By Justin Mays
Attaining a degree that is recognized around the world is the best thing that can happen to any student. Turkey has gained a great reputation as a terminus for students who are looking for high-quality education in the world. The country has approximately 48.000 international students in its universities. Turkey has over 190 universities with global standards, offering opportunities to students who want to complete undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate programs.
There are many reasons why thousands register to learn at universities in Turkey. Turkey is a top holiday destination for many holidaymakers around the world hence some students come to Turkey to enjoy the advantage of visiting beautiful historical sights and tourism resort areas in the country, which is the sixth most visited tourist destination in the world. Turkey is rich in culture and some students who want to experience multicultural life choose this destination to complete their education.
Turkey is part of the European Higher Education Area implementing a Bologna process which was signed in 1999. This means that all students can continue their education in other countries with (European Credit Transfer System) ECTS and they can get their diplomas recognized by other countries. Both public and private universities in Turkey follow the Bologna Agreement, which is used to standardize all degree programs across the European continent. To add to this, students who learn in Turkey have the advantage of benefiting from the Erasmus+ program (which a huge number of universities participate in) whereby students can participate in an international exchange program.
The tuition fee in Turkey is lower compared to that of most European countries nevertheless, the quality of education is high. The cost of living in Turkey is low and there are also scholarships that cover travel costs, insurance, and also accommodation for students. There are many programs that are taught in English such as International Relations and Business Studies, so there is no need to worry if one is not willing to take Turkish programs. Major towns have a number of people that speak English so communication is not a major problem.
The country has a number of universities that qualify in the global top-ranking list of high-quality universities and these include Yasar University, Istanbul Aydin University, Koc Univesity, Sabanci University, Bilkent University, Izmir University of Economics, Beykent University, and Okan University. Different universities have different requirements for international students to apply. One has a choice to apply for a state university or a private university. If a student chooses to enroll at a state university, he or she must pass the Foreign Student Examination (YOS). For students who prefer private universities, they should fill in an application, present their high school diploma, and passport.
The languages used to teach students at universities are English, German, French, and Turkish. There is a year referred to as prep year in which students learn the English language upon enrolling at a university. Studying in Turkey has the advantage of learning Turkish, which is the fifth most spoken language in the world, which makes this a benefit to students.
Most stores and tourist areas in the country provide discounts for students. Electronic device stores, museums, and the Metro bus have discounts for students in a secondary education institution. More so, Turkish Air Lines also offers discount rates to students who learn in Turkey. The Turkish transportation system has a good infrastructure and it is very commendable. Every student must have a transportation card that they use to travel during their period of study. One can obtain this card even when they are still in Primary school. To get a transportation card, one needs a student certificate, Photo, I.D, or passport. Lots of companies and establishments offer discounts to students who have a student email address; however, some students forgo this advantage because they think that the email address is for academic purposes only.
