From the ISO Coordinator

Dear candidates, 
 

With its about 18000 students, 1100 of whom are our international students from almost 60 different countries, and 700 academics, we, as Bartın University, are so happy to host lots of international students at our university. Although we are so away from each other, we dream about coming together one day, welcoming you here and shaping your future together. We are sure that you also dream about living in a city where you will enjoy your student life and at a university offering not only physical infrastructure but also a well-rounded education with qualified, passionate and dynamic teaching staff. We are just where you dream about in reaching your goals. We buckle down to create quality atmosphere for all our students.

Speaking of quality, I also would like to emphasize that Bartın University is entitled by our Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to specialize in a certain area among 15 universities in Turkey. Specializing as the first and unique university in Turkey in the area of Smart Logistics and Integrated Region Applications, our university focuses on the future technology. Within this specialization, all the output of research and projects conducted by our university will be shared with private and public sectors.

I think it would be better to proceed with the topics you would find more interesting about us. Turkey and Turkish higher education have leapt forward lately and this happened within not only national borders but also internationally. Today, there are 206 universities and academies trying to educate more than 8 million students in Turkey. Almost 200.000 of these are international students from over 100 countries, and this number is increasing year by year incrementally. Surely, Turkey’s national policies helped increase not only the life quality but also the number of universities and their students, as well.

In parallel with all these efforts, we, as Bartın University, managed to increase the number of international students and the variety of countries the students are from. Three years ago, we had just around a hundred international students and we have been able to boost it to more than a thousand from 58 countries. Only last year, we managed to admit 750 students from 40 different countries from 3 continents. In return for this favor, we are striving to serve our international students much better day by day.

As one of the topics our international students wonder about, tuitions are quite low at our university. We believe that everybody has the right to get education, so we offer higher education to all countries at reasonable fees. An international student can get education at one of 186 departments in our university with a fee of $60 to $130 per semester. Since our medium of instruction is Turkish language, they need to take Turkish language courses up to one academic year for 5 levels from A1 (basic level) to C1 (proficiency level), and they only pay $500 for it, which is so reasonable fee compared to the education fees at other universities. They generally cost from $700 to $1000.

In our language classes, international students not only improve their language skills but also learn about Turkish culture in the cultural adaptation classes, which is the first and unique workshop class in Turkey. These classes also give them the chance to introduce their own cultures in practice. This helps both of us to adapt ourselves to each other culturally.

Another question they wonder about is where our university and city is located and what distance they need to cover to arrive at some important places.  First of all, our city is so close to the most important metropolitan cities, just 280km away from the capital city, Ankara, and 420km from Istanbul, which is a world city and the most crowded one in Turkey. It takes 15 minutes by bus to arrive at the two main campuses, Ağdacı and Kutlubey, from the downtown. Many students prefer walking to them. The city of Bartın, the pearl of the Black Sea with a coastline of 59 km and 15 sandy beaches, is the place where the blue serenades the green. All important beaches are 20-30 minutes from the downtown, and you can enjoy the sun and the sea together in summer. Amasra with its history of 3000 years, Inkum with its 3km sandy beach and the hidden paradise Çakraz host tens of thousands of both local and international tourists every year. The River Bartın flows through the city center and it is the unique one in Turkey where the small ships sail around. With its long history, Bartın accommodates historic houses and mosques.

Back to our university, being of 9 faculties, 4 schools and 1 graduate school, serve around 18 thousand students on four different campuses. In our city, one out of every four people is a university student. Offering a student-centered education, we aim at having our students earn professional skills with 7+1 education model at the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Design and 3+1 education model at our Vocational Schools. Applied training is supported by various laboratories and, as we understand from the coronavirus outbreak, we are aware of the importance of distance education, e-learning and smart education systems by providing digital learning atmosphere. Our students also have the opportunity to get two degrees by double-majoring and minor majoring, which will help them to have the options in their career planning.

To talk about their life on campus, we are touching their not only academic but also social lives. Our students enjoy their times by doing sports, resting on a beautiful landscape, or studying at our library, one of the biggest in Turkey. It is open 24/7, and we have single or group study rooms, exhibition and meeting halls, cinema.

Academicians and students also make their marks by participating in the projects, competitions and doing significant research studies. Local or national development agencies or scientific councils support almost all of them financially. Our university organize “R&D Project Market” event and hosts tens of scientific projects from all over the country.

We train athletes worldwide at our Faculty of Sports Sciences. Here is the place where young athletes become champions literally or come second or third across Europe and the whole world.   

Our students from the Science and Technology Club’s GÖKBÖRÜ, an electric car, ranks among the top ten vehicles at TÜBİTAK’s competition. Engineer Development and Project Design Club’s students are creating an unmanned aerial vehicle in cooperation with Software and Innovation Club. International Students’ Club, which was founded by our international students, carry out various cultural and social activities during the semesters.

Several cultural, art and sporting activities are organized at our university. At the student festivals organized by our university annually, concerts, theatrical plays and folk dances are performed, which keeps students’ motivation alive constantly. Our academic units hold some important meetings, seminars, conferences by inviting prominent figures in their own spheres at regular intervals. Students can organize sporting events themselves on sports fields and courts. Our International Students Office can help them overcome adaptation problems in a very short time. By the way, we hold an orientation program for our international students prior to their first educational semester in order for them to adapt to the life in here.

Another issue that students look for answer about is accommodation. And quite frankly, our city can accommodate all its students easily at the state or private dormitories or student houses here. In private dormitories, all student expenses are included in price such as internet, electricity, natural gas, laundry, complimentary breakfast and free meals for a price of $100-120. Commuting to school costs only $2 or $3 per week and meals are served for the same prices at student dining halls.

Within 3 months after their first arrivals in Turkey, students will be able to get insurance by our Ministry of Health and their health expenses will be covered by our government. Our university also offer health service free of charge by a doctor, a dentist, a dietitian, a psychologist and two nurses. All the areas are disabled-friendly on Kutlubey campus and our university is awarded by YÖK (CoHE) as barrier-free access and ranks in the top 8 universities in Turkey. We believe in individuals’ barrier-free access in life and our project called “Barrier-Free Life” is financed by our local development agency. We will carry out improvement and refinement projects for disabled-individuals, their families, special education teachers and students. Our disabled international students will also be able to benefit from these facilities.

All our freshman students including international students can get a whole-year education on a volunteer basis at our School of Foreign Languages in order to improve their English language skills.

Those who are proficient in English in B1 level can study abroad for one or two semesters within the scope of bilateral agreements between our university and partner universities or undergo traineeship for a few months. All the mobilities within the scope of Erasmus+ program are granted by our university.

Bartın University has taken the required precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic in the last semester and extends them for the following academic year. Right after the week when the education was suspended across the country, we started distance education for all degrees and completed all the courses and exams during the semester successfully. If necessary, the restrictions against the pandemic continue to be in practice, we will deliver the lessons in the same way. We decided to admit international students by the midst of December in case the borders are closed down as required by the pandemic restrictions. Those arriving late may start their education from the next semester on (in the spring semester) or freeze their education until the next academic year.

Hopefully, we will host you here as our students some time in future. We wish you a healthy life and a successful career in your life.

CoHE* = Council of Higher Education