We will learn about everything related to student residency in Turkey, from the procedures and requirements necessary to obtain it to the benefits and privileges it offers to international students, and we will also explore the experiences of students living and studying in Turkey, and how this period can be a real opportunity for personal and academic growth.
What is meant by student residence in Turkey?
In Turkey, this document is what is known as the student residence card (residence document), and it is considered one of the important official documents that grant foreign students the right to legal residence on the territory of Turkey this card contains personal information of the student, such as name, date of birth, gender (male or female) and nationality, in addition to a personal photo of the student, along with the Turkish national number known as TC.
Student residency is granted to foreigners studying in higher educational institutions in Turkey, whether they are students at institutes or universities or pursuing a master's or doctoral degree and students who study at the basic or intermediate level (primary, preparatory, secondary) can also obtain residency, provided that their sponsorship and expenses are approved by a specific entity with the approval of their guardian or legal representative for some time equivalent to one year at a time.
How can I obtain student residence in Turkey?
Once you have completed all the papers required to obtain the student’s residence, you should review the Immigration Department on the specified date and submit the papers to the concerned employee, after applying, you will be given a temporary document that enables you to move within Turkey pending approval of your final residence as a student and later, the student card will be sent to your address via the national post (PTT).
It should be noted that the student is not required to submit a bank statement or a lease contract to obtain a residence permit, which differs from the procedures for obtaining a tourist residence permit and holders of student residency are not granted the right to apply for Turkish citizenship after 5 years, as is the case in the case of residency for work.
What are the papers required to obtain student residence in Turkey?
When a student wants to study in Turkey, he must first obtain a final acceptance letter from the university, school, or language institute to which he was accepted, after arriving in Turkey he must convert the acceptance letter into a student identification paper.
Then the student must obtain Turkish health insurance for a year, and the health insurance must be Turkish, not international, when he has all the necessary papers, he can schedule an appointment to submit them at the Immigration Department.
Submitting the necessary papers also requires attaching 4 personal photos and in the case of a student’s residence, it is prohibited to request a bank statement or a house lease contract, which distinguishes the student’s residence from the tourist residence in this regard.
Conditions for Obtaining Student Residence in Turkey
Student residency is granted to foreign students who intend to receive higher education in Turkey, whether in institutes or universities or seeking to obtain a master's or doctoral degree.
Students studying in basic and intermediate education in Turkey can also obtain student residence, but on condition that a real person or an institution (association) sponsors them and bears their expenses with the approval of their parents or their legal representative, and the residence must be renewed annually during the one-year study period.
On the other hand, a student who has not completed one year of education in Turkey does not obtain a residence permit.
It should be noted that a foreign student who has obtained student residence is not authorized to grant permission to any of his family members, whether parents or siblings, to reside in Turkey based on his residence.
What are the advantages of obtaining student residence in Turkey?
Student residency in Turkey gives a legal opportunity to live throughout the study period in the country and is characterized by lower costs and easier procedures and conditions compared to tourist residency.
A student residing in Turkey benefits from several advantages, as he obtains a student transportation card that allows him to move by all means of transportation within the state in which he resides at a low cost.
The student in Turkey also enjoys great discounts on treatment and health insurance, and he can benefit from Turkish government hospitals.
In addition, student residency provides an opportunity for coordination between the Turkish Ministry of Higher Education and the Turkish Ministry of Social Insurance and Labor, which provides principles and foundations for the work of students who obtain student residency.
Another benefit of student residency in Turkey is that it paves the way for candidacy for exceptional Turkish citizenship after a period of successful residency in the country.
Is the student entitled to work while studying?
The right to work for students of institutes, university levels, master’s, and doctoral levels is available, provided that a work permit is obtained from the competent authorities and it is worth noting that the right to work is granted to students of institutes and university stages after the first year of their studies, but it may not exceed twenty-four working hours per week.
Regarding the residence permit period, students whose education period lasts less than a year are not allowed to obtain a residence period that exceeds the education period in other words, if the student enrolls in an educational course for six months, the duration of his stay will be only six months.
These rules allow international students to improve their level of education and benefit from the educational experience in Turkey without much impact on the general context of residence and these policies aim to encourage students to learn and take advantage of the employment opportunities that are available to them in a reasonable and balanced manner during their stay in Turkey.