Turkish students misled by study abroad scams

ISTANBUL

Many Turkish students dreaming of studying abroad are falling into scams involving false promises of diploma recognition, scholarships and job opportunities, often returning home with invalid degrees and heavy debt.

Some so-called education consultancy agencies, operating under the guise of helping students study abroad, deceive both students and their families with unrealistic and baseless claims.

Such pledges include an equivalence certificate from the country’s Higher Education Council (YÖK), Turkish-language education, residence and work permits, options for transferring to Turkish universities, accommodation and scholarships.

While claiming to support students until graduation, many even cut off communication as soon as the students leave the country.

These agencies charge fees ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

Victims often discover the truth too late. Some find out after graduation that their degrees are not recognized in Türkiye, while others attend universities that shut down during their studies or are left without proper housing.

One student said they were promised a preparatory year before beginning their degree, only to learn that the university did not offer such a program and they are instead placed in language schools costing 5,000 euros to 6,000 euros, without prior notice.

Another shared that they paid 3,750 euros to a consultancy, but their enrollment was never completed over three years.

A third reported being promised a law degree from a Serbian university but never receiving a diploma despite paying and signing a contract.

To prevent such issues, students are advised to verify a university’s recognition status on YÖK’s official website, which lists formally recognized international universities. Without YÖK approval, the diploma will not be valid in Türkiye.

Speaking to daily Milliyet, consultant Yasin İkizoğlu emphasized the importance of reviewing international university rankings like QS, THE and ARWU.

Graduates from top-400 universities in such rankings receive automatic equivalency in Türkiye, while those from top-1000 schools can apply, though approval is not guaranteed.

Institutions below this threshold should be avoided, İkizoğlu suggested.

Another consultant Aykut Açkalmaz warned that nearly 60 percent of students studying abroad fail to graduate, recommending considering countries with strong education systems, such as the United States, China and Japan, instead of focusing solely on European options.