By Ogechukwu Obi
About 60 Nigerian students recently joined their counterparts across the world to write the March edition of Uluyos examination, the entrance examination into about 83 Turkish government-owned universities.
According to a representative of Bursa Uludag University, Turkey, Prof. Ilker Arican, the examination, which held at Goodmus Learning Centre, Lagos is in consonance with the educational bilateral agreement between Nigerian and Turkish governments to give Nigerian students access to study in over 80 public universities in Turkey.
Briefing journalists in Lagos on the scholarship examination, the professor of Veterinary Medicine said the opportunity is not only open to Nigerians, but to students from 21 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia among others, that desire to study in a reputable university in Turkey. He said students who perform well will enjoy about 90 per cent scholarship on tuition only.
While stating that the entrance exam usually holds in November, May and March of every year, Arican said: “In Uludag University, we already have about 5,000 foreign students. We conduct exams for these students in 21 countries. After the exam, we make scores for all students. Students with high scores would be accepted for the scholarship programme.
“With the exam, students can be accepted in more than 80 universities in Turkey, which has nearly 200 universities. When they come, they also learn Turkish. After one year, they can work in Turkey as well.”
Aside quality education, he highlighted other benefits derivable by foreign students to include good learning environment, social amenities, sports and the amazing student town, located close to Uludag campus.
“The university runs courses cutting across 14 faculties, including International Relations, Medicine, Engineering, Natural and Social Sciences and Arts, Law, Education, Agriculture, Sports, Vocational Studies among others. However, the students will do a Turkish course. The students must stay for one year in Turkey and that, they can do part-time jobs. It is easy to find jobs,” Arican added.
Also speaking, the CEO Goodmus Learning Centre, Badmus Adekunle explained that the scholarship was aimed at reducing the huge cost of studying abroad by Nigerians in pursuit of higher education. “Goodmus Learning Centre and Wisdom House College are the ones that have a license to coordinate this scholarship exam and recruit students in Nigeria and Africa since 2014.
“It is an entrance exam that you take and it enables you to enjoy the tuition that naturally Turkey nationals should enjoy. It is made possible due to the educational bilateral agreement between the Nigerian government and Turkey to allow our students partake in an exam that their citizens like to take so as to enjoy government subsidy on education.”
“This exam enables students to get into the Uludag University and other 83 government-owned university in Turkey. The next edition will be in this centre by May 25, eligibility is from senior secondary two (SS2) students up to PhD level. They pay as low as 286 Euros per session. Masters and PhD students pay 388 Euros per session. The advantage of this exam is that when they get to Turkey, they can get themselves involved in the Erasmus Programme whereby they can do an exchange programmes with other universities in Europe, America and Asia.”
Adekunle said candidates came all the way from Adamawa, Kano, Lagos and other parts of the country to write the scholarship exam, adding that the exam is valid for only two years.
