Simay Bayatli, Turkey

Why Groningen?

Groningen is a small city that is full of students. The majority of those students are also international students. The city and the people are so welcoming and friendly that you will be feeling at home the minute you arrive. Everybody in the city speaks English. People always smile at you in the streets. Everyone in the city is happy to help if you ask for it. Everywhere in the city is in either walking or biking distance. There are many beautiful parks. The city center is surrounded by canals and full of historic and beautiful buildings. The city is full of life even at night, which is very different from other cities in the Netherlands. These are some of the many reasons to live in Groningen. I fell in love with the city as soon as I have arrived and I am sure that you will also!

Why the University of Groningen?

The University of Groningen is one of the highest-ranking universities in Europe. Its ranking in psychology is even higher which puts the university in the top 50 for psychology. It offers a variety of master’s programs in psychology. The university also offers English tracks of lots of different programs. Curriculums in psychology give equal weight to both clinical and research knowledge so it makes programs suitable to everyone. The university also has a student-friendly environment that students can get help from various different sources. It has excellent study associations that you can have an active role while studying.

Biography

Hello! My name is Simay Bayatli. I am from Ankara, Turkey. I studied psychology at Bilkent University and graduated in June 2018 with cum laude. During my bachelor studies, I spent one semester at KU Leuven with the Erasmus+ program. Last year, at the University of Groningen, I completed my pre-masters in psychology, and right now, I am doing a master's in Clinical Neuropsychology. I was also awarded with the Holland Scholarship for my master’s degree.

During my bachelor's, I worked as an intern psychologist in a hospital in Ankara, Turkey. After I graduated, I worked as a research coordinator at Bilkent University Cognitive Psychology Lab and further worked as a research assistant in Middle East Technical University Clinical Psychology Lab. Right now, I am the year representative of the Clinical Neuropsychology English track master’s program.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me! I will be happy to help!