Studying Abroad from the Perspectives of Turkish Graduate Students in the USA

Year 2020, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 213 - 223, 28.09.2020

Genç Osman İlhan , Şahin Oruç

Abstract

Studying abroad is a unique experience including social and cultural practices and affects students’
education, life styles, habits and identities. For a better insight about this unique experience, the
experiences of students studying abroad need to be analyzed deeply. In this context, this study aims
to understand the experiences of eight Turkish graduate students studying in the U.S. The study was
designed as a qualitative study and phenomenology was used as a research method. The data of the
study was obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face by the researcher. All
participants finished their undergraduate education in Turkey, and pursue their education in the
U.S. with different scholarship and funds. The interviews were recorded with participant consent
and the data was analyzed with content analysis technique. The findings reveal educational, social
and cultural dimensions of studying abroad experience.

Keywords

Studying abroad, graduate students, university, student experiences

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