Turkey updates its international scholarship scheme

By Ugur Cil

ANKARA

International students can now apply for Turkey Scholarship program three times a year, with an updated regulation in the country’s sole authority to provide scholarships to international students.

According to the information by Turkey's Abroad Turks and Relative Communities Presidency (YTB), the organization revised it scholarship program for international students to resolve problems arising from the differences in school terms in some countries.

Around 5,000 students from across the globe are awarded Turkish scholarships by YTB.

Nearly 17,000 foreign students are studying in Turkish universities on government scholarships, while over 100,000 are studying in Turkey using non-government funds, according to the latest YTB data.

With the new regulation on the YTB’s scholarship program, the authority will receive applications three times a year.

Hereunder, the first period of applications for 2018 closed on Nov. 30. The results will be announced on Feb. 15, 2018.

The applications for the second term will be received between Feb.5-March 5, 2018, with its results to be announced on March 18.

Applicants can apply for the third term of the scholarship starting from Apr. 16 through May 14, 2018. The names of the students who are granted scholarship will be made public on July 24.

The new regulation is expected to attract more students abroad for application.

It will also enable the applicants to start the Turkish language courses earlier, which will prevent them losing a year.

Turkey Scholarships

Turkey Scholarships, given-annually by the Turkish government to foreign students, are aimed at turning Turkey into an education center, according to YTB.

While in 2011, 8,000 students applied for these scholarships, the number of applicants have increased since the YTB took over the scholarships.

According to the YTB, in 2013, 55,181 people from 165 countries have applied for these scholarships. This number has increased to 106,550 people from 163 countries.

In Turkey, there are 16,817 foreign students studying on a scholarship. This number of students who studies in the country with their own means is more than 100,000, according to the YTB.

In 2016, 1,425 Syrians also received a YTB scholarship.

Only foreign citizens can apply for Turkey Scholarships via the Internet and later they are interviewed at around 100 places worldwide.

Candidates who are successful in the interviews, which are conducted by scholars and YTB experts, come to Turkey and take Turkish classes in their first year. After that they are placed at universities in the direction of their preferences.

The scholarships include accommodation, food and monthly pocket money as well as insurance plus their flights to Turkey and back home.

Reporting by Ugur Cil:Writing by Cansu Dikme