International and Domestic Challenges of MoNE Scholarship Students Abroad: A Ranking-Based Analysis with Policy Implications

Year 2026, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 44 - 60, 29.12.2025

Demet Alkan

https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1773731

Abstract

Identifying the challenges faced by postgraduate students studying abroad is of critical importance for both academic success and student well-being. In this study, the difficulties experienced by students enrolled in the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) overseas postgraduate scholarship program were examined using a ranking judgment-based scaling method. Employing both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques, qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted with 200 scholarship recipients in the first phase were systematically analyzed and classified into 12 themes. Subsequently, students ranked these problems according to their perceived importance and developed solution proposals. The data were analyzed using the ranking judgment-based scaling method to calculate priority scores for the problems, while the solution proposals were evaluated through content analysis based on students’ views. The findings indicate that the most critical problems include insufficient scholarship amounts relative to the cost of living in the host country, housing difficulties, psychological stress arising from fear of failure and compensation obligations, challenges to family unity, and inadequacies in healthcare services. In particular, the insufficiency of scholarship amounts to cover living costs and psychological stress stand out as issues requiring the most urgent intervention for students. The findings were also associated with international scholarship programs, demonstrating that similar challenges are encountered in both the Global South and high-income countries. Policy recommendations include revising scholarship amounts, increasing transparency in administrative processes, strengthening academic advising mechanisms, providing psychosocial support services, and developing culturally adaptive orientation programs. The study offers a student-centered and evidence-based foundation for redesigning MoNE scholarship policies.

Keywords

International scholarship programs , Ministry of National Education YLSY program , Postgraduate students studying abroad , Student experiences and encountered challenges , Ranking judgment based scaling , Scholarship recipients’ solution proposals

Ethical Statement

The ethics application for the study was made on 19.06.2025 and the research was carried out with the approval of Ankara Sosyal Bilimler University Ethics Commission dated 19.06.2025and numbered 165954.

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