Saturday April 19, 2025
The number of international students in Türkiye has grown sixfold over the past decade, reaching more than 336,000 and generating an estimated $3 billion annually through tuition fees and living expenses, a recent report has revealed.
According to the latest study by the International Student Associations Federation (UDEF), students from 204 countries and regions are currently pursuing education across various Turkish institutions.
Of the total, around 14,500 benefit from the Türkiye Scholarships program, while the majority fund their studies independently.
The top five cities hosting the largest number of international students are the metropolis of Istanbul, the central city of Eskişehir, the capital Ankara, the northern city of Karabük and the eastern province of Erzurum.
By nationality, the most represented students came from Syria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Afghanistan and Somalia.
Among the 336,000 students, Syrians make up over 60,000, about 18 percent of the total, growing 34-fold from just 1,785 in the 2013–14 academic year and marking the sharpest rise in student numbers.
There has been a notable increase in female enrollment as well. In 2013–14, there were just 14,752 female foreign students in Türkiye, compared to over 142,290 in the 2023–24 academic year, representing a 72.5-fold increase.
Türkiye ranks 10th globally in international student numbers. The top four host countries worldwide are the United States with 1.13 million, Canada with 842,000, the United Kingdom with 758,000 and Australia with 437,000.
In terms of institutions, Karabük University hosts the highest number of international students, with 11,558 students enrolled, with Atatürk University in Erzurum following suit.
Fifteen universities in Türkiye now enroll over 5,000 foreign students, according to the report.
This surge has significantly bolstered the country’s education sector and contributed to soft power gains in diplomacy.
Graduates of Turkish universities have increasingly risen to influential roles in their home countries, including positions as ministers, deputy ministers, rectors and politicians. Among them is Syria’s current Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, an alumnus of Istanbul’s Sabahattin Zaim University, a notable example of how Türkiye’s educational outreach is shaping the region’s political elite.
The report emphasizes that alumni play a key role in promoting the Turkish language, influencing positive public perception of Türkiye and challenging prejudices abroad.