. They also have international accreditations for different specializations limited to some universities, such as the accreditation of teaching medicine in the American system at Hacettepe University. Moreover, the institutes in many Turkish universities have international accreditations in teaching foreign languages, such as the British Pearson accreditation.

Many Turkish university certificates are also recognized in several countries such as the European Union and most Arab countries, increasing the opportunities to obtain a good job abroad.

4. Diversity of Programs and Specializations at Turkish Universities

Turkey is well-known for the availability of all programs and specializations sought by the students, such as:

• Medicine
• Engineering in all its branches
• Pharmacy
• Dentistry
• Business Management
• Economy
• Politics
• International Relations
• Transportation and Logistics
• Marketing
• Social Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Literature
• Arts

And many more bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs at different faculties. It also has many diploma institutes for a duration of two-year.

Moreover, many study programs may be only found in a few Turkish and Arab universities, such as:

• Genetic Engineering
• Artificial Intelligence
• Aeronautical Engineering
• Robot Engineering
• Neurosciences and research
• Biomedical Engineering

The diversity of programs comes with the enormous number of universities. Turkey has 81 provinces, and there is no province without at least one university. Most of these universities are good and ranked locally and internationally. This eliminates the thought of many about "studying in Turkey means Istanbul only."

5. Ease of Obtaining University Admission

Turkish universities provide flexible requirements and conditions for admission to various academic programs. For example, for admission to a bachelor's program, the student needs to submit:

• General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) translated into English or Turkish and certified by a Turkish notary. If you have not completed secondary school, the certificate of the last semester, translated and certified, can be submitted.
• A transcript of grades, translated and certified.
• A valid passport for at least six months
• English language proficiency certificate for the students who seek to study the specialization in English.

For admission to the master's program, the student needs to submit:

• A bachelor's certificate translated and certified by the concerned authorities.
• Transcripts or GPAs for all academic years, translated and certified
• Some universities require a GRE certificate
• English language proficiency certificate such as TOEFL or IELTS for the students who seek to study the specialization in English.

You can make the application through the university's website, correspondence, or through an authorized university agent, which is the most suitable option if you are finding difficulties while applying. We StudyFans are agents of many Turkish universities. We are with you throughout the way, from submitting documents and choosing the university until getting admission, coming to Turkey, and obtaining housing.

Know about: Application Requirements to Study in Turkey

6. Ease of Legal Procedures for Residency

Turkey is one of the easiest countries to obtain a student visa and residential permission. This process may take a month, and these documents can be issued while starting your study. However, suppose you are a holder of nationality that does not require a visa to enter Turkey. In that case, you can come directly and apply for residential permission after obtaining university admission.

There is also an additional privilege that cannot be found in many study destinations such as the European Union and the United States. This privilege includes the possibility for your parents to accompany you by applying for a tourist visa for them. This may facilitate them granting a tourist visa for six months, which may get extended for two years if you want them to stay with you.

7. English Medium of Instruction in Turkey

Many Turkish universities provide opportunities to study various specializations in English, such as:

• Medipol University
• Bahçeşehir University
• Gelişim University
• Bilkent University
• Altinbaş University
• Haliç University
• Biruni University
• Istanbul Aydın University
• Nişantaşı University

Many universities also provide a language preparatory year for studying English or Turkish. Some universities also ask for language tests in the case of not submitting a language proficiency certificate. If the student passes this test, then he will be exempted from attending the preparatory year.

8. Lower Tuition Fees and Living Expenses

The study at Turkish universities is cheaper than at most European, American, and several Arab universities. Many study programs start at $2000. The following universities are among the most affordable private universities in Turkey:

• Esenyurt University
• Medipol University
• Koç University
• Atilim University
• Üsküdar University
• Istanbul Aydın University

The cost of living is comparatively low compared to many European and Arab countries. Moreover, it is easy to obtain suitable housing with all services at an affordable price. The food prices are also reasonable for everyone as Turkey is an industrial and self-dependent country in most of its needs.

Learn more about: Your comprehensive guide to the cheapest universities in Turkey 2023

9. Student Exchange Programs

Most public and private Turkish universities provide exchange programs for outstanding students to gain more knowledge and practical experience. The most prominent programs are:

• The European Erasmus program allows students to study at one of the European Union universities for one or more semesters.
• Mevlana Student Exchange Program
• Al-Farabi Student Exchange Program

All exchange programs provide a full scholarship for the students during their study, which covers housing, food, and a monthly stipend that varies from city to city.

10. Availability of many Scholarships

Turkey is one of the countries providing full scholarships, the most prominent of which are:

• Annual Turkish Scholarship, which opens annually in January, allows students from all over the world to apply for undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and institute programs in all specializations. One of the advantages of the Turkish scholarship is covering all the student's expenses, such as flight tickets, study expenses, books, housing, and food, and providing a monthly stipend that varies according to the study stage.
• Turkish Scholarship for Schools: It is intended for the students in the last year of middle school to pursue their studies at the secondary level in Turkey. This scholarship covers all student expenses. Obtaining this scholarship increases the student's chances of being accepted into the Turkish university scholarship.
• Turkish scholarship in cooperation with the Islamic Bank: It has most of the conditions of the Turkish scholarship, excluding the housing, which should be at the student's expense. However, an increase in the monthly stipend will be in return.