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Soaring inflation in Türkiye’s education sector is pushing the cost of private university education to levels equal to or higher than those in many European countries, prompting concerns over an accelerating brain drain among young students.
According to figures from the 2024–2025 academic year, tuition at private universities in Türkiye ranges from €13,000 ($15,239) to €23,457 for students without scholarships.
These figures closely match or exceed tuition levels at institutions in countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic, where annual fees typically range up to €12,000.
The tuition disparity is amplified by Türkiye’s living costs and inflation, making education abroad a more attractive option for many students. This trend contributes to the ongoing outflow of young professionals, known locally as the “brain drain.”
Over the last decade, overall inflation in Türkiye has climbed by 1,043%, while the education sector has experienced a 1,052% increase. University-level tuition has seen an even steeper rise, with a cumulative increase of 1,316% since 2015.
The Turkish Statistical Institute reported that education was the fastest-growing expenditure category in June 2024, with an annual inflation rate of 73.33%. This figure stands in stark contrast to the overall consumer inflation rate, which eased to 35.05% in the same period.
Despite rising education costs, the share of education spending in Turkish household consumption remains low. Education accounted for only 1.6% of household expenditures in 2024, according to official statistics.
However, Türkiye ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest household spending on private college education. The Education Data Initiative states that, as of 2021, Turkish families spent an average of $7,145 annually on private higher education.
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