"Education has given me not just a profession, but an identity."

Forced to flee the war in Syria, Cihad arrived in Gaziantep, Türkiye, at the age of 16, having been forced to leave his education unfinished. Now 26, he is about to graduate from Ankara University’s Faculty of Medicine. To him, education is about much more than just acquiring knowledge: "For me, it's not just about attending university; it's about gaining a profession and finding a place in society. I believe I can contribute both to my personal growth and to the community."

In his early years in Türkiye, Cihad enrolled in an open high school program in Gaziantep. After passing the university entrance exam, he moved to Ankara with his older brother. With both parents being doctors, Cihad had been interested in medicine from a young age. He recalls accompanying them to the hospital as a child and even memorizing the names of medicines. "It's a tough field, but if I had the chance, I would choose medicine again, because I truly love this profession," he says.

Beyond the academic challenges, studying medicine also brought financial hardships. Cihad highlights the significant cost of foreign medical textbooks and materials. At this point, the Higher Education Cash Grant (HECG), provided through the collaboration between UNHCR and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), became crucial support for him: "I was able to purchase textbooks imported from abroad and participate in university trips thanks to this grant. It also provided financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than anything, it meant a lot to me emotionally — it felt good to know that someone cared about my education and wanted to support me."

Cihad points out that university life is about much more than just academics — it's also about building social connections. He observed that some of his peers struggled to fully experience university life due to financial difficulties: "Some friends could not truly experience university life because of financial struggles. They couldn’t build strong connections or engage socially, and I saw that this even affected their academic performance. This became even more evident during the pandemic," he shares. For this reason, he underlines how critical financial support programs are for students.

Through education, Cihad has discovered his full potential. Now he dreams of specializing in ophthalmology and engaging in academic research. For him, education is the key to earning respect in society and contributing to the community: "Education can change everything in a person’s life. Without it, I would not have been happy."

As he prepares to graduate, Cihad dreams of contributing to healthcare in Türkiye — and one day, helping to rebuild the health system in Syria.

Thanks to the support of its trusted donors, including flexible contributions that enable UNHCR to respond where it is most needed, and in collaboration with YTB, UNHCR is providing HECG to  refugee and asylum seeker students from nationalities other than Syrian since 2014 and Syrian students under temporary protection since 2022, reaching 2,000 beneficiaries annually. Through this support, UNHCR aims to ease the financial barriers refugee students face in their educational journeys, empowering them to build their futures and reach their dreams.