Turkey received applications from more than 100,000 students across 163 countries for its university scholarship program this year, official data said Friday. The Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), under the purview of the Prime Ministry, said 106,550 foreign students applied to the "Turkey Scholarship" program for the upcoming 2017-2018 academic year.

Only 2,717 students were awarded scholarships in the first round according to figures received from the YTB. The program aims to transform Turkey into a world-class educational hub, the YTB said. Each year through this program 5,000 students are awarded scholarships. The number of applications has nearly doubled from 55,181 in 2013 to 106,550 in 2017.

In 2016, 1,425 Syrian students attended higher education institutions in Turkey through the program, which not only provides accommodation, food expenses and monthly allowances to undergraduate, graduate and doctorate students, but also plane tickets back to their home countries after graduation.

Nearly 16,000 foreign students have received education in Turkey through the scholarships. However, the total number of those receiving education in Turkey without scholarships is above 100,000.