Studying in Türkiye as an international student

It depends on the type of university and the major. Public university fees run roughly between $300 and $3,000 a year, while private universities start at around $2,500 for business and humanities majors and reach $35,000 for medicine at the most expensive institutions. Add roughly $365 to $840 a month for living costs, depending on the city and your lifestyle, plus compulsory health insurance (private student cover at roughly $50 to $120 a year, or the state GSS scheme) and residence permit fees (a card fee of about TRY 1,000 in 2026 plus a levy that varies by nationality).

Yes. Turkish universities are accredited by the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK), and most appear on the recognition lists of Arab ministries of higher education. We verify that your country recognises the specific university and programme before you apply.

A YÖS exam is required at many public universities: either the centralised TR-YÖS run by ÖSYM twice a year (in April and October, offered in Arabic among other languages) or the university's own YÖS, and some accept the SAT instead. Private universities generally admit students on their high-school certificate and grades alone, with no YÖS or SAT, though English-taught programmes may ask for proof of English or a placement test.

Yes. Hundreds of programmes are taught entirely in English, especially at private universities and in medicine, engineering and business. A university may ask for a TOEFL or IELTS certificate, run its own placement test, or offer a preparatory language year.

Your high-school certificate (or bachelor's degree for postgraduate study) and transcripts, translated and attested; a passport valid for at least six months; a recent passport photo; an English (TOEFL / IELTS) or Turkish (TÖMER) language certificate if the programme requires one; a TR-YÖS, university YÖS or SAT result for some public universities; and a motivation letter, CV and recommendation letters for master's and PhD applications. We translate and attest your paperwork in house and review the file before submitting it.

Most private universities require a high-school average of at least 70% to 80% for medicine and dentistry, while public universities are more competitive and rely on a YÖS or SAT score alongside high grades.

Türkiye Bursları opens online applications once a year, between January and February, with results announced in summer before studies begin. You need strong grades, a convincing motivation letter and recommendation letters. We help you prepare the file and write the motivation letter to the scholarship's criteria.

The autumn semester starts in September or October and is the main intake, while the spring semester starts in February at universities that offer it. Private universities open autumn applications from the start of the year until August, while public ones set shorter windows between May and July. We recommend applying four to six months before the semester begins to leave time for the offer, the visa and travel.

You apply for a student visa at the Turkish consulate in your country, attaching the offer letter and proof of funds; it is usually issued within weeks. After you arrive, you obtain the certificate equivalency document (Denklik) from the national education directorate in your university's city to complete final registration, then file your student residence permit application online within a month of arrival, renewing it every year. We guide you through each of these steps.

Undergraduates may work part-time after completing their first year, once they hold a work permit and for up to 24 hours a week, while master's and PhD students may work from the start of their studies without that cap. After graduation, the work permit application is filed through a registered Turkish employer, and your residence converts from a student permit to a work permit. The rules change yearly and the decision rests with the competent Turkish authorities.

We handle the whole file: shortlisting universities that suit your grades and budget, translating and attesting documents, submitting and following up applications through to the offer letter, paying the fees via the app, then booking your flight and eSIM plan and guiding you through the visa and residence process.