Turkish students prefer Germany

Data in OECD's Education at a Glance 2026 Report show that student mobility in higher education has become one of the important elements of the global education system. The USA is one of the centers where international students are most concentrated. According to the OECD table, there are approximately 1 million 6 thousand international students in the USA, 721 thousand in the UK, 580 thousand in Australia, approximately 481 thousand in Canada and 438 thousand in Germany. According to the report, international students are especially concentrated at master's and doctoral levels. Across the OECD, the share of international students among new graduates in 2024 reached 11 percent in undergraduate programs, 24 percent in master's programs, and 34 percent in doctoral programs. According to the report, Türkiye draws attention with its rapid rise among countries that attract international students. While there were 71 thousand international students in Turkey in 2015, it is seen that this number will reach 336 thousand in 2024.

According to OECD data, the number of students from Türkiye receiving higher education abroad increased from 44 thousand in 2015 to 77 thousand in 2024. There was a remarkable change in the international route of Turkish students. In 2015, 23 percent of Turkish students preferred the USA, while Germany was in second place with 12 percent. In 2024, the situation reversed. 26 percent of Turkish students prefer Germany, 11 percent the USA, 9 percent Italy, 8 percent England and 5 percent Poland. Stating that students are affected by world politics and economy when making their education decisions abroad, Deniz Akar, General Manager of IEFT International Education Fairs, said, "We have been talking about the rise of Italy and Germany among Turkish students for years, and this year the OECD report confirmed it. Germany and Italy attracted Turkish young people in terms of their education quality as well as their costs. In addition, these two countries have options such as free education and scholarships. In addition to these countries, we can also count England and the Netherlands among the centers of attraction for Turkish students. The USA for both political and economic reasons. "It fell down on the list," he said.

The report also highlights the preferred fields of study for international student mobility. According to the report, 30 percent of international graduates graduate from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, while 26 percent study in business, management and law programs. The share of health fields is 13 percent, and the share of educational sciences is 4 percent. When looked at on a country basis, the difference becomes even more obvious. While 53 percent of international graduates in the USA graduate from STEM fields, the share of business, management and law fields reaches 47 percent in Australia, 44 percent in Canada and 43 percent in the UK. OECD data shows that fields related to technology and the business world stand out in international student mobility.