Studying in Turkey for Palestinians

In recent years, Turkey has become one of the countries that welcomes the most international students every year. The Turkish government has worked hard and exerted considerable effort to attract international students—and especially Palestinians—to study at its universities. This effort includes facilitating easy registration and study procedures as well as offering Turkish government scholarships each academic year, in addition to the increasing number of both private and public universities staffed with top-notch faculty and offering the best academic programs.

Advantages of Studying in Turkey for Palestinians

There are many advantages for international students, especially Palestinians, to study in Turkey. Among the most important are:

• Studying in Turkey takes place in an interactive, dynamic environment that is multicultural and offers a variety of programs, thereby enhancing skill acquisition and exposure to the cultures of different nationalities.
• Turkey shares many cultural similarities with the Arab world in terms of its social environment, customs, and daily traditions—many of which resemble those found in Arab countries, including Palestine.
• The academic standard in Turkish universities meets European educational benchmarks, and Turkey has recently seen a significant rise in international university rankings.
• Living and studying in Turkey provides a calm and stable life both economically and politically, far removed from the atmosphere of war and political pressure.
• There is a high possibility for students to obtain scholarships offered by Turkish universities, as Turkey is renowned for its flourishing government educational scholarship programs that cover all levels of university education, research, and studies.
• Every student at a Turkish university is granted a student residence permit that lasts throughout the entire period of study. This permit qualifies them for health insurance and special discounts for university students, such as on transportation.
• In Turkey, you can study while enjoying breathtaking and enchanting landscapes, in addition to having access to some of the most famous touristic and historical sites.
• International students—especially Palestinians—enjoy numerous opportunities to participate in cultural, international, scientific events, conferences, and seminars organized by Turkish universities.

Requirements for Studying in Turkey for Palestinians

The Turkish government follows a strategy of increasing the intake of international students from all over the world, which positively benefits the country. As a result of this strategy, the requirements for studying in Turkey for Palestinians—and for international students in general—are among the easiest and simplest to meet, as the state actively encourages foreigners to study in Turkish universities.

The requirements that every foreigner and Arab, including Palestinians, wishing to study in Turkey must fulfill are:

• A copy of the high school certificate, translated into Turkish and notarized by a Turkish notary.
• A copy of the transcript, also translated into Turkish and notarized by a Turkish notary.
• A personal photograph.
• A copy of a valid passport.
• Language certificates, if available, such as TOEFL, IELTS, or TOMER.

Are There Scholarships in Turkey for Palestinians?

Of course, the Turkish government scholarship program includes Palestinian students. This scholarship program for international students is allocated annually by the Turkish government for all levels of university and research education and for all nationalities. It covers tuition, accommodation, travel, and language expenses, in addition to health insurance in Turkey. Anyone fortunate enough to receive the scholarship essentially gets a fully-funded education covering all annual expenses.

- Palestinian students can also obtain specific scholarships aside from the Turkish government scholarships. These are in the form of financial assistance and support provided by various charitable organizations for students, such as student endowment associations or groups that donate to Palestinians, given the emotional connection many Turks feel toward the Palestinian cause.

- Consequently, many charitable organizations are active in this area, in addition to the scholarships awarded by Turkish universities to academically outstanding and distinguished students.

Tuition Costs in Turkey for Palestinians

The cost of studying in Turkey is generally moderate to low for international students compared to European countries, America, and even Middle Eastern countries. Tuition fees in Turkish universities depend on several factors, such as the location and type of university and the chosen field of study. In the table below, we provide the average tuition costs for international students in Turkey for well-known disciplines:

Which Turkish Universities Admit Palestinian Students?

There are many Palestinian students across various provinces in Turkey, studying at numerous private and public universities in a variety of academic disciplines—whether at the Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate level.

- Universities in the Istanbul province are known for being the most welcoming to Palestinian students, such as Altinbas University, Bahçeşehir University, Kültür University, Istanbul Technical University, Nişantaşı University, and many others.

- Additionally, there are universities that host the largest number of Palestinian students, such as Selçuk University in Konya, Alanya University, Izmir University, and Karabük University, among others.

Turkish provinces also include various universities that attract a high number of Palestinian students, such as Selçuk University in Konya province, Alanya University, Izmir University, Karabük University, and others.

Procedures That Palestinian Students Must Follow in Turkey

Any student, whether foreign or Palestinian, must learn many Turkish words and phrases in order to manage their affairs—whether at the airport or in official transactions—in addition to following these procedures:

• The student must apply directly to the university through its official website, as no student who does not apply via the selected university’s website will be accepted.
• The student should prepare their documents, have them translated into English, and have them notarized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately after receiving university acceptance, then follow up and contact the Turkish embassy in Palestine to obtain a student entry visa.
• Upon arrival, the student must have their certificates authenticated by the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Ankara or at the Consulate General of Palestine in Istanbul, then have their documents translated into Turkish and notarized by a sworn translator in Turkey—these offices are widely available throughout the country.
• The student must then have their academic certificates equated at the Turkish Ministry of Education by submitting the original high school certificate along with the transcripts for the two academic years prior to high school graduation to facilitate a smooth equivalence process.
• The student must ensure that they register their residence as a student upon arrival to avoid violating Turkish regulations regarding staying in the country without a residence permit.
• Finally, the student submits their file to the university where they have been accepted.
• If the instruction is in Turkish, the student must attend a language institute (Tömer), as the duration of study at the institute is approximately one full year.

Read also:

• Istanbul Technical University
• Ibn Haldun University
• Studying in Turkey for Sudanese