Ankara

Ankara

Sabrina Collier

Updated July 15, 2021 Updated July 15

QS Best Student Cities ranking: Joint 89th

Turkey’s capital and second-largest city, Ankara is located in the north-western part of the country, and although it may seem like a bustling concrete jungle on first glance, a closer look will reveal that the city has much to offer international students.

Known as Ancyra and Angora in antiquity, Ankara has a history dating back to the Bronze Age, and archaeological sites from various periods of its history are still present in the city – from the Roman and later Byzantine Ankara Castle that overlooks the city and offers stunning views, to the remains of ancient Roman baths, and the Temple of Augustus and Rome.

Probably the most popular landmark in Ankara is the Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, which is particularly striking to visit on a national holiday such as Republic Day, when it lights up with celebrations. Ankara is also home to a number of interesting museums, attractive parks and open spaces, mosques, historic inns, bars, clubs and concert venues.

The city has a large population of students, and the government is a major employer. Many students will be pleased to hear that it’s a fairly affordable study destination, with reasonable living costs and tuition fees. You can find programs taught in English or Turkish, although international students may need to pay more to study in English.

Internationally ranked universities in Ankara

Bilkent UniversityMiddle East Technical UniversityHacettepe UniversityAnkara Üniversitesi

More about Ankara

Number of universities ranked by QS

4

Highest-ranked institution

Bilkent University (ranked 501-510)

Population

4,750,000

Average international fees (at ranked unis)

US$3,800

Desirability rank

117th

Employer Activity rank

79th

Affordability rank

39th

Student View rank

70th

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.

This article was originally published in February 2017 . It was last updated in July 2021

Written by

The former Assistant Editor of TopUniversities.com, Sabrina wrote and edited articles to guide students from around the world on a wide range of topics. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University and grew up in Staffordshire, UK. 

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