08 - Turkey - Financial support for students

Financial supports are provided to students in various ways by public and private institutions. These supports are in forms of grants/scholarships, student loans for living costs, student loans for tuition fees, financial supports for accommodation and nutrition and cheapening of some services by subsidization. Also the parents of the students deduct specific amount of the expenditures that they make for their children's education from the tax. Excluding these general supports students have to supply other education and living expenses by themselves. Any supports in the form of tax exemption for students or their parents are not provided.

The legal framework of these services is set by Yüksek Öğrenim Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu Kanunu No. 351 and Yüksek Öğrenim Öğrencilerine Burs ve Kredi Verilmesine İlişkin Kanun No. 5102. Yükseköğrenim Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu (YURT-KUR) is founded so as to conduct such services and provide coordination. Also other public institutions and organization excluding municipalities can provide grants, credit and money allowance to higher education students via this institution. In case of granting scholarship, credit or money allowance to higher education students by municipalities information such as the type of support, amount and for how many students and for how long the support will last are informed to YURT-KUR on November, February, May and August. Thus much more students can be supported by following the financial supports which are provided to students.


Grants/scholarships

Grant is the money given without remuneration for supplying living expenses of the higher education students during their education terms who are successful and in need of support. Grants can be given students who attend programs on any stage and level including graduate programs without making any distinction between public and private university students. How to grant scholarship is arranged by Burs Kredi Yönetmeliği. This regulation includes who benefit the grants and how.

Number of students that will be granted scholarship for the first time is determined by plenary committee of the Yüksek Öğrenim Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu (YURT-KUR) considering the Institution budget. Executive Board is authorized on determination of monthly grant amounts, paying time and the grant quota according to the achievement in Öğrenci Seçme Sınavı (ÖSS). Executive Board allocates grant quota for universities considering student quotas mentioned in the Guide prepeared by Öğrenci Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi (ÖSYM) (excluding Private universities). Universities, within the allocated quota for themselves determine the students who are acceptable for grant and inform them to the Institution every year at the end of October at the latest provided that they keep within the minimum and maximum monthly scholarship amount and not exceed the total annual scholarship amount. On the condition of continuation of study and provided that there is not an impediment to grant the student can be granted scholarship as long as the normal education term for the education institution he/she continues. The continuation of grant is dependent on student's achievement. Achievement conditions of students who hold a grant are requested from the education institutions every year in September. Higher education institutions inform students who are found to be unsuccessful in accordance with the rudiments determined by authorized committees every year on October at the latest. Grants for the students who are informed to be unsuccessful by the education institutions are withdrawn and not granted again. Students whose grants are withdrawn can get credit in accordance with the rudiments determined by Öğrenim Kredisi Yönetmeliği as per the date grants are withdrawn.

Grant amounts that are determined for fisrt six months of 2008 are 160YTL for associate degree and bachelor’s degree students, 320 YTL for master degree students and 480 YTL for doctorate students monthly.

Student loans for living costs

Student loan is the loan money that does not have an obligation of compulsory service, is granted during the normal education period of the higher education so as to provide support for the living expenses of the students from associate degree students to doctorate program students by Yüksek Öğrenim Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu (YURT-KUR).

YURT-KUR takes Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (MEB), Devlet Planlama Teşkilatı (DPT), Predicency of the Yükseköğretim Kurulu and University Chancelleries’ opinions on distribution rate of credit as per education branches so as to determine the number of students to loan money. Considering the opinions, within the budgetary limits of the institution, determination of the distribution rate as per education branch and number of students to be granted credit for the first time are concluded by plenary committee upon Executive Board’s proposal. In accordance with the work schedule and finance plan, loans fund allocated for that year is compared with the number of students who applied to hold loans. If the loans to be granted to applied students are more than the allocated fund; determination of needs and fitness is evaluated according to the rudiments that are determined by Executive Board. This evaluation is for determining the requirement levels of the applicants.

On the condition of continuation of study and provided that there is not an impediment to get loans the student can be granted loans as long as the normal education term for the education institution he/she continues. Students have to pay the loans they got with the legal interests after two years from the end of normal education period within half the time he/she got loans and in three months period. The debt of the students who receive student loans from the institution is determined by adding students loans amount within the elapsed time between the date student loans are given and the date education term ends or withdrawn for any reason with the calculated amount when the increase in wholesale price index is applied by Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu.

Student loans for tuition fees

Higher education students Yükseköğretim Kanunu, Article 46 foresees that in higher education a portion of current service costs per departments shall be paid by students as tuition fees. Tuition fees is same for all higher education institutions, tuition fee of a program does not differ from one university to another. However different tuition fees are applied to different programs.

Upon the demand from the students in need within the specific criteria Yükseköğrenim Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu (YURTKUR) can pay the tuition fee to the higher education institution of the student by debiting the tuition fee in the name of the student. So, students get loans to be able to pay the tuition fee. Student loans for tuition fees are not given to second shift (evening) education students, graduate students and students in a private higher education institution.

Opinions of Ministry of Finance in determination of student loans for tuition fees allocation quota and opinions of Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (MEB), Devlet Planlama Teşkilatı (DPT), Predeceny of Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) and University Chancelleries on subjects related to student loans for tuition fee distribution rate as per education branches are taken. Considering the opinions, within the limits of allowance that is transferred from general budgetary, determination of the distribution rate as per education branch and number of students to be granted credit/loan for the first time is concluded by plenary committee upon YURT-KUR Executive Board’s proposal.

To supply the current service costs the amount that is to be remunerated by the student is placed to the concerned accounts of the universities by the Institution in the name of the student during the normal education term of the educational institute (preparatory class, foreign language support unit etc. if any) Students who leave an educational institution and register another educational institution continue to receive loans provided that they do not suspend their education and do not fail in their former educational institution for more than one year.

Students have to pay their debts after two years from the end of normal education duration of the education institution they continue, within half the time they got this loan and in three month periods. Students who desist from getting loan pay their debts in accordance with the rudiments of this article. During or after the education debts of the ones who are determined to be dead or became permanently incapacitated and incapable of work by a medical board of a general hospital are wiped off.

Accommodation and Nutrition Support

Among the students whose families live other than the place of school that they receive education, students in need are provided with sheltering and nutrition support in dormitories affiliated to Yükseköğrenim Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu (YURTKUR) and in some university dormitories. These supports to students are in the form of sheltering and nutrition supports that are under cost and cheapened by subsidization. Students who stay in the dormitories of YURT-KUR pay one-third of the total cost per student. The amount of the fees is determined every year by the concerned institutions. These services are expanded throughout the country. Number of students that continue formal education institutions excluding open education is about 1 600 000. About one seventh of these students are provided with support. Today YURT-KUR provides accommodation service with total 203 851 bed capacities in 229 dormitories at 78 provinces and 85 counties. Also when universities which provide accommodation services are considered one fifth of the students except open education are provided with accommodation service.

And some private universities provide to a limited number of students determined among successful students who prefer them with nutrition, accommodation and education costs and living expenses.

Students can stay in the dormitories during normal education time of their educational institution. Among the students who can not complete their education within the normal education durations, students in need are provided with one more year accommodation opportunity. These students pay twice as much bed charge monthly.

To students staying in YURT-KUR dormitories daily 1,30YTL for breakfast, 2,00 YTL for supper totally 3,30 YTL nutrition support is provided. This support is given as a monthly coupon and only one coupon is used per day. All the social security, accommodation and nutrition needs of the students who accomplish their high school educations in orphanages and protected by the State by court decision are provided by the government. 10,30 YTL is paid for 2008. Also, food prices are discounted at a rate of at least 30% of the market prices and kitchen, store, current tools and materials are inspected by the dieticians or dormitory managers for their quality and conformity to hygienic conditions. Meals are given as a la carte or table d'hôte.

In all public institutions of higher education lunches that are discounted by subsidization are given to students. The resource of this subsidization is met by contributions that are taken from students.

Other Supports

Students, who are not within the scope of any social security or assurance, are provided with health and psychological consulting service for free at the Student Health Centers.

Reduction is provided to students with their id cards in local public service vehicles, theatres, movies, museums and some other artistic activities.

Institutions:

 

Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution
Kıbrıs Cad. No:4 Kurtuluş Ankara/TÜRKİYE
Tel.:+90 312 430 17 80
Fax:+90 312 435 03 29
Website:  http://www.kyk.gov.tr

 

State Planning Organization
Necatibey Cad., No.108, 06100, Yücetepe/Ankara-TURKEY
Tel.:+90 312 294 50 00
Fax:+90 312 231 34 98
E-mail:  ilgi@dpt.gov.tr
Website:  http://www.dpt.gov.tr

 

Ministry of National Education
Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Atatürk Bulvarı Bakanlıklar Ankara/TÜRKİYE
Tel.:+90 312 424 08 87
Fax:+90 312 417 70 27
Website:  http://www.meb.gov.tr

 

Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution
Kıbrıs Cad. No:4 Kurtuluş Ankara/TÜRKİYE
Tel.:+90 312 430 17 80
Fax:+90 312 435 03 29
Website:  http://www.kyk.gov.tr

 

Higher Education Council
Yükseköğretim Kurulu Başkanlığı 06539 Bilkent Ankara/TÜRKİYE
Tel.:+90 312 298 70 00
Fax:+90 312 266 51 53
E-mail:  webadmin@yok.gov.tr
Website:  http://www.yok.gov.tr

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