The Problems Of The International Students: Comparison Of Turkey And Belgium

Every year many International Students (ISs) go to different educational institutions via such programs as Erasmus and Socrates to improve their qualifications, explore new cultures and broaden their life experiences. However, during their stay in these institutions, the ISs have to deal with some problems. This article aimed to find out and analyse the similarities and the differences of the problems of the ISs in two different countries: Turkey and Belgium. The ISs in Turkey (23) and Belgium (58) completed an 18-item questionnaire (reliability = .94) about the problems faced in the tertiary institutions. The ISs in both countries were content with their accommodation. Moreover, the ISs stated that the ways the classes were delivered were quite similar to those in their own country. Furthermore, the ISs in both countries were found to have difficulty in understanding reading passages, responding to the teacher’s questions, and participating in the class discussions.