WCEP in the Press

According to UNESCO data, approximately 50,000 students from Turkey pursue education abroad each year. Many begin seeking international opportunities as early as high school through exchange programs designed to broaden their academic and cultural horizons. One such initiative—the High School Ambassadors International Accreditation Program, launched by WCEP Turkey, the country’s leading high school exchange organization—is currently being implemented in 13 public high schools and offers students the opportunity to earn dual diplomas and gain priority access to university admission.

Shaping Academic Futures Through Global High School Experiences

High school education plays a pivotal role in shaping students' academic trajectories and future careers. In Turkey, where over 5.6 million high school students are currently enrolled, exchange programs are increasingly seen as strategic tools for aligning domestic education with international standards and enhancing Turkey’s global educational representation.

The High School Ambassadors Program, coordinated by the Turkey office of the Worldwide Cultural Exchange Program (WCEP), offers an internationally accredited dual diploma pathway, integrating Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum standards. Implemented across 13 public high schools in 9 cities, this initiative equips students with key advantages such as priority admission to universities both domestically and internationally.

Applications Open from the 8th Grade

Providing insight into the program’s structure, WCEP Turkey General Manager Volkan Cerrahoğlu shared:

“The High School Ambassadors International Accreditation Program is a Ministry of National Education-approved initiative, in compliance with the Board of Education and Discipline and the Regulations on Secondary Education Institutions and Accreditation. Open to students from the 8th grade onward, the program enables qualified students to study for one academic year in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, or the United States upon successfully passing selection exams and interviews.”

Upon their return to Turkey, participating students receive academic accreditation. In addition to dual diplomas, they also benefit from participation in recognized academic programs such as the United Nations Debate Program, further increasing their university placement prospects.

Applicants must demonstrate strong academic performance, intermediate-level proficiency in the target country’s language, and effective social communication skills to adapt to life with host families abroad. WCEP Turkey administers language placement exams based on the destination country to assess eligibility.

"Our Goal is to Internationalize Public High Schools"

Mr. Cerrahoğlu noted that the program is currently active in the following prestigious public schools:

• Kabataş Boys' High School
• Cağaloğlu Anatolian High School
• Mehmet Emin Resulzade Anatolian High School
• Izmir Atatürk High School
• Adem Tolunay Anatolian High School
• Adana Anatolian High School
• Sırrı Yırcalı Anatolian High School
• Turgutreis Anatolian High School
• Istanbul Validebağ Science High School
• Manisa Akhisar Science High School
• Macide-Ramiz Taşkınlar Science High School
• Manisa Turgutlu Halil Kale Science High School
• Mersin Tarsus Sesim Sarpkaya Science High School

“Our overarching vision at WCEP Turkey is to elevate public high school education to an international level, enabling our students to emerge as globally minded, socially responsible, and academically renowned individuals,” said Cerrahoğlu.

“By expanding the Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum—originating in the United States and now implemented in over 60 countries—we aim to open the doors of our public schools to the world. Through the High School Ambassadors Program, we aspire to cultivate a new generation of world citizens: fluent in multiple languages, academically accomplished, socially aware, and equipped to thrive in a diverse global society.”