A Brief Note On Türkiye Scholarships Program During Corona Virus Outbreak

As you are well aware, Coronavirus outbreak, also called as COVID-19, has been affecting the world negatively for a certain period of time. Many countries have adopted a broad spectrum of measures in this period, from travel bans to closing borders and economic measures to curfews. The spread of pandemics in our country has been reduced significantly thanks to the rigid measures adopted in line with the recommendations given by the Corona Scientific Board established at the earlier stages of the outbreak within the Ministry of Health.

In accordance with the measures of the Turkish government to limit the spread of COVID-19 virus and to mitigate its impacts, our Presidency has made great efforts to deliver information on basic protective measures against the new coronavirus and to address the needs of Türkiye Scholarships holders. In this context, we have strengthened our coordination with relevant institutions in the field of accommodation, education and health to make sure that the process is better managed for our students staying in Turkey during this outbreak. It is a great relief and happiness to see that so far there are no reports of infections among our awardees.

After the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) decided to implement online or digital methods for the spring term, our Presidency has decided to continue all the facilities and services provided to our awardees. Our students accommodating in state-run dormitories managed by KYK can continue to stay in their dormitories, whereas students accommodating at private dormitories can continue to stay at their rooms as long as the institutions remain open to service but they may be transferred to state-run dorms if the private ones are closed.

In the same vein, our awardees will continue to benefit from housing/ accommodation assistance that is provided through transfer of accommodation fees to the relevant institution or payment of the fee to students in cash. In addition to accommodation facilities and monthly scholarship payments, social and cultural programs for the academic and personal development of our students will be made available via online mediums.

Within the scope of COVID-19 agenda, our Presidency has shared an information questionnaire with our awardees to identify their needs and expectations, asking whether they would like to return to their home countries if their respective Embassies would organize their returning. The majority of the students answered ‘I would like to stay in Turkey’, showing the trust and the confidence they have in our country and this, in turn, has encouraged our Presidency to develop online activities during this period. However, if the respective Embassies would like to take initiative to transfer Türkiye Scholarships awardees to their home country as the flights from Turkey become available in the forthcoming period, we can assist in conveying this information to the students.

With our hope that the COVID-19 outbreak could be brought under control in the coming months, we would like to inform you that Türkiye Scholarships evaluation process of 2020 candidates is currently continuing within the application calendar previously announced in our website. However, we do expect that the outbreak’s negative impact could cause some delay and disruption in Türkiye Scholarships’ application and selection calendar.

In this respect, believing that each of our students is a valuable member of Türkiye Scholarships family, we will continue to support our students in the upcoming period and we are ready to cooperate with the Embassies of foreign countries in all matters.