Direct Enrollment at Bogazici Past Review

By (Political Science and Government., Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/01/2013 to 01/08/2014 with

Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Spending a semester at Bogazici was great. It was everything I hoped from a study abroad experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were great, the Political Science department is very strong at Bogazici.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I was not in a program per-se, so not much administrative evolvement. This was good for me, I was looking to be independent.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I found my own apartment on the internet, which is how most European exchange students do it when they come to Istanbul. It was a great apartment with lovely people.

* Food:

The food in Istanbul is amazing. I'm not totally sure what this question is asking though, not a lot of food associated with the university. Except for the cafeteria food, which was mediocre but so amazingly inexpensive (~$1 for a full meal).

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I lived with a Turkish girl which was great, but without Turkish there is only so far you can go integrating.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Istanbul is a huge city. As in all huge cities, you need to be smart. That said, I never felt unsafe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Living well and inexpensively is easy in Istanbul. Food, transportation, and rent is all cheap. Everything is about half the price you would expect in a major European city, except for alcohol which costs roughly the same.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I easily spent less than $50 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you don't buy much alcohol your expenses can be absurdly low.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? People generally do not speak much English in Istanbul (with the exception of young people and students) so it is easy/necessary to learn the basics in order to get by. Taking a language class is also really useful

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Istanbul
  • Academics
  • People
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known that it would take some time to find an apartment. I wouldn't have done anything differently but just knowing that would have reduced stress.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Politics and Society in the Middle East

Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: KORAY ÇALISKAN
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was challenging but really good. The professor is a bit full of himself but very very smart. If you are interested in a post-structuralist lens with which to understand the Middle East this class is a MUST.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Islamic Philosophy

Course Department: Philosophy
Instructor: Muhtaroglu
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class focused on one Medieval Islamic philosopher, al-Ghazali. It was a seminar and very specific and I enjoyed that a great deal. The professor was visiting from Harvard for a single semester only, though, so I doubt it will be offered again.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Intro Turkish Language

Course Department: Turkish
Instructor: BILGEN ERDEM
Instruction Language: Turkish
Comments: This course was a great introduction to Turkish language. There was regular homework, tests, quizzes, etc., everything you would expect to find in a good language class. The professor is the best, and even though the class had around 30 students in it she managed to keep everyone engaged. Avoid any other Turkish professor though, students had terrible experiences in their Intro Turkish courses.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Gender and Politics in the Middle East

Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Yesim Arat
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was an independent study designed by Professor Arat and myself. We met weekly to discuss readings and the writing I did on them. The end of the semester concluded with a research paper. This was a great opportunity to delve deeper into an interesting topic with one of the leading academics in the field.
Credit Transfer Issues: No