The Native-Refugee Education Gap

By Cevat Giray Aksoy, Gaurav Khanna, Victoria Marino and Semih Tumen

We study the education gap between Syrian refugee children and their Turkish peers using administrative data from Türkiye (2011–2018). Our analysis reveals significant disparities: refugee students score 8 points lower in math and 13 points lower in Turkish language, on average. These gaps narrow with time and grade progression, with the most improvement seen in the first two years after arrival. Female refugees adapt more effectively, closing the gap faster than males. Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, such as early language training and support programs, to improve refugee integration and promote equitable educational outcomes.