No Fixed Fees Under New Law:Burden for International Students
Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University (AYBU), renowned for its large international student population, has recently decided to accept tuition payments in US dollars instead of the Turkish Lira (TL). This shift marks a significant change in the university’s financial policies, which had previously attracted many foreign students due to its favorable fee structure and reputation as a foreigner-friendly institution.
Founded in 2010, AYBU has seen a steady increase in the number of international students. This growth can be attributed to the university’s relatively high allocation of places for foreign students and its established reputation. A unique aspect of AYBU’s previous fee policy was the stability of tuition fees. Once a student enrolled, their fees remained fixed for the duration of their studies. For instance, a student who entered the medical faculty in the 2019/2020 academic year would continue to pay 30,000 TL annually throughout their entire program.
However, this stability has now been disrupted. Students who enrolled in the 2019/2020 academic year are now facing an annual fee of 193,425 TL, a staggering 644% increase from the previous year’s fee of 30,000 TL. Turkey’s inflation rate currently stands at 75.50%, compared to 39.70% the previous year .
In comparison, Sağlık Bilimleri University, another institution with fewer international students, has also seen fee increases, but not as much as AYBU. The tuition fees for medical students at Sağlık Bilimleri rose from 15,544 TL in 2019/2020 to 108,878 TL in 2024
The situation at AYBU has been further complicated by a new law, “Yurt dışından kabul edilecek öğrencilerden alınacak öğrenim ücreti tutarları,” as outlined in the Presidential Decree No. 8703. According to this law, the minimum tuition fee for international students must be at least twice the determined “cari hizmet maliyeti,” which for medicine is set at 67,288 TL. This means that no international medical student in Turkey can pay less than 134,576 TL annually, regardless of prior agreements.
While some universities have limited their fee increases to this minimum, AYBU has significantly exceeded it, setting fees to approximately three times the cari hizmet maliyeti. This steep increase is seen as contrary to the university’s previously foreigner-friendly image. As a result, many students who enrolled in recent years are now struggling with the financial burden of these higher fees.
In the academic year 2023/2024, AYBU’s annual fees for English Medical Studies were 4,700 US dollars. This has now increased to 9,000 US dollars for the 2024/2025 academic year, nearly doubling the cost with an increase of 4,300 US dollars in a single year.
This financial strain has prompted students to seek legal solutions to address this issue. The substantial fee hikes have placed a heavy financial burden on many families, especially those with multiple children studying under these new conditions. The affected students and their families are now rallying to find a resolution to this pressing financial challenge.
Hey there,
As the admin of studyingmedicineinturkey.com, I bring firsthand experience as a foreign medical student studying in Ankara, Turkey. My journey has provided me with valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that international students encounter while pursuing their medical education in Turkey.
Best of Luck:)