Despite Türkiye’s challenging economic climate, nine in ten young people have said they would like to study abroad, with the junior ELT market experiencing the most significant growth, according to panellists speaking at a recent BONARD webinar.  

The number of Turkish students abroad grew by over 30% between 2019 and 2023, signalling the willingness of families and students to invest in an international education, said experts.  

While the largest number of students going abroad are from higher education institutions, the ELT sector has seen the most significant rise in international mobility, driven by the junior market.  

Last year, there were over 24,000 Turkish ELT students abroad, as compared to 19,000 before the pandemic and just 5,000 in 2021/22 during the Covid pandemic.

“Every year, there’s a 20% increase in junior ELT programs, while the adult programs are not growing as fast,” said Andaç Baran Cezayirlioglu, managing director of Ovygo Institute. 

The UK, Australia and Ireland were the most popular destinations for English-language courses last year, with Canada falling from second to fourth place from 2019 to 2023.  

Panellists dubbed Dubai a “rising star” for ELT programs, with demand increasing for English for academic purposes, driven by the strong interest in international higher education.  

We expect the junior segment to expand significantly thanks to Türkiye’s large young population and its strong appetite for studying abroad

Tanya Todorova, BONARD

According to Engin Cosar, owner of Academix Study Abroad Services, 88% of young people in Türkiye have said they would like to study abroad, with experts predicting a rise in K-12 interest.  

“From conversations with key stakeholders in the sector, we expect the junior segment to expand significantly thanks to Türkiye’s large young population and its strong appetite for studying abroad,” said Tanya Todorova, international education consultant at BONARD. 

Rising private school fees in Türkiye are pushing more families to consider international K-12 options, said Cosar, alongside growth in high school programs abroad and junior ELT courses. 

“Despite the financial challenges caused by inflation and the depreciation of the Turkish lira, many Turkish families are willing to invest in their children’s education as a pathway to better career opportunities and potential immigration options,” Cosar explained. 

Countries that provide post-study work opportunities and career options … will continue to be popular among Turkish students

Engin Cosar, Academix Study Abroad

The number of students enrolled in higher education programs abroad grew by almost 40% from 2019 to 34,000 students in 2023, driven by the growing need for highly skilled graduates and capacity constraints within Türkiye.  

For higher education, students’ decisions are most impacted by economic concerns and challenging visa policies in certain destinations, with Germany remaining the most popular destination for Turkish students.  

“Countries that provide post-study work opportunities and career options, such as the UK, US, Canada and Germany, will continue to be popular among Turkish students,” said Cosar. 

“But at the same time, we are also seeing some shifts towards the more affordable or visa-friendly options such as Germany, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary.” 

As large source destinations such as Canada and Australia are grappling with immigration restrictions, international students are looking to alternative destinations with Ireland and Germany becoming increasingly popular.  

In addition to higher education, visa issues are increasingly shaping the ELT market, with Malta falling in popularity due to immigration challenges for Turkish students, according to Selçuk Atmaca, vice general manager of EğitimAL Education.  

“Canada and Australia were some of the top destinations, but now it’s harder to get visas even for ELT programmes. Ireland has started to replace Australia for long-term ELT programs,” Atmaca added.