Prestigious EU scholarship becomes casualty of Turkey coup

Turkey has cancelled a major EU-funded scholarship scheme after the July 15 botched coup bid, leaving in limbo dozens of Turkish students dreaming of studying in the European Union.
The scrapping of the prestigious Jean Monnet scholarship — aimed at helping cultivate pro-EU high-fliers in the longstanding candidate state — is one of the many side effects of the failed coup whose shockwaves have affected every aspect of life in Turkey.

Burak Bulkan, 24-year-old student who graduated from Istanbul’s Bosphorus University, said he applied for the scholarship and was offered places by universities including the London School of Economics and King’s College London.

Bulkan told AFP he cannot afford the British university fees without funds from the EU and needed a sum of around 20,000 pounds (23,000 euros/$26,000) to study.

“How many people in Turkey earn this amount of money in a year?” he said.

“It is very hard, not only for me but for many people. Those who can still go are reliant on loans.”

Early this month, the EU expressed “regrets” to have learned about the cancellation of the programme for the 2016-17 academic year — a decision “taken by the Turkish authorities without the involvement of the EU”.

The Jean Monnet scholarship, one of the most renowned and long-running programmes in Turkey, began in the 1990-1991 academic year providing scholars with opportunities to study in EU member states.

The grant programme, which covers tuition fees and living expenses, takes its name from Jean Monnet, a well-known French economist and a pioneer of the EU, who from the beginning of World War I had devoted his life to creating a united Europe.

A total of 226 people were granted Jean Monnet scholarship in the 2015-2016 academic year and at least 170 were expected to utilise the funds for the 2016-2017, EU officials said.




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