Turkey hosts nearly 350,000 foreign students, says education authority

The President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, recently disclosed the number of international students studying in Turkey was nearly 350,000.  

In his address during a conference at Bursa Technical University, Prof. Dr. Özvar emphasized that internationalization is a strategic goal for both CoHE and Turkish universities.

Turkish universities currently host nearly 350,000 international students from 198 different countries, he said. This places Turkey among the top 10 countries globally with the highest number of students.

Özvar expressed the goal of positioning Turkey within the top 5 countries worldwide in terms of international student enrollment. 

He addressed negative perceptions surrounding international students, emphasizing that their presence does not adversely affect Turkish citizens’ educational rights. Viewing international students as irregular migrants or refugees is an incorrect perspective. 

he total number of international students studying in Turkey has tripled since 2000, surpassing 6.3 million in 2021. As internationalization and student mobility continue to rise globally, Turkish universities remain attractive choices for students from diverse backgrounds, according to Özvar. 

Prof. Dr. Özvar concluded by congratulating institutions and universities that contribute to making Turkey a center of attraction for international students. (RT/VK)