Direct Access to English-Medium Higher Education in Turkey: Variations in Entry Language Scores

Year 2022, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 325 - 345, 27.10.2022

Meryem Özdemir-yılmazer

https://doi.org/10.31464/jlere.1105651

Cited By: 3

Abstract

The internalization of higher education has led to exponential growth in the number of English-medium (EMI) programs worldwide. The minimum level of English proficiency for prospective EMI students to manage the linguistics demands in these programs has recently been investigated. This study aims to explore the EMI higher education context in Turkey in terms of the language requirements for direct access to EMI undergraduate programs. In this study, 57 Turkish public universities offering EMI undergraduate programs were examined in terms of the language requirements, and the rationale behind setting those standards. The data were collected from the official policy documents and websites of the universities. The results indicated that required language scores are varied and the decisions of setting those scores are not empirically founded. This study implies the need for a common policy for language requirements based on the empirical studies and the international frameworks in Turkish higher education.

Keywords

English medium instruction (EMI), entry language score, CEFR, English proficiency, Turkey

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