Educational Experiences of the International Students in Graduate Programs in Turkey

Abstract

Educational quality determined by factors such as academic climate, physical environment and academic quality of universities are considered essential for growing numbers of international students. This study aims to reveal and analyze the experiences of international students studying at graduate education step in Turkey. To this end, it is intended to describe and analyze the language proficiency, course period and thesis period experiences of international students studying in different fields of graduate programs and their perception on how their expectations were met or their apprehension. Phenomenology, one of the qualitative research methods, is used in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the study to flexibly gather data regarding the views of the participants and the differences between their experiences. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods were used together in forming a phase of the participant group. Interviews were conducted with 23 students from 18 different countries who are currently in Istanbul and studying in various departments. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the data gathered from these interviews to examine the graduate education experience of the international students in Turkey. The educational experience of the students is primarily positive, and the students believe that they have received a high-quality education and they were provided with excellent opportunities. However, not being able to acquire academic writing skills or communicate with the professors sufficiently and the unconformity of the graduate education programs with the international educational context are some of the significant problems that were mentioned.