Dreaming of a European diploma, and of eventually working in the European Union, many students – most of them African – spend thousands of dollars a year to study in universities in Northern Cyprus. Many of these students were reeled in by recruiters who get a hefty sum from these institutions. However, once the students actually get to Northern Cyprus, their dreams crumble. Some are barred from even entering the country. And things aren’t much better for those who do make it in, many of whom are surprised to learn that the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in the north is not actually considered part of the EU. Our Observers told us about the dubious methods employed by a system that values profit above all else.
"I applied and received my admission letter almost immediately,” says our first Observer, a young man from Sierra Leone whom we are calling Edward.
