Türkiye is one of those destinations. In 2018, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced an intention to see his country expand its foreign student numbers from about 125,000 to 350,000. At that time, international enrolments were capped at 50% of all enrolments, .

The number of international students in Türkiye has grown by six times over the past decade to reach nearly 340,000 as of 2025. The country’s foreign enrolment now generates an estimated US$3 billion per year in direct student spending on tuition fees and living expenses.

The Turkish government, meanwhile, has set its sights higher and now aims to attract 500,000 international students by 2028.

Increasing expertise and programmes in AI and computing

According to Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index, Türkiye places in the top 10 in Europe for AI master’s graduates (6th) and AI PhD graduates (5th). It has the fastest rate of growth in Europe in terms of AI PhD candidates. And it is graduating more AI students at the associate level than any other country except for the US and Spain. Notably, , with women accounting for at least half of all graduates at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD levels. Overall, Türkiye offers 20 AI programmes over 80 higher education institutions.

In computer science, it is even stronger, holding down 3rd place in Europe and offering more than 200 computer science programmes across its universities according to the Turkish Higher Education Council. Many of those programmes are offered in English.

Top sending markets include African countries

The top 10 sending markets for Türkiye based on official government data for 2024/25 are:

• Syria
• Azerbaijan
• Turkmenistan
• Iran
• Iraq
• Kazakhstan
• Egypt
• Afghanistan
• Somalia
• Pakistan

Asian countries account for about three-quarters of international students in Türkiye, and African students make up most of the rest of the foreign student body. Over 60,000 African students studied in Türkiye in 2023, up from about 40,000 in 2019, and many of them are on scholarships. Along with also sends many students to Türkiye.

Affordability and quality

The is equivalent to US$500–US$1,500 per year, depending on university and major. These very low tuition fees do not equate with sub-par quality, either. Twenty-six Turkish universities made it into the QS World University regional rankings (Asia) for 2026, with three in the top 500.

Outbound trends

As of 2023, there were including about 35,000 abroad for higher education studies (up 40% from 2019). , with over 18,000 Turkish students in 2024. This makes Türkiye the third largest sending market for Germany after only India and China.

For additional background, please see:

• “The four key trends that will shape international student mobility for the next decade“
• “ºÚÁϹÙÍø Podcast: Redrawing the map of global student flows from the ‘Big Four’ to the ‘Big Fourteen’“
• “Survey finds interest in study abroad remains high in Türkiye despite economic headwinds“
• “Market snapshot: The international student market in Türkiye“

The post Türkiye: After a decade of dramatic growth, a goal to host 500,000 international students by 2028 appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Students see study abroad as helpful for a good career, but financial issues are a barrier

The main motivation for those considering study abroad is paving the way to a good career (67%), followed by personal improvement (64%), and meeting people from different cultures (58%).

For those who aren’t considering study abroad, the main reason is a “budget problem.� Türkiye’s economy has been in turmoil for some time now and this has dampened outbound student flows from the country. The Turkish Statistical Institute announced that the annual inflation rate reached 67% in February, higher than what had been forecast.

Language proficiency is a worry

The biggest concern in general among students is around language proficiency issues; English proficiency is quite low in Türkiye – the EF Index rates Turkey the 33rd lowest of 34 European countries.

Many students are looking at months rather than weeks abroad

Of students looking at language education abroad, the largest proportion (28%) is interested in studying for 48 weeks or more, followed by 24–48 weeks (21%), 12–24 weeks (15%), and 6–12 weeks (21%). Less than 15% are interested in a shorter time away for language study.

Quality of education trumps all, but work opportunities are high on the list of priorities

The priorities for study abroad are quality of education (77%) and post-study work opportunities (62%). Students find the most important factors influencing their decision to be affordability (73%) and the ability to work while studying (65% “very effective�). Also influential is location (51.5% “very effective�) and the ease of getting a visa (46%).

Students see themselves as key researchers and decisionmakers

When deciding which country to study in and which institution(s) to apply to, students are most likely to use overseas education companies (35%), followed by social media (31%) and fairs centred on study abroad. They are also most likely to rely on an overseas education company/consultancy when navigating the process of getting ready to study abroad. But Turkish students are also very likely to trust their own research – and 88% said they are the key individuals deciding where and what they will study abroad, versus less than 10% who said their parents are the ultimate decision-makers.

Most students apply within 15 months of beginning their research: 15% applied within 5 months, 17% applied between 6–10 months, and 19% applied between 11-15 months.

Many aspire to study in the UK

The most preferred destinations are currently the UK (62%), Germany (54%), US (51%), Canada (44.5%), and Italy (41%). That the UK was selected more often than the other destinations is interesting given that it is less affordable than many destinations and enrols fewer Turkish students than Germany or the US.

For more information on the context within which Turkish students are making study abroad decisions, please see our recent market snapshot on Türkiye.

For additional background, please see:

• Get first-hand market insights and connect with agents from Türkiye and throughout the region at

The post Survey finds interest in study abroad remains high in Türkiye despite economic headwinds appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Capital: Ankara

Population: 86 million (2024) – the world’s 18th largest

GDP: US$905.84 billion

Currency: Turkish lira (TRY)

Language: Turkish

Main language of instruction: Turkish, but some universities instruct in English, French and German and provide a preparatory year for students who need it.

Religion: 99% Muslim

Median age: 33

Geography: Türkiye borders the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, as well as the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Largest cities: Istanbul (14.8 million residents), Ankara (3.5 million) Izmir (2.5 million)

Outbound students: 52,170 (UNESCO)

Türkiye has long been on the radar of school and university recruiters, and for good reason. Strong demand among Turkish students for study abroad is fuelled by capacity issues in their higher education system. In 2022, for example, of 3 million high school graduates who took a university placement exam, only 1 in 3 (29%) gained entrance to a four-year university or two-year vocational programme.

A further indication of Türkiye’s potential are the significant, recent educational improvements in the country. Türkiye has always had lower secondary and tertiary attainment than the OECD average but has made very impressive gains. The points out that:

“Between 2008 and 2018, Türkiye experienced the second-largest increase in attainment of at least upper secondary education among OECD countries. Furthermore, growth in tertiary attainment has been particularly substantial, more than doubling to 33% over the same period, the largest increase in the OECD.�

Still, many Turkish families remain unsatisfied with the quality of secondary education and there is strong demand for K-12 options abroad. notes that, “Through marketing efforts, Turkish student representation at U.S. boarding schools has increased in recent years … in 2019, over 400 Turkish students pursued their studies at U.S. boarding schools, making the U.S. the second most popular destination for boarding schools after the U.K.�

When recruiting in Türkiye, it’s important to know that English proficiency is quite low – the EF Index rates Turkey the 33rd lowest of 34 European countries. For this reason, pathway and foundation programmes could be crucial for easing students into studies abroad, and English-language training providers also have strong opportunities in the market.

About the name change

In 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked for his country’s name to be changed from Turkey to Türkiye, saying that “The word ‘Turkiye’ represents and expresses the culture, civilisation, and values of the Turkish nation in the best way.â€� His government, and the Turkish people, had long been aware that in English, the word “turkeyâ€� describes a large bird traditionally eaten on religious holidays and the president’s request also stemmed from the issues with that translation. The UN promptly accepted the request.

State of the economy

Türkiye enjoyed a strong post-COVID recovery but devastating earthquakes in February 2023 affected people in many regions and buildings. reports that:

“Direct losses are estimated at $34.2 billion, but the reconstruction needs could be double. The earthquakes added pressures to an increasingly fragile macro-financial situation. Pre-election spending and reconstruction efforts are expected to support growth, which is forecast at 3.2% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024.�

Soon after the earthquakes, President Erdogan launched a contentious economic experiment in an effort to counter high inflation and distribute income more across income classes. For example, his government:

• Raised interest rates from 8.5% in May 2023 to 42.5% in December 2023;
• Raised the minimum wage by 49%;
• Increased pensions by 38%;
• Increased civil servants’ salaries by 49%.

So far, the experiment has not delivered the results President Erdogan hoped for. The lira secured the unenviable position of second-worst performing currency in the world last year (after the Argentine peso), depreciating by over 50% against the US dollar. Many Turks live below the poverty line and are struggling to pay for food and everyday costs of living.

The lira’s depreciation is important for foreign educators to keep in mind. It is already affecting outbound travel trends, not least because in August 2023, to encourage financial stability, Türkiye’s banking watchdog BDDK prohibited credit card payments by instalment for travel abroad, including fees as flights, travel agencies, and hotels/rent. Tour operator Cem Polatoglu told : “Almost all of my clients were paying by instalments. The number of people who can pay this amount [of an average trip for two costing US$1,850] in one go is very few.�

In a separate 2023 interview, Istanbul barber Hakim Ekinci explained that he could no longer support President Erdogan’s party, saying:

“I want the dollar exchange rate to decline (after the elections). I want the price of petrol to fall. I want inflation to fall. I want to go back to my life of five or six years ago. I want to be able to go on a picnic, travel abroad.�

Because of the financial turmoil, many Turkish students will be looking at affordable study abroad options and may have to have a scholarship offer to accept a place in a foreign university. The cites an unnamed survey that found that “95 percent of [Turkish] students when choosing a university is to be able to work while studying and the variety of scholarship opportunities.� Canada is an increasingly popular destination, the survey found, largely because of its in-study and post-study work opportunities.

Türkiye is a major exporter of agricultural products, textiles, cars and transportation equipment, iron and steel, construction materials, electronics, and home appliances. Its top trading partners are Germany, China, and Russia.

Outbound flows

UNESCO data show that Germany is the top destination for Turkish students (about 12,000) and that Türkiye is the fastest growing source of students for German institutions. Türkiye has in recent years vied with Russia for the #5 spot in Germany’s most important markets – but based on current growth trends depicted in the table below, it may now have surpassed Russia.

The US is the next largest enroller of Turkish students (just over 8,000). Türkiye is in the top 20 source markets for US institutions and is the third largest European market for them after the UK and Germany.

About half of Turkish students in the UK are studying at the graduate level.

About 4,000 Turkish students are enrolled in UK universities, Italy, France, and Canada each enrol about 2,500.

Secondary school

Turkish students attend secondary school for four years (Grades 9, 10, 11, 12) and their school year is from mid-September to mid-June. The Ministry of National Education (MEB) overseas the education system.

Private schools follow the same curriculum as public schools and the language of instruction is Turkish as well.

Most international schools are in Ankara and Istanbul. A list of top schools can be found .

Higher education system

There are 129 public and 75 private (foundation) universities in Türkiye enrolling more than 8 million students, mostly at the undergraduate and vocational level. Just over 350,000 are enrolled in graduate programmes and another 110,000 are in doctorate programmes. Students pay a small fee (between 100 and 4,000 euro per year) to attend public university; private university tuition is higher, ranging from 12,000 to more than 20,000 euro a year. A significant proportion of private university students can attend their institution thanks to having received a merit-based scholarship.

In Türkiye, bachelor’s programmes are 4 years and masters are 2 years.

There are about 50 universities in Istanbul enrolling roughly 350,000 students, and 20 in Ankara enrolling more than 200,000. Izmir is also an important university city, with 9 universities and more than 100,000 post-secondary students.

Times Higher Education profiles top universities in Türkiye and produced this accompanying chart.

Market opportunities

Though Türkiye’s population is aging quite rapidly, nearly half of the population is currently under the age of 30; a quarter are aged 15-29. This youth demographic represents a large recruiting pool for foreign educators given that Türkiye’s population is the 18th largest in the world.

Turkish students learn whether they have secured a spot in a domestic university in mid-July when they get the results of their entrance exams. This means that June, July, and August are especially good times for foreign educators to increase their outreach and campaigns as many parents will be preparing for the possibility that their children will fail to get a place in a university in Türkiye.

In 2022, Canan SeveroÄŸlu, the founder of education agency Geo Global Education Organization spoke at ºÚÁϹÙÍø Virtual Eurasia and explained that despite their economy’s precarious state and the impact this has on household finances, Turkish students remain very interested in study abroad :

“More and more families are so price sensitive right now. Agencies in Türkiye are experiencing a lot of workload after the pandemic due to the accumulation of students who want to study abroad. When new graduates who prefer to study abroad, as opposed to joining the workforce in Türkiye, are added to this accumulation, I would say that agencies have also returned to their pre-pandemic intensity [of demand].�

According to the US Trade Department, and based on data from the , the following are the most popular fields of study for prospective Turkish students:

• Engineering, computer science, and other technical fields
• Business administration and economics (especially MBA programs in finance, marketing, and international business)
• English as a second language
• Short-term certificate programs and/or summer programs
• Social sciences, humanities, and arts (mainly psychology, political sciences, architecture, and law)
• Mass communications (radio-TV, film & video production)
• Medicine and other medical fields (for the most part, advanced level residencies)

For additional background, please see:

• Get first-hand market insights and connect with agents from Türkiye and throughout the region at , Instanbul, 25–27 March 2024
• “Report calls for a more diverse foreign student enrolment in the UKâ€�
• “Turkish demand for study abroad remains strong despite economic crisis“

The post Market snapshot: The international student market in Türkiye appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

And now a further crisis, the war in Ukraine, will place a further drag on the economy this year. The war has further fuelled inflationary pressures in Turkey, driven in part by rapid increases in prices for energy and other commodities for which Turkey is a heavy importer. But the closure of Turkish ports and effective suspension of air traffic also means that Turkish exports are unable to reach markets abroad as well.

With all of that going on, you could be forgiven for thinking that the study abroad market in Turkey must be cooling as well. But a feature panel presentation given at ºÚÁϹÙÍø Virtual Eurasia earlier this month clearly makes the point that demand for study abroad is surging among Turkish students and families.

“More and more families are so price sensitive right now,” acknowledged Canan SeveroÄŸlu, the founder of education agency . But she explained as well that agencies are nevertheless working hard to keep pace with demand. “Agencies in Turkey are experiencing a lot of workload after the pandemic due to the accumulation of students who want to study abroad. When new graduates who prefer to study abroad, as opposed to joining the workforce in Turkey, are added to this accumulation, I would say that agencies have also returned to their pre-pandemic intensity [of demand].”

Also speaking on the panel, Eren Göker, the founder of and President of UED (The Association of International Educational Counselors Turkey) concurred. He added that, in spite of the current financial crisis, “the demand for study abroad is quite strong due to the high numbers of young people graduating from universities and the limited opportunities for employment [in Turkey].”

This is the story of the contemporary study abroad market in Turkey, where there continues to be a huge gap between the number of university spaces available within the country and the great number of secondary school graduates hoping to pursue higher education. As we reported before the pandemic, “Nearly two million Turkish students qualified for university admission in 2018, but only about one in four (just over 471,000) found a place with a university in Turkey.”

Destination trends and marketing tips

Mr Göker and Ms Severoğlu further agreed that cost and visa availability (that is, access to visa services and timeliness of processing) are major factors in destination choice this year. They noted as well that students and parents are also looking very carefully at insurance policies as well as refund and consumer protection provisions in the event of programme disruptions.

Mr Göker noted that, reflecting the underlying financial pressures at home, agencies are seeing more interest in work and study programmes this year, including co-op programmes, as well as more inquiries for higher education programmes in relatively affordable study destinations in Europe.

Both panelists noted a growing demand for study in Canada, and the latest immigration data from Canada reveals that the number of study permits issues to Turkish students rose by nearly 36% in 2021.

This pattern is borne out as well in some recent demand-side data released by . The following chart reflects the destinations most in demand among students seeking undergraduate programmes. We see the United States and United Kingdom – both traditional leaders among destinations for Turkish students – in the top positions in the chart. But we also see that Canada has earned a greater share of student interest over the period in question (September 2019 to September 2021).

C. Ece Yılmaz, IDP’s office manager for Turkey, says that Turkish students particularly appreciate programs that show how they are supported in a host country and that institutions and schools should emphasise those supports in their recruitment marketing in Turkey. “Buddy mentor programmes, career development workshops, mental health and wellbeing support, and academic and language support are all highly appreciated.â€� She adds that, “Students want to feel protected by their university, particularly when they have problems while studying abroad. As is the case in most Mediterranean countries, Turkish students love being part of the community and groups. Turkish students love the family-focused approach rather than individual life. Institutions should share content about available financial support, internship and work opportunities, and services that can help students obtain a visa and find accommodation. Most Turkish students study abroad to remain permanent residents – this is one of their main motivations, so the promotion of work opportunities is particularly effective.â€�

For additional background, please see:

• “Joblessness high among university graduates in Turkey“
• “Checking in on Turkish outbound“

The post Turkish demand for study abroad remains strong despite economic crisis appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Going forward, universities will be free to expand international numbers beyond that 50% limit, with the exception of medical and dentistry programmes where the enrolment cap will remain in place. As a related report in the notes, however, caps may yet be eased in medical and dental programmes in some cases where, “Universities with enough facilities to house a large number of students and meet criteria for education standards will be allowed to admit any number of students into these branches, providing a separate class for them.�

Also speaking to the Daily Sabah, Yekta Saraç, the president of the Council of Higher Education (), explains that the ³ÛÖ°­ has set up a dedicated unit for international relations and has drafted a strategic plan for international education. “I think we are conducting a successful process,” said Mr Saraç. “The recognition of our universities, especially in neighboring countries, increased and we get good results from our initiatives to make Turkey more known for its universities in Africa and the Balkans.â€�

Goals and statistics

In May 2018, President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan announced that Turkey would eventually expand its foreign student numbers to 350,000. For its part, ³ÛÖ°­, the peak body for Turkish universities, has set a target to reach 200,000 students by 2022.

The country’s foreign enrolment is certainly trending in the right direction. In 2017/18, Turkey reported just over 125,000 foreign students and a five-fold increase from the 25,000 enrolled as of 2012.

Most of Turkey’s visiting students come from neighbouring countries, including Syria, Azerbaijan, Iraq, and Iran. But others are drawn from further afield as well, including from Africa and China.

Detailed statistics have not yet been released, but recent statements from Turkish officials point to a further significant increase in international numbers in 2018/19. As Mr Saraç said earlier this month, “Today, we have 148,000 foreigners studying in Turkey, compared to about 40,000 four years ago.�

His statement was echoed by Abdullah Eren, the president of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). The YTB administers the national Türkiye Scholarships programme for visiting students and, speaking at the 12th International Students Meeting in Istanbul earlier this month, Mr Eren said, “Education of 150,000 international students from 203 countries are still continuing in Turkey. We, as the institution responsible for awarding scholarships, regard all Turkey’s international students, whether they are on the scholarship of YTB or not, as our own students.â€�

Mr Eren added that 17,000 of the 150,000 current international students in Turkey are recipients of YTB scholarships, and noted that, “We aim to increase the number of our international students on scholarship over 20,000 in 2023, on the 100th year of the foundation of our country. We want to raise the number of international students in Turkey over 200,000.”

Moving to target

While Turkey has not published its international strategy as yet, some of its components are visible in new exchange programmes, updated regulations, new initiatives to attract foreign faculty, and the continuing expansion of the YTB scholarship programme.

First launched in 1992, the scholarship programme has been administered by YTB since 2012 under the new brand.

In 2018, YTB reported that it had received 122,000 applications for 5,000 available scholarship awards in the 2016/17 academic year. The scholarship terms are generous and provide successful applicants with a year of Turkish language studies, after which they are admitted to university to pursue their preferred field of study. The scholarship award includes “accommodation, food and a monthly pocket allowance as well as insurance plus their flights to Turkey and back home.�

Along with its very strong scholarship offer, Turkey has also seen a rapid expansion in the number of universities in the country and in total higher education enrolment. From only a dozen universities as of 1980, the post-secondary system had expanded to 112 state and 74 foundation universities and vocational schools as of last year. Similarly, total enrolment more than doubled from 3.5 million students in 2008 to 7.5 million in 2018.

Accompanying this overall boom in higher education, Turkey has also seen notable growth in the number of English-taught degree programmes available within its universities. As we reported last year, the foundation universities have played an important part in the growth of English-medium degrees, particularly at the undergraduate level.

Following on from the patterns we can observe in other emerging study destinations, the growing availability of English-taught programmes along with an expanding scholarship programme and other strategic policy and exchange initiatives may well be a winning formula for Turkey as it continues to establish itself as an important regional study destination.

For additional background, please see:

• “From the field: The rapid expansion of English-taught programmes in Turkeyâ€�
• “Fifty-fold increase in English-taught bachelor’s degrees in Europeâ€�
• “Survey shows study abroad decision process is changing, with more factors at playâ€�

The post Turkey removes international student quotas and signals recruitment strategy appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Nearly three in ten

Following a year of political instability and currency devaluation in 2018, Turkey officially entered a recession in the first few months of 2019. Nearly 4.7 million Turks are unemployed, an increase of more than 1.2 million over the previous year, and the unemployment rate is now at nearly 15%.

The proportion of jobless is higher still among youth, with 27% of those aged 15–24 now unemployed, up 6.8% over the previous year.

Of the 4.7 million unemployed, nearly 1 in 4 have university degrees.

Universities lack capacity

In 2018, only about 1 in 4 (just over 471,000) young Turks qualified to enter higher education found a place in one of the country’s universities. Roughly 80% of those who did gain admission were enrolled in public institutions, where educational resources such as labs and libraries are often in short supply. Many university students in Turkey (three million out of the seven million currently enrolled) are studying via TV or distance courses.

The balance of Turks in higher education in 2018 enrolled in private universities, where tuitions can range between US$9,000 and US$20,000 (albeit with some scholarship support available as well).

The quality of education that young Turks are receiving – where education outcomes are difficult to measure because of the inconsistency of qualifications and teaching methods, and where higher education is apparently not geared to real labour market demands – is resulting in an unemployment crisis for graduates.

“The inability of our educated youth to find employment is a very unfortunate reality,� said Mehmet Bayraktar, chairman of the independent union Sağlık-Sen which released responding to the TUIK data.

Of the unemployed with higher education qualifications, roughly a third had studied business and management, often through distance courses. Education graduates ranked second according to joblessness, and engineers and architects are also among the most likely to be unemployed.

Demand for study abroad remains strong

The recession can only make it more difficult for Turkish youth to find jobs, as companies faced with tightening margins make staff cuts where they can and put a freeze on hiring. As a result, demand for study abroad is holding strong, as young Turks look for foreign degrees that can give them an edge in their competitive labour market. The number of Turks heading abroad for study has held stable over the last several years – at roughly 45,000–46,000 students abroad annually – according to the latest UNESCO figures.

Affordability is going to be a major concern for many Turks in 2019, with the New York Times reporting that prices have been “rising at a 20% clip� so far this year. Turkish agents have reported that Canada is currently slightly more attractive than traditionally preferred destinations, the US and UK. Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine – all offering much more affordable higher education degrees than the US or UK – have also been attracting greater numbers of Turkish students.

Agents have also emphasised how important it is that foreign degrees be recognised in Turkey. This has never been more important than now, as Turkish youth must present their most compelling case for being hired in the midst of their country’s troubled economy. These accreditations are administered by the Turkish Higher Education Council. Foreign institutions wishing to affirm or establish their accreditation with ³ÛÖ°­ can do so by directly.

For additional background, please see:

• “Checking in on Turkish outboundâ€�
• “From the field: The rapid expansion of English-taught programmes in Turkeyâ€�
• “From the field: A closer look at the Turkish outbound marketâ€�

The post Joblessness high among university graduates in Turkey appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Reflecting in part some of the political uncertainty of the past year, the Turkish currency, the lira, has had a challenging time through much of 2018. It depreciated sharply over the past several months and only recently has begun to show signs of greater stability.

Any such political or economic headwinds can be enough to raise questions in the minds of international recruiters about the viability of the Turkish market in the near to medium-term. But a recent market update shows that demand for study abroad remains strong, and with an improving outlook into 2019.

Demand and supply

Eren Göker is the manager of GKR Educational Counselling in Istanbul and also the president of (The Association of International Education Counselors Turkey). Speaking at ºÚÁϹÙÍø Berlin last week, Mr Göker highlighted some of the persistent demand factors in Turkey that continue to drive student interest in study abroad.

First and foremost, Turkey continues to face a critical shortage of university spaces. Nearly two million Turkish students qualified for university admission in 2018, but only about one in four (just over 471,000) found a place with a university in Turkey. Roughly 80% of those were enrolled with public institutions, and the balance in private universities where tuitions can range between US$9,000 and US$20,000 (albeit with some scholarships support available as well).

This is one of the most important factors behind the large number of Turkish students who go abroad every year to pursue higher education. The latest UNESCO figures indicate that tertiary outbound has held stable over the last several years – at roughly 45,000–46,000 students abroad annually – even with some political and economic instability.

The US and UK remain the preferred destinations for many of those students, but, reflecting in part some of the price sensitivity in the market in recent years, alternate destinations, such as Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine, have also been attracting greater numbers.

Looking just at the observations of UED members – and drawing on a recent survey of the 250 agencies in the association – Turkish agents report a similar pattern, but with a growing strength for other English-speaking destinations, such as Canada and Australia.

Most preferred countries for higher education studies, 2018. Source: UED

And for those going abroad for higher education, recognition of their foreign degrees by the Turkish government is key. The vast majority (93%) of UED survey respondents said that such accreditation was “very importantâ€�. These accreditations are administered by the Turkish Higher Education Council (³ÛÖ°­). Foreign institutions wishing to affirm or establish their accreditation with ³ÛÖ°­ can do so by contacting the directly.

The importance of language travel

As we pointed out last year, demand for foreign degrees is only part of the picture for Turkish outbound. Language travel, and English study in particular, remains a major component of Turkish student mobility, and especially so for students that are supported by education agents.

The latest UED member survey reveals that nearly half of all agent-assisted students went abroad for language study this year, and that six in ten outbound students chose to pursue study abroad in order to improve their career prospects.

Preferred programme areas among outbound students, 2018. Source: UED

This demand for language study abroad is driven in part by the relative cost of English studies within Turkey. Mr Göker observes that the domestic language teaching sector is characterised by intense competition and persistent quality concerns. “Many students,� he notes, “do not believe they will be able to learn English within Turkey.�

Addressing another key element of outbound mobility – visa acceptance rates – Mr Göker adds that UED members report very high approval rates for most major destinations, ranging from roughly 85% for Canada to high-90% rates for the UK, Germany, Italy, Australia, France, and Ireland. Only the US, with a visa approval rate of 50%, stands out as something of an outlier in this respect.

The currency story

With the lira in the news so much this year, Mr Göker was also careful to point out that the currency has shown signs of greater stability over the last two months.

The performance of the Turkish lira against the US dollar, British pound, and Euro between September 2017 and November 2018. Source: UED

Mr Göker notes as well that, in large part because of strong underlying demand for study abroad, the effect of those larger swings in currency value this year has been somewhat blunted. Some students simply delayed their plans, he says, and with the currency moving back to more typical trading values this fall, are now moving forward to book programmes abroad for 2019.

“With the increase in the currency exchange rates, our students became more price sensitive. Most of them decided to wait but some focused on countries who are offering lower school fees and living costs, such as Malta and Ireland. But especially over the last month, currency exchange rates became more stable and the students who preferred to “wait and see� have started to contact our agencies again. Therefore, we can say the demand for study abroad is still strong.�

For additional background, please see:

• “From the field: A closer look at the Turkish outbound marketâ€�
• “Keys to the market: Turkeyâ€�
• “The relationship between currency exchange and student mobilityâ€�

The post Checking in on Turkish outbound appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Turkey is a standout within Europe in terms of the high proportion of English-taught undergraduate degrees on offer. We were curious about this distinct programme mix in Turkey – in that most European countries emphasise graduate studies in English – and so we sat down recently with Dr Cemali Dinçer, the rector of Yasar University in İzmir, for his insights on these important trends in Turkish higher education.

Dr Dinçer explains that the expansion of ETPs is underpinned by the corresponding expansion of the foundation university sector in Turkey. As distinct from the country’s public institutions, foundation universities are operated by not-for-profit Turkish foundations that are typically set up by wealthy individuals or families. In some respects, they find a ready comparison with some Ivy League institutions in the US that are also governed by family-founded foundations.

The advent of foundation universities in Turkey can be traced to the early 1980s when higher education reforms opened the door to privately funded not-for-profit institutions. There are now more than 70 such universities in Turkey, which collectively enroll nearly 400,000 students.

Foundation universities share some regulatory mechanisms with public-sector universities in Turkey, but are generally understood to be more agile institutions that operate outside of the more restrictive government bureaucracy that administers public higher education in the country.

As Dr Dinçer points out in our first interview segment below, it happens that the medium of instruction in most foundation universities is English. “This is the most important reason,� he explains, for the rapid rise of English-taught degree programmes in Turkey.

In our second interview segment, Dr Dinçer goes on to explain that English language instruction is not well-established within the Turkish education system and so high education effectively “fills the gap� by offering opportunities for more intensive language study and, indeed, for full-degree programmes in English.

Our final interview excerpt considers some of the broader implications in Turkish higher education of the expansion of foundation universities and the wider availability of English-medium degrees. Looking ahead, Dr Dinçer expects a further expansion of ETPs within Turkish higher education, and some rebalancing in terms of language of instruction between foundation and public universities.

For additional background, please see:

• “Fifty-fold increase in English-taught bachelor’s degrees in Europeâ€�
• “English-taught programmes in Europe up more than 300%â€�

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