A Growing Number of International Students in Turkey. This country has increasingly become a sought-after study abroad destination, with an economy that is second only to China in terms of growth rate. As one of the G-20 countries, Turkey plays an important role in world politics. Turkey has roughly 30,000 international students studying in 170 colleges and universities.
Turkey’s high-quality education system prepares students for future careers with courses such as Eastern Mediterranean Studies, Engineering, International Relations, Business Management, and Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality. The University Studies Abroad Consortium works with Bahcesehir University to offer the basic undergraduate courses typically sought by international students.
CAPA International Education, hosted by Bilig University, offers fall, spring and summer programs in Theories of Democracy and Human Rights, Urban Politics, and Europe and Migration. These courses are open to all majors and are taught in English.
Intern Abroad In Turkey. Many Turkish universities include compulsory internships in their programs. It is for this reason that they foster continued partnerships with leading firms and businesses. This practice gives students an avenue to participate in the day-to-day operations of key industry players. Specialized internship offices match the student’s academic requirements with the company’s needs. Needless to say, this experience puts graduating students ahead in the job-seeking sphere.
Students interested in Business, Economics, Law and International Relations will want to check out the Knowledge Exchange Institute (KEI) and its discipline-specific courses, internships, and community service.
Turkish universities are continually striving to increase international presence in the country. They have put programs in place to ensure that foreign students are taken care of. These universities have strengthened International Office infrastructures that attend to the needs of anyone on campus who is studying abroad in Turkey. These offices can guide students through all the phases of academic and social interaction.
A True International Mix. If you wish to get high quality education in a multicultural country amidst picturesque terrains, sprightly cities, artistic and cultural scenes, study abroad in Turkey. Turkish culture is unique in that it has resulted from centuries of exchanges with rich civilizations in Europe, China, North Africa, and Russia. The culture has beautifully combined elements from the Mesopotamian, Anatolian, Mediterranean and European societies. Turkey boasts of a cultural richness developed by many thousands of years’ worth of history.
Students who are interested in contemporary Turkish culture should look at the study-abroad program in Turkey offered by CIEE. In a span of a few weeks, international students learn a great deal about Turkish literature, history, politics, society, visual arts and music.
Enjoy a Flavorful Lifestyle. Ranked as one of the top three world-renowned cuisines, Turkish food is a delightful fusion that combines the best of geographically diverse influences. Accompanied by freshly baked bread, Turkish specialties usually use ingredients like green peppers, garlic, onions, beans, tomatoes, lentils, eggplant, and nuts, with lamb and chicken as the main meats. Go ahead and feast on scrumptious kebabs (grilled meat and vegetables), karniyarik (fried eggplant with seasoned minced meat), lahmacun (a pizza-like dish made of a flaky thin dough with meat, onions, and spices), or kurufasulye (beans served with plain rice and pickles, sometimes with meat or dried beef).
Improve Cultural Understanding In A Muslim Country. As 99 percent of Turkey’s population subscribes to Islam, international students are immersed in a distinct culture. Living and studying in Turkey greatly expands students’ understanding of Muslim beliefs, traditions, and history. Antioch University’s Education Abroad program features a course in Turkey that studies Europe in relation to the Islamic world. It is designed to give students a perspective on the historic links of the religion, and its practical models for today’s political transformation.
Istanbul: A Truly Dynamic City. Turkey’s largest city is known as the “City of the World’s Desire,” and for good reason. Even if you’re not studying abroad in Istanbul, you will want to carve out some time to spend in the only city in the world that bridges two continents. Istanbul is partly located in Asia and partly in Europe, and not only connects the two continents geographically, but culturally too. Here, revered city institutions include the relaxing çay bahçesi (tea garden) and the bustling rakı-soaked meyhane (tavern). A multitude of museums, art galleries, and historic buildings grace the city. At nighttime, Istanbul swings into the real action with restaurants, bars, and clubs bringing the party scene to life.
To rub shoulders with Istanbul’s socialites, Reina is the place to be. This lavish club located on the banks of Bosphorus is mostly reached by boat, and houses the city’s priciest restaurants. If you want a more intimate setting where you can simply dance to hip European and Turkish pop music, the Off Pera in Tunel is the club for you. You may choose to head straight to the city’s clubbing district in Beyoglu and have fun with the electro scene in Indigo.
The city’s pre-eminent collection of contemporary and modern art is housed at the Istanbul Modern Sanat Muzesi. The Archaeological Museum displays national treasures that date back 5,000 years. The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts has a celebrated collection of Turkish and Islamic art works. The museum is set in an Ibrahim Pasa palace built in the 16th century. A great program for museum buffs is offered by the School of Visual Arts, which inspires students to create an enlightened and artful journal. The course examines the ancient city of Byzantium and how it influenced the renaissance in Florence. Students in the program visit monuments, historic sites, contemporary art galleries and museums in Istanbul, designed to motivate them artistically in a city that awakens the imagination.
The Florida State University International Programs takes students on a tour around Istanbul, taking in the magnificent sights of the Hagia Sophia (a museum that was formerly an Orthodox Patriarchal Basilica and a mosque), the Topkapi Palace (home of the Ottoman Sultans), and the Grand Bazaar (the world’s oldest shopping mall). Participants visit Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, and the ancient town of Mardin to set eyes on the splendid Mesopotamian plain. The tour includes a stop at the Cappadocia historic region to take in the bizarre moon-like landscape, cave churches, dwellings carved in rocks, and underground cities.