The number of international students in Turkey has exceeded 300,000

According to YÖK (Higher Education Council) President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, the number of international students in Turkey surpassed 300,000 as of 2022. In the year 2000, there were approximately 18,000 registered international students in Turkey. However, this number increased significantly, and in 2022, Turkey hosted more than 300,000 international students from 198 different countries. This means that Turkey now accommodates about 2.9% of the total international student population worldwide, a considerable increase from the 0.83% share it had in the year 2000.

Özvar highlighted that Turkey has been successful in developing a growing and evolving international academic and student community. The "Turkey Scholarships" program, initiated in 2012, aimed to strengthen Turkey's cultural, political, and economic relations internationally and increase the number of qualified international students in the country. According to statistics from the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, the Turkey Scholarships received a record number of applications from around 165,000 students from 178 different countries.

Özvar also mentioned that globally, the total number of international students increased threefold from 2.1 million in the year 2000 to over 6.3 million in 2021, indicating a growing trend of internationalization and student mobility in the world. He expressed pride in Turkey's achievement of hosting more than 300,000 international students in 2022, and the goal is to continue this positive trend, making Turkish universities more attractive to international students and researchers.

Additionally, to standardize the process of accepting foreign students, YÖK is introducing the "Turkey Foreign Student Admission Exam" (TR-YÖS), which will be conducted for the first time in January 2023. The exam will be available in Turkish, German, Arabic, French, English, and Russian languages, providing a new convenience for applicants from different countries who wish to apply to Turkish higher education institutions. YÖK encourages the use of TR-YÖS by higher education institutions in Turkey, and the hope is that the exam will contribute to standardizing the international student selection process.

Here are some notable private universities in Turkey:

1. Altınbaş University
2. Bahçeşehir University
3. Istanbul Arel University
4. İstinye University
5. Istanbul Aydın University
6. Istanbul Gelisim University
7. Istanbul Medipol University
8. Ostim Technical University
9. Özyeğin University
10. Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University