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29 Dec. 2022

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Study in Turkey: preparation programs, entrance exams, advantages and disadvantages, Turkey scholarship

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Turkey

Study in Turkey is gaining popularity among international students. The country's universities are among the top best educational institutions in the world. Among them are Ankara university and other cities. Find out more about the preparatory programs, entrance exams and the Turkey scholarship

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More and more international students choose Turkey to study. The country's universities are included in the list of the best educational institutions in the world, there are 104 state and 62 private universities.

Turkey has been a member of the Bologna Process since 2001, allowing students to continue their education in other EU countries using the ECTS credit system. Also, the Turkish diploma is recognized by European employers.

The Turkish authorities are actively working on programs to attract foreign applicants. Recently, the country canceled 50% of the quota for foreign students. The government aims to increase the number of international students to 200,000 in 2023, and to become the center of international education in the East in the future. Due to the good geographical position of Turkey, you can meet students from Europe, Asia and other regions of the world in its universities.

Learn more about the student exchange program, a great and popular way to gain new experience, by following the link.

Read more about obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment here.

Education system in Turkish universities

The education system of the country is built on the principles of the Bologna process. Universities prepare applicants according to educational levels:

• bachelor's degree - 4 years;

• master's degree - 2 years;

• doctoral studies - 3-5 years.

After graduating from school, the applicant can enter a university for a bachelor's degree. You can continue your studies in master's and doctoral studies. Also, on the basis of secondary education, applicants are admitted to higher technical schools, where after 2 years of study, graduates obtain an associate's degree.

Documents for admission to Turkish higher education institutions are accepted from April to July. The academic year in the country begins in mid-September or early October, consists of two semesters, and ends in late May or early June. In winter, there is a two-week winter vacation.

Entrance exams and language certificates

Universities publish basic information about the admissions campaign on their official websites. You can apply for admission online.

As a rule, the more points in your high school diploma, the higher your chances of entering a university in Turkey. In addition, it is necessary to pass an exam. Most Turkish higher education institutions accept international exams SAT, GRE and GMAT, which applicants take in English. However, some institutions require to take their own analogues of international tests - YÖS (Turkish entrance exam for foreign students) for undergraduate and ALES for master's or doctoral studies.

The issue of language skills is also important. English-language programs have been developed in Turkey, but most of the educational process is still conducted in Turkish. To study in English, you need a TOEFL certificate, in Turkish - TÖMER. In both cases, level B2 is required. A student will also need knowledge of the Turkish language to live in the country.

Preparatory programs

Preparatory programs are divided into two types: language and profile.

If the applicant does not know the Turkish language, he can start learning it in the preparatory course. The first year of study will be entirely devoted to language learning, after which the applicant will be able to take the YÖS or SAT entrance exams for the bachelor's degree. Many universities also offer English language courses.

Profile courses will be useful for those who plan to enter a master's degree or who wish to improve their knowledge in a certain field.

Visa for students in Turkey

Most international students must obtain a student visa before traveling to Turkey. To do this, contact the Turkish embassy or consulate in the country of your stay. The visa is issued approximately 8 weeks after the application is submitted based on the university admission document.

Turkiye Burslari Scholarship

Foreign students in Turkey can apply for the Turkiye Burslari scholarship, which covers tuition, accommodation, language courses and even flights. However, the competition is very high, up to 100 people per place.

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Turkey

As in many other countries of the world, studying in Turkey has its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages include:

• Studying in Turkey is quite inexpensive. A year of study at a state university costs from $300-400. A month of accommodation for a student will cost $500.

• Turkish universities actively participate in the Erasmus+ international exchange program. A student can study for 1 semester on exchange in any European country. There are also local exchange programs in Turkey: Mevlana or Farabi.

• Mild climate and rich history and culture of the country will be an additional bonus to study.

Disadvantages include the language barrier. Turks do not speak English well, and most of the courses in Turkey are taught in the official language.

There is also very strong censorship in the country, for example, the Turkish government constantly blocks such sites as Twitter, YouTube and Wikipedia.

Vocational education in Turkey

An associate's degree can be obtained at a higher vocational school (Meslek Yüksek Okulları). The educational program in institutions is designed in such a way that more attention is paid to practical work. Higher professional schools cooperate with leading enterprises and companies of the country, that is, students have the opportunity to combine practice with study.

In professional schools, you can get an education in the following areas: trade, logistics, computer technology, accounting, tourism, etc.

After completing the studies, the graduate can enter the 3rd year of the bachelor's degree or immediately go to work. To continue their education, associates must pass the DGS (Dikey Gecis Sinavi) national exam.

Magistracy

The duration of studies in the master's degree is 2 years. Admission is based on a bachelor's degree and exams. Most often, studies begin in October. The strongest master's programs in Turkey are developed in the fields of IT, medicine, natural sciences and biotechnology. Certain programs are fully or partially taught in English.

Doctoral studies

You can enter doctoral studies on the basis of a master's degree, then the study will last 2-4 years, or a bachelor's degree and study for up to 7 years.

During the writing of a doctoral thesis, a graduate student is supervised by several teachers at once. In order to obtain the academic title, it is necessary to defend the dissertation before the dissertation council, which includes academic supervisors, teachers and experts from various universities. The main criterion for admission to the dissertation defense is the absence of plagiarism.

Work while studying

According to the laws of Turkey, foreign students who are studying for a bachelor's degree in public and private universities of the country do not have the right to be officially employed. However, universities provide students with the opportunity to work in departments, libraries and engage in scientific activities. Foreigners studying at master's and doctoral programs have the right to obtain a work permit.

Many universities in Turkey also have internship centers. For example, Bosphorus University has a Career Center where any student or graduate can turn to for professional advice. Most internships are paid and after their completion you can get a job in a Turkish company.

Employment prospects after graduation

Most graduates of Turkish universities have the right to obtain a work permit in the state after completing their studies, but only for one year. Work permits (Calisma Izni) are issued by the Ministry of Labour. The application must be sent by the company that employs the employee.

Importantly! Undergraduate graduates who studied under the Turkiye Burslari state scholarship are not eligible for a work permit. This prohibition applies even after graduation from university and in the presence of a short-term residence permit.

It is worth noting that it is very difficult to find a job in Turkey without knowledge of the Turkish language. Also, according to the laws of the country, the employer must have five employees who are citizens of Turkey for one foreign employee.

We will remind you that earlier we wrote about how to issue a visa for traveling to Turkey.

Find out here about business studies abroad: the best countries, universities and top study programs in the world

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