Elite British school grants scholarships to non-citizens for first time
Melike Çalkap – ISTANBUL

For the first time in its 182-year history, the prestigious Marlborough College — alma mater of members of the British royal family — will admit two non-British students on full scholarships.
Turkish students Belinay Eğer and Defne Aslan, both from Darüşşafaka High School in Istanbul, have been awarded the school’s highly competitive Sixth Form Bursary, previously reserved for students residing in the U.K.
The pair made history not only as the first foreign citizens to receive the bursary but also as representatives of Türkiye’s long-standing institution, Darüşşafaka, which provided high-quality boarding education to financially disadvantaged and orphaned children since 1863.
Belinay, currently in 11th grade, will begin at Marlborough in the 2025-2026 academic year, while 10th-grader Defne will follow in 2026-2027. Their journey began when the school noticed the remarkable performance of five Darüşşafaka students during its summer school last year. Initially intending to select one candidate, Marlborough ultimately accepted both due to the outstanding qualifications of the girls.
Darüşşafaka’s General Director Ebru Arpacı emphasized that while Marlborough is an exceptional institution, “Darüşşafaka is also one of the world’s finest schools with a 162-year legacy.” She added that this opportunity will strengthen the girls’ global perspective and allow them to bring valuable experience back to Türkiye.
Belinay, who lost her mother in primary school, said her dream was to return to Türkiye as a mechanical engineer. While Defne, who lost her father in third grade, aspires to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or the California Institute of Technology after completing her A Levels in the U.K.