Life at BİLGİ

Click the picture below to see our presentation for life in Istanbul and life at BİLGİ!

This event is organized two times every academic year in the beginning of fall semester and the beginning of spring semester for the new coming international students. We present the most important topics, regarding:

• Turkish Residence Permit - which every foreigner must apply for and obtain after arriving in Turkey

• Library system - access to digital materials  

• Course registration - which is a process students must learn as soon as possible in order to successfully continue their studies in İstanbul Bilgi University

• Life in Istanbul - Life in BİLGİ – informative presentation including basic information about the city life and BİLGİ
  

As an international student, you will now be able to get specialized, one-on-one consulting sessions regarding academic procedures, future planning and much more. The International Student Advising Office will be working with departments and units around the university to provide well-rounded assistance to you. Each semester, you will have at least one session to have a multidisciplinary look at your current status as a student and have guidance in taking steps to ensure that you get the most out of your years here at BİLGİ.

The aim of our annual photo contest is to encourage all the international students to express their point of view of the university. The best photographers shall be rewarded and announced, best works may also be published as postcards and exhibited. 

The joined event with the student club BİLGİ Worlwide aims to unite Turkish and international students in showcasing their talents and encouraging active participation in the BİLGİ community.

This is a seminar with the Psychological Counseling Unit of İstanbul Bilgi University regarding students' difficulties when coping with moving to a different country, environment, dealing with cultural shock, overcoming the initial crisis, and more. It is held in the beginning of the Fall semester to accommodate the new students upon their arrival.

In addition to providing individual guidance, the Office runs the Peer Mentoring Program in collaboration with the Student Personal and Academic Development Office to support students’ academic adaptation processes.

The Peer Mentoring Program is a solidarity-based initiative where senior students (mentors) provide academic support to new students (mentees) in their departments, helping them adapt more easily to university life. The program operates on a voluntary basis.

Each first-year or Preparatory Program student who applies to the program is matched with a mentor 2nd, 3rd, or 4th-year student from the same department. Mentors communicate with their mentees when needed and provide academic guidance throughout the mentees’ first year at the university.

University life can bring many challenges. However, the support of someone who has already experienced and overcome similar challenges makes a big difference. The Peer Mentoring Program was created to guide new students through this transition and help them discover opportunities for academic and personal development.