$3 billion contribution from international students

Created: August 31, 2025 14:18

Özvar, noting that there are approximately 350,000 international students from 198 countries, primarily neighboring countries and Turkic states, attending Turkish universities, said, "International students who come to Türkiye to study at a university are not placed through the YKS quotas. There is a separate quota for international students, and they compete among themselves and find a place in our higher education system through those quotas."

Özvar emphasized that xenophobia against international students will not benefit Türkiye, saying, "Xenophobia is detrimental to this country. Our international students, after successfully graduating from here and returning to their home countries, act as cultural ambassadors with strong bonds of affection between their host countries and our country. They are, so to speak, cultural bridges. Those who strive to benefit and serve our country the most are those who love this country the most. In other words, if we love our country, we must strive for it and work for it."

WE ARE ATTENTION IN STUDENT MOBILITY Turkey is one of the most notable countries in the world for international student mobility. Today, Turkey ranks 7th among the 10 countries that benefit most from international student mobility. The foreign currency these students bring to the country is approaching $3 billion.

Approximately 15,000 international students receive scholarships in our country. This number represents 5 percent of the total international student body. A small number of international students study in our country on the limited scholarships provided by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities. The remaining 95 percent, perhaps even more, study in this country through their own means. Students who come here study using their own resources and budgets. The primary reason international students choose Türkiye is the affordability of a world-class, high-quality education at a reasonable cost. Today, the quality of higher education in Türkiye, especially in undergraduate and associate degree programs, is world-class. They see this, and because of this, they choose Türkiye. I would also like to point out that some European countries have reduced tuition fees in the past few years to compete with Türkiye.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO OPEN NEW PROGRAMS. In the last two years, the Turkey-Azerbaijan University in Azerbaijan and the International Turkic States University in Uzbekistan were opened. Three programs from Middle East Technical University, Istanbul Technical University, and Hacettepe University have been operating under the umbrella of the Turkey-Azerbaijan University in Baku for the past two years. For the first time, four of our universities in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan—Hacettepe University, Ege University, Istanbul Technical University, and Middle East Technical University—will open their doors to not only Uzbek youth but also to young people from across the Turkic world. In the coming period, we will continue to open academic units of our universities abroad in the international arena. We are currently negotiating with Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and several other countries.