Erasmus Experience in Ankara, Turkey by Mahmud.

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Why did you choose to go to Ankara, Turkey?

Because I got a scholarship to study in Ankara and the universities ranking in Ankara is high.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I got a scholarship for 3 years. One year for Turkish language learning and 2 years for Master's degree studies.

What is the student lifestyle like in Ankara?

You can find a lot of international students who come to study in Ankara because of the high universities ranking.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Ankara to other students?

That's a nice question. Honestly, I recommend the University of Ankara to all students because it's very good and you will be lucky if you have been accepted there. Also, I have to say that Ankara as a city it's so boring city, you can't find a lot to see or visit in Ankara because it's the capital city which means only the government buildings could be seen.

What is the food like?

Turkish food is so famous and common everywhere in Turkey and in Ankara, you won't be worried about the food plus it's not expensive.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Ankara?

As I was a scholarship student, the admission of scholarship provides me the accommodation. But after finishing my studies I left my dormitory and rented a flat. It's not hard to find a rental flat at a suitable cost.

But you should know that many people don't accept to give their flats for single boys.

How much does it cost to live in Ankara?

As a single person and in case you would live in a flat with a housemate or 2 housemates as well as you transportation fees, food and drinks; you need about 700 TL which values about 150 $.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

The Turkish language is an easy language and you can learn it in 10 months.

You can find a lot of Turkish language courses provided by TOMER language center or private institutes.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Ankara from your city?

By plane.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Ankara?

You can't find a night life in Ankara as you think. As I said, it's kind of boring city and Turkish people generally sleep early. But you can find some people at night in the city center of Ankara in Kizilay Square which is the most popular area.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Ankara?

You can find a lot of restaurants in Ankara for Turkish foods and also international food brands. You don't need to be worried about it at all.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

You can find Ankara castle, the old city of Ankara, Atakule tower, and many old markets.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Ankara in the future?

You could be lucky to study in Ankara but you won't be lucky to live there.

You can't find job opportunities here in Ankara, and also, the weather here is so bad, it could be winter about 9 months and 3 months of summer.

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