Since March 2019, when the first coronavirus case was detected in Turkey, universities have conducted education online for one and a half years. Although universities have started face-to-face education after a long hiatus, exorbitant price increases welcomed students who have just stepped into university life. Especially the accommodation problem of the students, education expenses and all other expenses increased the monthly total expenses of the students above the minimum wage. The economic difficulties of education life, together with the housing problem in state dormitories and the exorbitant numbers in private dormitories, make both students and parents think.
With the universities starting their education life face-to-face after a long hiatus, students who won schools other than the cities they lived in went to the cities where their university life would begin. After the enrollment in schools, students, while trying to find a solution to the housing problem, turned to private dormitories, which increased exorbitant prices due to the inadequacy of state dormitories, and rented houses, which were also on the agenda with exorbitant prices. As it is known, the scholarships and loans given to university students by the state amounted to 650 TL. Although this fee is insufficient for most expenses, students try to meet their needs in the best way with the scholarship or loan provided.
PRIVATE DORMITORIES IN METROPOLITAN MONTHLY AVERAGE 2,000 TL
One of the options they have for the problem of accommodation, which is one of the basic needs for students who have won a university outside the city they live in, is state dormitories. Dormitories have been on the agenda lately with insufficient quota. Students who cannot settle in state dormitories tend to go to private dormitories and rental houses, but here they are faced with exorbitant prices. A student who turns to the private dormitory option pays between 2,000 TL and 3,000 TL per month for a double room in Istanbul, while in Ankara this amount is between 1,500 TL and 2,000 TL on a monthly basis. However, a student who cannot find what he wants in private dormitories is forced to turn to rental houses, which are on the agenda with exorbitant rent increases.
RENTS FOR STUDENTS ARE ALSO TOO HIGH
While students who cannot settle in private dormitories tend to rent houses, which have recently come to the fore with exorbitant price increases, a student who wins a school in Istanbul pays an average of 2,500 TL to 3,000 TL monthly rent for a 2+1 flat, while a student who won a university in Ankara pays monthly rent. For a 2+1 flat, it is faced with monthly rental fees between 2,000 TL and 2,500 TL on average. Even if more than one person owns a house against these high rents, in addition to these, after the house is rented, the student has to pay a fee for the use of necessary needs such as electricity, water and natural gas.
STUDENTS' MONTHLY EXPENSES 2,500 TL
A student who is far from the city he lives in and studying in big cities causes expenses between 2,500 TL and 5,000 TL per month on average, based on his basic needs such as housing and nutrition, while the amount of scholarships and loans given to students by the state is 650 TL. Considering that the minimum wage is 2,825 liras and 90 cents, it is clearly seen that it is difficult for a parent trying to live on the minimum wage to afford student expenses. The average annual education cost of a student can vary between 30,000 TL and 60,000 TL, based on basic expenses.