Abstract:

There has been a significant increase in international student mobility in the last two decades, thanks to internationalization. International student mobility is becoming essential for scientific, technological, industrial, commercial, and political countries. While this increase made positive contributions to countries and students, on the one hand, it also caused students to encounter different problems. This study aims to investigate the reasons why international students choose Turkey, as well as their experiences and future career plans. This research is a qualitative research approach with a phenomenological design. This qualitative study used a semi-structured interview form as a data collection tool. In the study, it was found that they encountered language and communication barriers supported by the literature. In addition, international students think their education in Turkey will positively affect their future. They state that they can seize new opportunities in other countries thanks to the knowledge and experience they have gained from Türkiye. This study suggests that incorporating international student experiences into the existing body of literature would provide universities and administrators with valuable insights into the factors influencing students' decision to study in Türkiye, their experiences while studying there, and their future career aspirations.

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