Study in Turkey

With its growing academic reputation, Turkey has become a viable study destination for international students looking to experience a new culture while achieving a degree

You'll find that it's not just the Mediterranean sun, fascinating ruins and world-renowned food that attracts around 150,000 international students to Turkey each year. The opportunity to study in a country with invaluable global links - acting as a bridge between Europe and Asia - holds tremendous appeal.

Whether you've set your sights on the capital city of Ankara, Turkey's cultural and financial hub Istanbul or somewhere a little less high-profile, studying in Turkey will be an affordable yet eye-opening experience.

It's worth mentioning that the country is still experiencing political uncertainty and while most visits are trouble-free, it's important you check the latest guidance at GOV.UK - Turkey foreign travel advice.

Turkish universities

The country is home to over 200 higher education institutions, which cater to around eight million students. Approximately 120 of these are state-governed universities, while the rest are established non-profit private foundations.

A total of 21 Turkish institutions feature in the QS World University Rankings 2022, with Koç University, Sabanci University, Middle East Technical University and Bilkent University ranking in the top 600. This is an impressive standing, considering the Turkish higher education system is one of the world's youngest. As recently as 1970, there were just eight established institutions in Turkey.

As Turkey is classed as an advanced emerging economy by the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) - having only formed as a country in 1923 - the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies University Rankings 2021 provide a good indication of how the country is performing in the current climate. A total of 43 Turkish universities make an appearance, with four in the top 100. These include:

Sabanci University (44th)
Koç University (51st)
Cankaya University (86th)
Bilkent University (89th).

The academic calendar is split into two semesters and runs from September to June.

Degree courses in Turkey

Most Turkish Bachelors degrees take on average four years to complete full time (over eight semesters). These can be studied in a range of subjects - from business management, economics and mathematics to fashion design, tourism and hospitality.

Exceptions to this include courses in architecture, dentistry and veterinary medicine, which involve up to five years of study, and medicine, lasting up to six years.

Read more about Bachelors degrees and other qualification levels at Study In Turkey - Degree programmes in Turkey.

Search undergraduate courses in Turkey at Study In Turkey - Find your programme.

Masters degrees

A Masters in Turkey (and the equivalent Higher Engineering Diploma) takes up to two years to complete full time.

Turkish universities offer Masters courses both with and without the completion of a thesis. If you opt for a thesis course, you'll study a range of modules as well as writing and submitting a thesis in the second semester of your second year. If you enrol on a non-thesis course, you'll take a wider selection of modules, with the option to study subjects outside your course discipline.

PhDs

Doctorate courses typically take three to four years to complete depending on the nature of the course and tend to follow a structured process. Unlike its UK equivalent, a Turkish PhD is supervised by a committee rather than an individual.

Search Doctoral programmes in Turkey at Study In Turkey - Find your programme.

Student exchanges

Following the UK's departure from the European Union (EU) the government has announced a new Turing Scheme for students looking to secure overseas placements and study abroad at an overseas university for the 2021/22 academic year.

The scheme is backed by over £100million worth of funding, enabling thousands of students from schools, colleges and universities to gain study and work experience abroad.

Your university must have a formal agreement with a partner university in Turkey. Check that your institution is involved in the programme and offers the Turing Scheme.

You may also consider the Mevlana or Farabi exchange programmes once you're enrolled at a Turkish university.

Course fees

Costs depend on whether you're attending a state university or private foundation - with undergraduate fees for an academic year at the former costing international students around TRY 2,500-8,500 (£340-£1,140) for courses taught in English. At a foundation institution this could range from TRY 28,000-112,500 (£2,295 to £9,215) per year.

A postgraduate qualification from a publicly funded university could cost you as little as TRY 3,350-5,000 (£275-£410) for each year of the programme. While foundations set their own benchmarks, Masters courses typically cost the same as those at undergraduate level.

Still, it's these favourably lower-end costs compared to the UK and US systems that makes studying in Turkey an enticing option.

This affordability stretches to the cost of living - the average international student needs just TRY 2,250-3,000 (£185-£245) per month for living costs. This figure covers amenities such as accommodation, clothing and transport. You'll need roughly TRY 750 (£62) per semester to cover textbooks and TRY 6,250 (£510) for food and drink, depending on your lifestyle and preferences.

Get the full lowdown on living expenses at Study In Turkey - Living expenses in Turkey.

Funding to study in Turkey

You'll need to do your homework if you're hoping to receive funding - most scholarships require entrance exam scores of at least 70%, some as high as 80%.

These include Türkiye Burslari Scholarships, with a number of awards available. For example, the Undergraduate Scholarship Programme is open to students on designated courses such as engineering, health sciences, humanities and social sciences. The exception is two-year associate or vocational degrees.

Some universities - for instance, Sabanci University and Bilkent University - also run their own scholarship programmes.

For a full list of the financial help available to international students, visit Turkey Scholarship.

Student visas

If you are a UK citizen and want to study in Turkey, you'll require a visa to do so. You'll need to arrive in Turkey with your student visa already authorised to avoid any issues with registering as a student and receiving a residency permit.

There are different types of Turkish student visas, depending on the purpose of your time in the country. Make sure you do your research to ensure you're applying for the right one.

The visa application process takes place at the Turkish consulate in your home country - for the UK, this is the Turkish Embassy in London - but first you'll need to sort out your online pre-application at Republic of Turkey Consular Procedures.

Once this has been approved, you'll be expected to attend an appointment and present:

a letter of acceptance from a Turkish university
the completed Turkish student visa form
proof of your ability to support yourself financially
a passport valid for at least 60 days beyond the length of your stay
the required visa fee
proof of health insurance
a passport photo.

Make sorting your student visa a priority, as it will take roughly eight weeks to reach you after your application has been submitted.

Read more about Turkish visas at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

How to apply

To study in Turkey, you'll need to hold appropriate qualifications at the previous level. For instance, you won't be able to study a Masters without already holding a Bachelors degree.

You'll also need to pass the postgraduate entrance exam, the Academic Personnel and Graduate Education Exam (ALES), which is administered by the Student Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM).

ALES examinations are held twice a year in March and November. The exam takes approximately three hours to complete, and is comprised of literacy and numeracy questions. See ÖSYM for a more detailed guide of what the ALES involves and how to apply.

Along with your passed ALES exam, as part of your application you'll need to provide:

a completed international student application form
your Bachelors or Masters certificate
an updated CV with letters of recommendation
proof of sufficient funds for the duration of your course
photo ID
the application fee.

The application process begins at home - visit university websites to see whether they operate an online application system or require direct email correspondence.

Language requirements

If you're enrolling on an English-taught course and English is your first language, you won't need to provide any proof of your English proficiency. However, if English is your second language, you may need to provide:

a letter of confirmation from your English coordinator or professor at your home university
an internationally-recognised language certificate, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
a passed English placement test, which may be taken at your institution on arrival.

Even if you're studying an English course, this is great opportunity to pick up some Turkish - you'll find the country easier to navigate and may open yourself up to more career opportunities as a result.

Many universities, including Boğaziçi University, offer intensive language courses for international students.

Comparison to UK qualifications

Turkish and UK qualifications are easily compared and translated. As well as the UK and 47 other countries, Turkey is a member of the Bologna Process - an agreement between European countries to ensure comparability in quality and standards of higher education.

Due to this agreement, the Turkish qualification framework follows a similar structure to UK degrees.

Find out more

Explore the practicalities of a Turkish education at Study In Turkey.
Discover what it's like to work in Turkey.