In order to foresee being an exchange student in Turkey, you first will need to check whether or not your university has a bilateral agreement with the Turkish university of your choice. Within those last years, and taking in consideration the importance international bonds, Turkey really worked on extending and improving their exchange programs. As a result, most of the Turkish universities have at least one bilateral agreement with another university outside of Turkey and with a growing number of classes now given in English language, Turkish universities intend on putting their focus on exchange students and their needs, so that exchange students may take the best out of their international experience.
This being said, let's now have a look at the main exchange programs available for international students in Turkey.
The Erasmus Program
The Erasmus program consist of promoting the exchange of European students throughout all Europe. In other words, this means that the Erasmus program is offering the European students the possibility to study in another European country of their choice (and according to their availability) for a period of minimum 3 months and up to 12 months.
Even though Turkey is not a member of the European Union, the Erasmus program's opportunity does apply for Turkey too ! Thus, in the last decade Turkey became a popular destination for European students and especially among German, Polish, Dutch and French students.
Plenty of study-abroad organizations
Turkish universities are partnering up with a lot of different organizations helping on students with their mobility all around the world. Below you can found a brief listing of some of the organizations you can try to reach in order to be part of an exchange program in Turkey:
- CIEE
- Mevlana Exchange Program
- Farabi Exchange program
- Free Mover (keep in mind that you will not be registered as a regular university student)