Turkey has been hosting the largest Syrian refugee migration in the world since 2011, which has necessitated a continuous change in state-level measures to cater for the deficiencies of a forced displacement ranging from economic to social and educational instruments. Despite constructive national policies and legislation of the Turkish government and financial support, refugee access and enrollment in higher education (HE) stand as an issue for a number of reasons. The chapter aims to highlight opportunities and challenges that Syrian refugee students (SRSs) have been experiencing since their immigration to Turkey and it examines HE policies in socio-economic, cultural and political contexts. The study, while making use of Bronfenbrenner’s (2001) bioecological theory of development, adapts it to the context of refugee students in HE. Discussions are supported by reports, laws and circulars to make note of the main principals of the HE policies of Turkey for SRSs as well as their implications in both Syrian and Turkish contexts. During this process, the international and comparative nature of the study is maintained by referring to similar policies for refugees in other host countries and implications for the international arena.

DOI: 10.1108/S1479-36792022000042A015
ISSN: 1479-3679