The English learning motivations of higher education students

The study aims to search the motivation levels of the students of Afyon Kocatepe University School of Foreign Languages preparatory classes. The problem of this study is to find out the factors that affect student motivation in foreign language lessons that have been given importance and accepted as one of the most important lessons of school programme. In this present research, all the schools of foreign languages in Turkish universities were chosen as the universe and five hundred students of Afyon Kocatepe University School of Foreign Languages were taken as the sample of this universe. As the data collection instrument a motivation level questionnaire was developed and the results were calculated and evaluated with a statistical programme. According to the findings of the research, there arefour factors that affect the student motivation at English preparatory classes. These factors are learning motivation, understanding abroad and communicating abroad, finding job in Turkey or abroad and enabling students? education easier in Turkey. There isn?t a meaningful relationship between the factors and the ages of the students. As a result of the analysis of the factor related with enabling students? education easier in Turkey, the motivation levels of the students of business administration department (English), were the highest and the motivation levels of the students of faculty of science and letters were the lowest. Thus, it?s expected for this research to define the factors that affect student motivation and to help the educators who are willing to plan an effective learning process.Key Words: Motivation, foreign language learning, learning motivation.