“Even the brightest opportunity can be extinguished by financial barriers.”

By Aylin Yardımcı, PhD

When Orhun Akengin received an offer to do a research internship at Stanford, the excitement was quickly followed by a more sobering realization: even the brightest opportunity could be extinguished by financial barriers. It was a small amount —$1,500— that ultimately kept his dream alive. Today, Orhun is a computer science student at Stanford and a passionate advocate for helping other Turkish students navigate the same path.
He is not alone. Thanks to the Research Scholarship for Critical Thinkers (RSCT), a Bridge to Türkiye Fund initiative, students like Orhun, Barışcan Kurtkaya, and Alperen Çımen are finding more than just academic opportunities in the United States; they are discovering a new model of mentorship, collaboration, and community support that is changing lives.
“This was never just about funding,” says Barışcan, a machine learning enthusiast who spent four transformative months in a California research lab. “It was about access—to people, to environments, to possibilities I could not have imagined from a computer screen in Istanbul.”
Barışcan, a graduate student at Yıldız Technical University, speaks candidly about how his initial connection with a mentor, Dr. Fatih Dinc (currently a postdoctoral researcher at UC Santa Barbara), and later with BTF, unlocked what he calls the “critical moment” in his academic journey. “Without this program, I would not have published a paper, attended those meetings, or envisioned a PhD abroad. It changed the entire trajectory of my life.”
Alperen Çimen’s story echoes that sentiment. A student at Özyeğin University, he met his mentor during a chance encounter while visiting a friend in California. The encounter evolved into a mentorship, which led to a research internship in Santa Barbara. “I applied to over 100 scholarships, all rejected. Research was not seen as valuable. RSCT saw it differently,” he says.
Alperen now plans to return for another extended research stint, supported by RSCT. What he gained from his first experience was not just technical know-how, but a deep appreciation for the culture of scientific inquiry. “I want to open my own lab one day,” he says. “Now I know what kind of academic I want to be.”
Unlike traditional scholarship programs, RSCT requires students and mentors to apply together, forming a team before funds are awarded. This structure ensures mutual commitment and alignment from the outset. Fatih, who mentors all three students, sees this as the program’s strength. “This is not about the highest GPA or the top school. We’re looking for people who are curious, humble, and ready to work hard,” he says.
These students often come from backgrounds not traditionally associated with elite academic access. As Fatih points out, not many universities in Türkiye are pipeline schools for US PhD programs. “But that does not mean their students are not exceptional,” he adds. “It means they just have not had the chance.”
That chance, in many cases, starts with a modest sum—a plane ticket, a few months’ rent—paired with belief and mentorship. And as Orhun emphasizes, it is not charity; it is an investment. “I am trying to pay it forward now,” he says. “We’ve seen how much impact even a little support can have.” ■

What is the RSCT Scholarship?

The BTF Research Scholarship for Critical Thinkers (RSCT) supports Turkish students in pursuing research opportunities, especially those aspiring to PhD programs in the US. Unlike traditional scholarships, RSCT requires a joint application from both mentor and mentee, ensuring strong academic collaboration. The program provides financial assistance, mentorship, and access to a wide academic network, helping underrepresented students gain critical experience in US labs and institutions. Through RSCT, Bridge to Türkiye Fund is building a new pipeline for future scholars and thought leaders from Türkiye.