Study Abroad Programs in Turkey

Straddling the crossroads between the European and Asian continents, Turkey is equally considered to be a European and a Middle Eastern country. Turkey is bordered on its European frontier by Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Armenia, and on its Middle Eastern frontier by Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The nation of some 80 million people also boasts extensive coastlines on the Black, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas.

Istanbul, the country’s largest city and historical capital, is typically the most popular city where international students study abroad in Turkey. Sitting pristinely on the Bosphorus strait between the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara, Istanbul has for thousands of years been a thriving cultural and economic hub of Eurasia. Today some 15 million people live in Istanbul’s metropolitan area, which is also home to some of the top universities where you can study abroad in Turkey, including Boğaziçi University and Istanbul University.

Other popular destinations where you might look to study abroad in Turkey include the nation’s capital of Ankara and the Mediterranean city of Adana. There are many more potential cities where you can study abroad in Turkey, and some programs will even take you to several different destinations throughout your studies, rather than stay rooted in one location. Explore a variety of study abroad programs in Turkey to land on the one which feels like the perfect fit!

International students travel to Turkey to pursue a wide variety of studies. Some of the most common areas include history, Middle Eastern studies, religious studies, international relations, and anthropology. You are by no means limited to pursuing these subjects, however; there are hundreds of study abroad programs in Turkey which offer a diversity of potential academic areas which you can explore.

Some study abroad programs in Turkey will give you the opportunity to enroll at a local university during your time abroad, while others are connected to smaller international or satellite schools. The former option can be a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself into Turkish student and academic life, but most local universities use Turkish as the language of education. If you are not adept in the Turkish language, then the latter type of study abroad program in Turkey offers custom-tailored courses for international students, which can serve as an equally enriching education about your host country.

Students can usually choose whether to study abroad in Turkey for a summer session, fall or spring semester, or full academic year. Consult your home university advisor sooner rather than later to get a sense for what options are the most feasible on your current degree track!

Turkey is a relatively affordable country to live in, but as you might expect the major cities such as Istanbul or Ankara are typically where costs of living are highest. Many universities will offer to roll over your tuition to study abroad in Turkey, and there are also a wide array of external scholarships which can make the experience perfectly affordable!

You will likely be offered a few different accommodation options, such as living in student dormitories, an individual apartment, or a homestay, while you study abroad in Turkey. Each housing situation has its pros and cons, and offers a varying level of immersion or independence, so be sure to take the available options into account while researching different study abroad programs in Turkey!

You’ll typically also need to apply for a student visa once you are accepted by a host university or study abroad program in Turkey. It can take up to two months to receive your visa to study in Turkey, so be sure to get on the ball early! For more information, be sure to check out our Turkish Embassy Directory to locate the consulate nearest you.

Eurasian Crossroads. Perhaps no other country in the world has been more influenced by so many vastly different cultures than Turkey. Throughout history it has been conquered and reconquered by great empires coming from north, west, south, and east.

Emerging Influence. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful in the world. Though losing much of its territory after World War I, the newly formed nation of Turkey has been steadily regaining prestige ever since.

Academic Insight. Whatever you are studying, travelling to a country as diverse and dynamic as Turkey is bound to provide you a background context which will deeply enhance your academic experience. Get ready for an adventure!

Making the leap to study abroad in Turkey can be the best decision you make in your college career, coming to know a land and people that have long thrived at the nexus of civilization. Are you ready to begin?