Over 300,000 foreign students enrolled in Turkish schools: Report

Turkey has achieved a significant milestone in global education, with more than 300,000 international students enrolling in Turkish universities for the 2022-23 academic year.

This achievement follows last year’s target set by the Turkey Foreign Economic Relations Board, an institution dedicated to advancing Turkey’s economic ties with nations around the world, as reported by Erudera.com.

Recent statistics released by Turkey’s Council of Higher Education, locally known as YÖK, underscored this accomplishment, revealing that the total international student enrollment for higher education in Turkey during the past year reached 301,694.

The growth trajectory of international students in Turkey has been remarkable, with a 526 percent increase since the 2013-14 academic year, when 48,183 students opted to pursue their academic endeavors within Turkish higher education institutions.

Dominating the composition of international students during the 2022-23 academic year were learners from Syria and Azerbaijan, contributing 58,213 and 34,247 students, respectively. 

Nations in terms of student representation include Iran with 22,632 students, Turkmenistan with 18,250 students, and Iraq with 16,172 students

Conversely, China and India demonstrated a relatively lower presence in Turkey, accounting for only 1,445 and 549 students, respectively. 

This stands in contrast to their prominent positions in top study destinations such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Turkey’s success in attracting international students places it among the top ten nations globally in terms of international student numbers. This achievement is fueled by initiatives such as the Erasmus+ program and ongoing university collaborations. 

Annually, Turkish universities enroll more than 250,000 international students.

Meanwhile, representatives from 16 prominent Turkish universities participated in an educational event organized by the Association of International Educators in May. 

The gathering provided an opportunity to showcase Turkey as an appealing study destination for international students.

Irfan Gündüz, president of the Education Economy Business Council, expressed optimism at the event, stating that Turkey currently hosts around 310,000 international students, surpassing the earlier target of 350,000. Gündüz also voiced confidence that this number could reach 500,000 by year-end.

In the preceding academic year of 2021-22, the international student populace stood at 260,289, spanning associate, bachelor, master, and PhD programs.

Statista, a prominent market data portal, revealed that the majority of international students in Turkey favored enrolling in undergraduate degree programs during this period.

Prominent institutions such as Cankaya University, Koç University, Sabancı University, Middle East Technical University, and Bahçeşehir University have been ranked among Turkey’s finest universities, solidifying the country’s reputation as a burgeoning academic hub.