Turkey's 10 most student-friendly cities announced: Major cities at the bottom of the list

Eskişehir has earned the top spot as Turkey's most student-friendly city in the 2026 index, a comprehensive evaluation by the Public Technology Platform (KTP). The index assessed 16 provinces with over 50,000 students, analyzing eight key areas: accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, safety, social life, access to information, work and internship opportunities, and climate.

With a score of 83.8 out of 100, Eskişehir stood out for its affordable housing, manageable urban scale, and strong integration between the campus and the city. Notably, one in every ten residents in Eskişehir is a university student, highlighting its student-centric environment. Bursa, Kayseri, Konya, and Sakarya followed, forming a group of cities recognized for their student-friendly attributes.

The report revealed a surprising trend: major metropolises lagged behind. Istanbul, despite its advantages in job prospects, social life, and information access, ranked last with 58.3 points. The primary reason cited was its unaffordable housing costs, where it scored a mere 18 out of 100 in accommodation. İzmir placed ninth, and Ankara thirteenth, underscoring the critical impact of living expenses, especially housing, on the student experience.

Beyond the main ranking, the report also presented "Emerging Potential Index" rankings, identifying cities poised for future growth. Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, and Mersin led this list, based on indicators like per capita income, student growth, net migration, exports, and patents. These cities show significant potential to strengthen their student-city positions due to their economic and academic momentum.