Turkey opened its doors to many international students both in the pre-republican era and in the republican era, once again, by offering scholarships to these students, enabling them to benefit from a quality education in Turkey.
While scholarships were offered under bilateral agreements signed with other countries in the 1960s, the “Great Student Project” was launched in 1992, especially with the support of President Turgut Ozal, and for the first time, international student policies were regulated. The major reforms implemented since the early 2000s, from Turkey's foreign policy to its culture, and from its social policies to its economic growth, were reflected in the field of international education and led to important steps being taken in this field.
The “Turkey Scholarship” program was launched in 2012 with the initiatives of the presidency and partnerships established with relevant institutions. As a result, the higher education scholarships offered by Turkey under the name “Scholarships in Turkey” were renewed and active again.
Why choose scholarships in Turkey?
Turkish Scholarships is a government-funded higher education scholarship program for international students of all degrees in all higher education institutions in Turkey. Students who are selected after the screening and selection process are selected by the Presidency of Turks Abroad and related communities in the relevant higher education institutions by the Higher Education Council. Turkish Scholarship students receive monthly scholarships and can stay in government university dormitories without paying any fees. Scholarship students do not pay tuition or other school fees and have public health insurance. In addition, some transportation expenses are paid to Turkish Scholarship students upon their first arrival in Turkey and for their return after graduation.
Higher Education Scholarship Service
The Directorate General of Foundations is offering scholarships to needy higher education students who have been studying at universities in Turkey since 2012, in order to fulfill the charitable conditions in the charters.
Applications for the General Administration Scholarship for Higher Education Institutions are announced each year on the website of the General Directorate www.vgm.gov.tr , between the dates specified by the General Directorate, and by filling in the application form at www.vgm.gov.tr.
Scholarship Service for Foreign Students (How to Apply for Scholarship in Turkey)
Scholarships are offered by the Directorate General of Institutions for foreign higher education students who have come to Turkey for education in order to fulfill the charitable conditions in the charters.
Scholarship applications for foreign students are announced by the General Directorate of Institutions on the General Directorate's website at www.vgm.gov.tr every year between the dates specified by the General Directorate and received by filling in the application form at www.vgm.gov.tr.
Scholarships are not awarded to students who do not have a residence permit in Turkey, students who receive educational assistance from other institutions, students who study for an additional period at their educational institution, and students who are studying in master’s and doctoral programs. Scholarship worth 600.00 TL for 8 months (October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May).
Scholarships for students who are eligible for scholarships will be paid by the Provincial Directorate of Enterprises in the province in which the educational institution they are studying is located, and the Provincial Directorate of Related Institutions keeps track of all work and transactions of students during the period in which they continue to receive scholarships. There are 25 regional directorates under the General Administration of Enterprises. The provinces within the area of responsibility of the regional directorates and the contact information of the regional directorates can be reached at www.vgm.gov.tr.
Information about scholarships to study in Turkey for foreigners
Turkey Scholarships, launched in 2012, received 40,000 applications in its first year, and accordingly, a significant increase in the number of applications compared to previous years was observed. The Turkish Scholarship Program received nearly 150,000 applications in 2019.
In addition to providing financial support, Turkish scholarships also include placing students in their desired programs in universities, and with this feature, they differ from other scholarship programs in the world. Apart from university education, they are also provided with the opportunity to benefit from extra-curricular social, cultural and academic activities during their time in Turkey.
The Turkish Scholarship Program also supports academics, researchers and public officials in other countries with its various research units and Turkish language training.
Close contact continues with international students not only during their education, but also after they graduate. Students who have completed their higher education in Turkey also carry out the duty of volunteer country ambassadors who build bridges between their countries and Turkey. In this direction, the Turkey Alumni Network was established in order to maintain its relations with its alumni around the world.
Tuition fees in Turkey
On average , the scholarship provides the student with monthly stipends as follows:
- Bachelor's degree 800 TL
- Masters 1100 TL
- PhD 1600 TL
- Research 3000 TL
In addition to the health expenses that are granted to all students through comprehensive health insurance, where health care is a major obstacle for foreign students around the world, but for Turkey, there is nothing to worry about, as all expenses will be covered by full health insurance and not a single lira will be paid.
The financial grant varies according to each year
Conditions for applying for the Turkish Scholarship
- You must be of appropriate age to apply. If you want to study a bachelor's degree in Turkey, your age should not exceed 21 years.
- If you want to apply for a master’s scholarship, you must be no more than 30 years old.
- If you want to study a PhD, you must be no more than 35 years old.
- For medical specialties, your GPA must be 90 percent or above.
- For master's students, your average must be 75% or above.
- Students studying in Turkey cannot apply for these scholarships.
- Selected students must show their documents at the time they are requested to do so.
Documents required to apply for the Turkish Scholarship
- General Secondary Education Certificate.
- Complete international test results.
- a copy of the passport.
- A personal photo of the student.
- incentive message.
- If you are in your last year of high school, you should be ready to finish your entire studies in the same year if you are accepted.
Documents required for master's and doctoral studies
- Graduation certificates
- Degree statement.
- University entrance exam.
- International test results that were available.
- a copy of the passport
- Student's photo
- Academic Recommendation Letter
- motivation letter
- Research proposal and example of your written work (for PhD only)
Thus, we have provided you with comprehensive information on how to apply for the scholarship in Turkey, but we advise applicants and candidates to carefully read the warnings and instructions in the application system, and applicants should submit and give the documents and documents necessary for the application system.