Journals / Yükseköğretim Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2

The Study of the YLSY Scholarship Program is Based on State-Sponsored Scholarships in the World: A Document Analysis

YLSY Burs Programının Dünyadaki Devlet Destekli Burs Programları Temelinde İncelenmesi: Bir Literatür Taraması

Deniz Demircioğlu Diren(SAKARYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, UZAKTAN EĞİTİM UYGULAMA VE ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZİ)0000-0002-4280-0394
Şule Yılmaz Ozden(SAKARYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, EĞİTİM FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0003-0725-7338
Mehmet Barış Horzum(SAKARYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, UZAKTAN EĞİTİM UYGULAMA VE ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZİ)0000-0003-3567-0779
Pages
73–86
Publication Date
2026-08-31
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal the similarities and differences between the YLSY scholarship program and international practices and highlight the program’s strengths and areas requiring improvement.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Developing countries formulate policies for higher education scholarship programs to meet their need for qualified human resources.
📊
Key Findings & Data:For this purpose, Türkiye sends scholarship recipients abroad for postgraduate education under Law No. 1416.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal the similarities and differences between the YLSY scholarship program and international practices and highlight the program’s strengths and areas requiring improvement.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:2013 Verileri
⚙️Variables:YLSY · Devlet Bursu · Uluslararası Eğitim

Abstract

Objective: Developing countries formulate policies for higher education scholarship programs to meet their need for qualified human resources. For this purpose, Türkiye sends scholarship recipients abroad for postgraduate education under Law No. 1416. This study aims to examine academic articles published in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases between 2013 and 2022 in order to comparatively evaluate the Selection and Placement of Students to Be Sent Abroad for Postgraduate Studies (YLSY) scholarship program in relation to state-funded scholarship programs worldwide. Method: The study was conducted as a systematic review within the scope of document analysis in accordance with the PRISMA principles. Academic articles published in the WoS and Scopus databases between 2013 and 2022 that met the inclusion criteria were examined. The articles were coded and classified according to common themes through thematic content analysis, and the findings were evaluated systematically and holistically based on these themes. Results: The thematic analysis identified five main themes: scholarship trends, scholarship policies, the effects of scholarships on employment and the labor market, scholarship recipients’ experiences, and their contributions to institutions and organizations. These themes provide a comprehensive account of the different dimensions of scholarship programs. The findings reveal the similarities and differences between the YLSY scholarship program and international practices and highlight the program’s strengths and areas requiring improvement. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings indicate that student tracking systems should be strengthened and reintegration processes for returning scholarship recipients should be made more flexible to improve the effectiveness of the YLSY scholarship program. Comparing the program with international examples has enabled its strengths and weaknesses to be identified more clearly. The findings offer guidance to policymakers and future research aimed at improving scholarship programs at both policy and implementation levels. Future studies should monitor the long-term career development of scholarship recipients.

Özet

Amaç: Kalkınmakta olan devletler, nitelikli insan gücü ihtiyacını karşılamak amacıyla yükseköğretim burs programlarına yönelik politikalar geliştirmektedir. Türkiye, bu amaçla 1416 sayılı Kanun kapsamında yurtdışına lisansüstü öğrenim için bursiyer öğrenci göndermektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Yurt Dışına Lisansüstü Öğrenim Görmek Üzere Gönderilecek Öğrencileri Seçme ve Yerleştirme (YLSY) burs programını dünya ölçeğindeki devlet destekli burs programlarıyla karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirmek üzere 2013-2022 yılları arasında Web of Science (WoS) ve Scopus veri tabanlarında yayımlanan akademik makaleleri incelemektir. Yöntem: Çalışma, doküman analizi kapsamında PRISMA ilkelerine uygun olarak sistematik derleme yöntemiyle yürütülmüştür. 2013–2022 yılları arasında WoS ve Scopus veri tabanlarında yayımlanan ve dahil edilme kriterlerini karşılayan akademik makaleler incelenmiştir. Makaleler tematik içerik analizi kapsamında ortak temalar bakımından kodlanmış, sınıflandırılmış ve bulgular bu temalar doğrultusunda sistematik ve bütüncül biçimde değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Yapılan tematik analiz sonucunda beş ana tema belirlenmiştir: burslarla ilgili eğilimler, burs politikaları, bursların istihdam/işgücü piyasasına etkileri, bursiyerlerin deneyimleri ile bursiyerlerin kurum ve kuruluşlara katkıları. Bu temalar, burs programlarının farklı boyutlarını bütüncül biçimde yansıtmaktadır. Bulgular, YLSY burs programının uluslararası uygulamalarla benzer ve farklı yönlerini ortaya koymakta, programın güçlü yönleri ile geliştirilmesi gereken alanlarını belirgin kılmaktadır. Sonuç ve Öneriler: Araştırma sonuçları, YLSY burs programının daha etkili yürütülebilmesi için öğrenci takip sistemlerinin güçlendirilmesi ve bursiyerlerin yurda dönüş süreçlerinin daha esnek hale getirilmesi gerektiğini göstermektedir. Programın uluslararası örneklerle karşılaştırılması, güçlü ve zayıf yönlerinin daha net biçimde ortaya konmasını sağlamıştır. Bu sonuçlar, burs programlarının politika ve uygulama düzeyinde iyileştirilmesine yönelik gelecekteki araştırmalara ve karar alıcılara yol gösterici niteliktedir. Gelecek çalışmalarda, bursiyerlerin uzun vadeli kariyer gelişimlerinin izlenmesi önerilmektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Diren, D. D., Ozden, Ş. Y., Horzum, M. B. (2026). The Study of the YLSY Scholarship Program is Based on State-Sponsored Scholarships in the World: A Document Analysis. Yükseköğretim Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2, 73–86. https://doi.org/10.53478/yuksekogretim.1296166

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (44)

  1. Agbuga, B. (2009). Problems of confronting college Turkish students in an American university. Qualitative Studies, 4(4), 34-50.
  2. Akçapar, Ş. K. (2009). Turkish highly skilled migration to the United States: New findings and policy recommendations. A. İçduygu & K. Kirişçi (Ed.), Land of Diverse Migrations: Challenges of Emigration and Immigration in Turkey (s. 110-248). İstanbul Bilgi University Press.
  3. Aktekin, S., & Karataş, F. (2019). Resmi Burslu Statüde Yurt Dışına Lisansüstü Eğitime Gönderilen Öğrencilerin Karşılaştıkları Sorunlar ve Çözüm Önerileri. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 21(3), 487-510.
  4. Aktekin, S., & Tekben, İ. (2019). Analysis of the opinions on the contributions of the scholarship awardees under the law no. 1416 to the public institutions and organizations in Türkiye. Milli Eğitim Dergisi, 48(224), 123-147.
  5. Alkubaidi, M., & Alzhrani, N. (2020). We are back: Reverse culture shock among Saudi scholars after doctoral study abroad. SAGE Open, 10(4), 2158244020970555. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020970555
  6. Bhandari, R. & Blumenthal, P. (Ed.). (2010). International students and global mobility in higher education: National trends and new directions. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230117143
  7. Campbell, A. C. (2019). Exploring the relationship of home country government reforms and the choices of international higher education scholarship program participants. European Education, 51(2), 147-163. https://doi.org/10.1080/10564934.2019.1569470
  8. Campbell, A. C. (2020). Giving back to one’s country following an international higher education scholarship: Comparing in-country and expatriate alumni perceptions of engagement in social and economic change in Moldova. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 50(4), 573-591. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2018.1540925
  9. Campbell, A. C., & Lavallee, C. A. (2020). A community of practice for social justice: Examining the case of an international scholarship alumni association in Ghana. Journal of Studies in International Education, 24(4), 409-423. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315319842343
  10. Chavez, H., & Gaybor, J. (2021). Transformations in the Ecuadorian scientific landscape: a bibliometric analysis of the main publications trends and the role of the scientific networks and the public international scholarship program. Journal of Scientometric Research, 10(1), 115-128. https://doi.org/10.5530/JSCIRES.10.1S.27
  11. China Scholarship Council. (2023, Kasım). China Scholarship Council rules: Translation and notes [PDF]. UKC Transparency. 21.03.2024 tarihinde https://ukctransparency.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/China-Scholarship-Council-Rules-translation-and-notes-1.pdf adresinden alınmıştır.
  12. Duru, E., & Poyrazli, S. (2011). Perceived discrimination, social connectedness, and other predictors of adjustment difficulties among Turkish international students. International Journal of Psychology, 46(6), 446-454. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2011.585158
  13. El Masri, A. (2020). International education policymaking: A case study of Ontario’s Trillium Scholarship Program. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 50(4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.vi0.188819
  14. Erden, Ö. (2013). An Assessment of MoNE-YLSY scholarship program from the perspectives of scholars’: changes in cultural, political, economic and educational perceptions [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi.
  15. Franken, M., Langi, N. T. K., & Branson, C. (2016). The reintegration of Tongan postgraduate scholars after study abroad: knowledge utilisation and resituation. Asia Pacific Education Review, 17, 691-702. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-016-9462-5
  16. Gertzog, A. (2011). Non-linguistic challenges for Turkish students in American higher education [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. City University of New York. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED525728)
  17. Gümüş, S., & Gökbel, V. (2012). 2023 için akademisyen yetiştirme çabaları: MEB ve YÖK yurtdışı lisansüstü bursları. SETA Analiz, 56. https://file.setav.org/Files/Pdf/20121211114222_meb-ve-yok-yurtdisi-lisansustu-burslari.pdf
  18. Haghdoost, A. A., Ghazi, M., Rafiee, Z., & Afshari, M. (2013). The trend of governmental support from post-graduated Iranian students in medical fields to study abroad. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 42(Suppl. 1), 141.
  19. Haupt, J. P., Sutrisno, A., & Hermawan, M. S. (2021). Motivations and outcomes in dual-degree programs: insights from graduate scholarships for Indonesian civil servants. Asia Pacific Education Review, 22(3), 535-548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-021-09687-9
  20. Jiang, J., Mok, K. H., & Shen, W. (2020). Riding over the national and global disequilibria: international learning and academic career development of Chinese Ph. D. returnees. Higher Education Policy, 33, 531-554. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-019-00175-9
  21. Jonbekova, D., Kim, T., Kerimkulova, S., Ruby, A., & Sparks, J. (2021). Employment of international education graduates: Issues of economy and resistance to change. Higher Education Quarterly, 75(4), 618-633. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12321
  22. Karakaş, A. (2013). Intercultural attitudes of Turkish students studying in a UK university. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 13(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v13i1.613
  23. Koda, Y., & Yuki, T. (2013). The labor market outcomes of two forms of cross-border higher education degree programs between Malaysia and Japan. International Journal of Educational Development, 33(4), 367-379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2012.07.001
  24. Liu, Y., Huang, Y., & Shen, W. (2022). Building Halos: How do Chinese elites seek distinction through (mis) recognising studying abroad?. International Journal of Educational Development, 91, 102589.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2022.102589
  25. Lucas, R. E., Jr. (1988). On the mechanics of economic development. Journal of Monetary Economics, 22(1), 3–42.https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3932(88)90168-7
  26. McMahon, W. W. (2000). Education and development: Measuring the social benefits. Clarendon Press.
  27. McMahon, W. W. (2009). Higher learning, greater good: The private and social benefits of higher education. Johns Hopkins University Press.
  28. MEB (2021). 2021 Yılı Faaliyet Raporu. https://yyegm.meb.gov.tr
  29. MEB (2022). YLSY Değerlendirme Raporu. https://yyegm.meb.gov.tr
  30. MEB (2024, Ekim). YLSY 10 Yıllık Durum Raporu (2014–2023). https://yyegm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2024_12/31164741_ylsy_20142023donemraporu.pdf
  31. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Sage.
  32. OECD, & The World Bank (2010), Chile’s International Scholarship Programme. Reviews of National Policies for Education, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264086425-en.
  33. Özel, H. A. (2012). Ekonomik büyümenin teorik temelleri. Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 2(1), 63-72.
  34. Özyakışır, D. (2011). Beşeri sermayenin ekonomik kalkınma sürecindeki rolü: Teorik bir değerlendirme. Girişimcilik ve Kalkınma Dergisi, 6(1), 46–71.
  35. Romer, P. M. (1986). Increasing returns and long-run growth. Journal of Political Economy, 94(5), 1002-1037. https://doi.org/10.1086/261420
  36. Samala, A. D., Usmeldi, Taali, Ambiyar, Bojic, L., Indarta, Y., Tsoy, D., Denden, M., Tas, N., & Dewi, I. P. (2023). Metaverse technologies in education: A systematic literature review using PRISMA. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 18(5), 231–252. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v18i05.35501
  37. Sandekian, R. E., Weddington, M., Birnbaum, M., & Keen, J. K. (2015). A narrative inquiry into academic experiences of female Saudi graduate students at a comprehensive doctoral university. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19(4), 360-378. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315574100
  38. Şehitoğlu, R. (2025). Küresel köyde vatandaş diplomat olmak: Türkiye’nin YLSY bursiyerleri. İletişim ve Diplomasi, 14, 71-92. https://doi.org/10.54722/iletisimvediplomasi.1681387
  39. Shen, W. Q., Liu, D., & Chen, H. (2017). Chinese Ph. D. students on exchange in European Union countries: Experiences and benefits. European Journal of Higher Education, 7(3), 322-335. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2017.1290885
  40. Stallivieri, L. (2015, 31 Mayıs). Brazil’s science without borders program. The World View. https://www.insidehighered.com
  41. Taylor, C., & Albasri, W. (2014). The impact of Saudi Arabia King Abdullah’s scholarship program in the U.S. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 109-118. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2014.210013.
  42. Willig, C., & Rogers, W. S. (Eds.). (2017). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research in psychology. Sage.
  43. Yılmaz, Z., & Danışoğlu, F. (2017). Ekonomik kalkınmada beşeri sermayenin rolü ve Türkiye’de beşeri kalkınmanın görünümü olarak insani gelişim endeksi. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 51, 117-147.
  44. Taylor, C., & Albasri, W. (2014). The impact of Saudi Arabia King Abdullah’s scholarship program in the U.S. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 109-118. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2014.210013.