Syrian refugee students’ sense of school belonging and educational aspirations

This study investigated the Syrian refugee students’ sense of school belonging and educational aspirations in Türkiye. The study used a mixed methodology. The sample consisted of 318 Syrian students in middle (grades 5–8) and high schools (grades 9–12) in a metropolitan municipality located in a large city in central Anatolia in the fall of the 2021–2022 academic year. The quantitative data was collected with the Sense of School Belonging Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and factor analysis were used to analyze the quantitative data. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 15 voluntary students through an interview form with open-ended questions, and content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The results indicated that students’ perceptions sense of school belonging was at a medium level. Student perceptions of their sense of school belonging differed based on student gender, duration of stay, and the schools in which they were enrolled. A sense of belonging was important for students in certain schools. Students’ educational aspirations were related to family socioeconomic status, social alienation, school acceptance, parental education, and the gender of the students. The paper concluded by suggesting that targeted policies are required for the improvement of the sense of belonging of Syrian refugee students. •Gender was important for both student sense of belonging and student aspirations.•Female students face more difficulties to continue their education.•Attending all-girls religious public schools related to stronger sense of belongingness.•Teacher support is most critical factor for refugee student sense of belonging.