What does Hitit University bring to Çorum? We look at student numbers, international students and the psychology of how students and the city adjust.
In the last weeks of September, some of Çorum's streets suddenly change. Young people stepping out of the bus station with suitcases, families saying goodbye outside halls of residence, people stopping in front of flat-to-let notices, different accents and languages rising from cafés in the evenings... A university brings to its city not just a campus but a new population, a new rhythm and new encounters. In this respect Hitit University is an important source of transformation for Çorum. According to the university's sustainability page, it had 19,814 students in the 2024/'25 academic year. A large share of these students come from other cities, and some from other countries. In this article we look at the university's impact on the city first through the figures, and then from a psychological perspective, from the point of view of both students and residents.
What Does Hitit University Mean for Çorum? What Do the Numbers Say?
The main indicators for the university are as follows:
- Number of students: According to the university's own page, 19,814 students in 2024/'25. According to the breakdown on the official promotional portal Study in Türkiye, in the previous academic year there were 7,652 associate degree, 9,334 undergraduate, 1,623 master's and 220 doctoral students.
- Where students come from: According to a local news report citing university statistics, in October 2026, of the 11,270 students whose home province was recorded, 4,286 were from Çorum. They were followed by Samsun (829), Ankara (561) and Amasya (456). In other words, most students come from other provinces.
- Accommodation: According to the university's promotional page, 8 halls of residence with 6,092 places.
- Scholarships: In 2024/'25, 784 students received cash, meal or accommodation bursaries.
- International students: The number of international students, 172 in 2018 according to YÖK (the Council of Higher Education) monitoring reports, reached 1,294 in 2024 according to university data cited by Özakyol and colleagues (2025). The nationality table on the Study in Türkiye portal shows students from 62 countries. Azerbaijan is by far the largest group, followed by Syria, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The university's impact on the local economy has also been measured. In Koç's (2019) study of students at Hitit University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, students were found to spend an average of 630 Turkish lira a month in 2016–2017, and the total spending of students from this faculty alone in the city was calculated at around 18.9 million lira. The researcher estimates that, extended to all students, this figure could reach around 105 million lira.
The Limits of the Data
Student numbers vary slightly depending on the source and date. The breakdown by home province is available only for students whose province was recorded. The spending study is based on 2016–2017 data and cannot be compared directly with today's prices. There is also no regular data on whether graduates stay in Çorum. Although studies such as Akça's (2018) survey of 402 students examine the university's socio-cultural contribution, that contribution cannot be expressed as a single number.
Hitit University Meets Çorum: A Sociological Reading
A university's impact on a city goes far beyond economic spending. A few dimensions stand out.
Young people in an ageing city. Çorum is one of the provinces in Turkey with a high proportion of older people. The thousands of young people who arrive every year visibly change the city's age profile in daily life. Cafés, bookshops, gyms and cultural events come to life with this new population.
Economic activity. Rental housing, local shopkeepers, transport and the service sector are directly affected by students. While the student presence opens up new lines of business in some neighbourhoods, it can also bring tensions such as rising rents.
Cultural diversity. The arrival of hundreds of international students within a few years means that the city is encountering a diversity it was not used to. Young people from different countries share the same spaces as local people: the market, the bus, the mosque, the bazaar.
An option for local young people. Some young people from Çorum have the chance to study at university in their own city. This means access to higher education without moving away from family, which is an important option, especially in economic terms.
Taken together, these effects make the university both an opportunity and a source of change that requires adjustment for the city.
Through the Student's Eyes: Building a Life in a New City
University years coincide with what developmental psychology calls "emerging adulthood", a period in which identity, independence and relationships are reshaped. Coming to another city to study makes this period even more intense.
Leaving Home for the First Time
Imagine an eighteen-year-old student from a small district on the Black Sea coast who, for the first time, starts living without their mother's cooking, washing their own clothes and thinking about bills. The excitement of the first weeks may give way to homesickness by the end of October. Sleeplessness, loss of appetite, phoning home constantly or not calling at all are common reactions to this transition. The difficulties of adjusting to university are often temporary, but they can become heavier when faced alone.
The Student Studying in Their Home City
Some students are from Çorum itself. Studying in your own city is financially advantageous, and being close to family provides security. Yet these students' experience can bring its own challenges. A young person who stays while friends leave for big cities may feel "left behind". Continuing to live in the family home can clash with the need for independence in emerging adulthood. It may be necessary to find a new balance with the family over house rules, hours and responsibilities. In this respect, Hitit University offers young people in Çorum both an opportunity and a space to redefine their identity in their own city.
Financial Worry
The number of students receiving bursaries may not cover everyone who needs one. Rent, residence fees and everyday costs are a constant source of worry, especially for students from low-income families. This worry can make it hard to concentrate on studies and can feed the guilt of "I'm a burden on my family".
The Experience of International Students
Two studies with samples from Hitit University (Boduroğlu, 2025; Özakyol and colleagues, 2025) highlight the language barrier, financial difficulties, bureaucracy, social exclusion and experiences of discrimination as factors that make international students' adjustment harder. The small number of English speakers and limited job opportunities in the city are also among the difficulties. The same studies show that family, friends and the university's support units play a protective role. In psychology this process is discussed in terms of "culture shock" and acculturative stress.
Seeking Support
According to the university's 2024 Institutional Self-Evaluation Report, psychological support is offered two working days a week by a psychologist assigned by the Provincial Health Directorate, within the Social Support Unit of the Centre for Combating Addiction. The report also states that the orientation programmes for new students are planned to involve the Provincial Police Directorate, the Green Crescent (Yeşilay) Counselling Centre and the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports. Alongside the units within the university, public health services and other sources of support are also options for students.
Coming to a city to study means enrolling not just at a university but in a new life.
After Graduation: Stay or Go?
The university's long-term impact on the city also depends on how many graduates stay in Çorum. There is no regular data on this. In Özakyol and colleagues' (2025) study with international students, limited job and internship opportunities, work permits and the language barrier are among the factors that complicate post-graduation plans. A similar question applies to Turkish students: seeing a future in the city where you study strengthens your attachment to it. Not seeing one can lead a young person to experience four years as a "temporary stop". This sense of transience also makes it harder to form deep bonds with the city.
Through the City's Eyes: New Neighbours, New Feelings
The university's impact is not felt by students alone. Residents also experience this change from their own perspective.
For some shopkeepers, students mean the city's vitality and the continuation of their business. For some older residents, however, activity that goes on late into the night and a changing neighbourhood character may be unsettling. In psychology, initial unease towards what is new and unfamiliar is considered natural. Studies on intergroup contact show that when different groups come together on equal terms and around shared goals, prejudice can be reduced.
Everyday encounters between landlords and student tenants, shopkeepers and customers, mosque congregations and international students can turn over time into mutual familiarity. Curiosity, hospitality and patience help these encounters move in a positive direction.
Practical Suggestions for Strengthening the Hitit University Experience in Çorum
For students:
- Build a routine in the first weeks. Regular sleep, meals and study hours reduce the uncertainty of a new environment.
- Join a community. Student clubs, sports teams or volunteering are the most natural routes to new friendships.
- Get to know the city. Exploring historic sites such as Hattusa, the bazaar and the local cuisine makes it easier to feel you belong.
- Keep balanced contact with your family. Spending hours on the phone every day and never calling at all can both make adjustment harder.
- Don't hesitate to ask for help. Your academic adviser, the residence management or the university's support units can be first points of contact.
For families:
- Normalise homesickness. Respond to your child's homesickness by listening, not by urging them to "come back".
- Make room for independence. Trying to manage every decision from a distance makes it harder for young people to stand on their own feet.
For residents:
- Approach with curiosity. Asking students from other countries or cities where they come from and starting a short conversation can ease their loneliness.
- Notice prejudice. Generalising one student's behaviour to all students harms both the students and relationships within the city.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
It is natural to struggle from time to time during the adjustment period. However, students may find it helpful to see a specialist in the following situations:
- If homesickness or loneliness is increasing rather than easing as the weeks go by
- If you are having marked difficulty attending lessons, concentrating and preparing for exams
- If your sleep and appetite are clearly disrupted
- If you are experiencing constant anxiety, panic or helplessness
- If you notice you are trying to cope through alcohol or other substances
- If thoughts that life is meaningless or thoughts of harming yourself cross your mind
If there are thoughts of self-harm or any immediate risk, call 112 (emergency services) without delay. These signs do not in themselves amount to a diagnosis, but they may show that you need support.
How Are University Adjustment and Cultural Transition Addressed in Therapy?
In work with university students, the following areas usually come to the fore:
Making sense of the transition. Leaving home is both a loss and a gain at the same time. Recognising both sides in therapy helps students understand their feelings better.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Thoughts such as "nobody here will like me" or "if I fail, I'll disappoint my family" are addressed. Skills for coping with anxiety and solving problems are developed.
Social skills and belonging. Work can focus on making new friends, setting boundaries and coping with loneliness.
Cultural sensitivity. When working with international students, the person's own cultural values, language experience and experiences of discrimination are taken into account.
In Çorum, alongside face-to-face sessions, online therapy can also be an option for students with busy timetables or who travel back and forth to their family's city between terms. If you would like a closer look at students' experience of adjustment, you can read our article on university students who come to study in Çorum.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does homesickness last for university students?
It varies from person to person. Many students notice a clear decrease by the end of the first term. If the homesickness stays intense for months and affects daily functioning, seeking support may be helpful.
Why might international students struggle in Çorum?
Research highlights the language barrier, financial difficulties, bureaucratic procedures and experiences of social exclusion. Meeting a different language and culture in a small city can also mean being more visible than in a big city. Support from friends and the community eases these difficulties.
As a resident, how can I support students?
Small gestures can make a big difference: giving directions, starting a conversation, being patient as a shopkeeper or offering fair terms as a landlord. Students feeling that they belong to the city contributes both to their wellbeing and to the city's development.
My child is studying at university in our home city but seems unhappy. Why might that be?
Although studying in your own city may look easy from the outside, being separated from friends, having less room for independence in the family home or feeling "left behind" can be hard for young people. Listening to their expectations and giving them more autonomy at home may help. Making room for them to take part in campus activities and form new friendships also makes it easier for them to see the city with fresh eyes.
Bu yazı genel bilgilendirme amaçlıdır; tanı veya tedavi yerine geçmez. Yaşadığınız güçlükler için bir ruh sağlığı uzmanına başvurmanız önerilir. Acil bir durumda lütfen 112'yi arayın.
Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
Eğitimler
