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Study in Turkey

Türkiye is one of the most popular study destinations for Arab and African students. It has 208 higher-education institutions (129 state universities, 75 private foundation universities and 4 foundation vocational schools, according to Council of Higher Education (YÖK) figures for January 2025) and around 380,000 international students. Studying in Türkiye combines relatively low fees at state universities, generous discounts for international students at many private universities, a fully funded government scholarship — Türkiye Scholarships (Türkiye Bursları) — and many English-taught programmes.

13
universities listed
18
scholarships & discounts
2
government programmes
Turkish, English
teaching languages
September
academic year starts

Government scholarships & national programmes

Scholarships funded by the state or its official bodies for international students.

Türkiye Bursları Scholarships

Türkiye Bursları Scholarships

Fully Funded6 scholarships

Türkiye Scholarships (Türkiye Bursları) is a government-funded program of the Republic of Türkiye for international students at bachelor's, master's, doctoral and research levels. It typically covers tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation, health insurance and a flight ticket, plus a one-year Turkish language course before studies begin. Applications are submitted online through the official portal, and selection is based on academic merit and an interview.

TÜBİTAK International Research Fellowships (Turkey)

TÜBİTAK International Research Fellowships (Turkey)

Fully Funded3 scholarships

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK 2216 / 2215) grants competitive research fellowships to foreign citizens conducting master thesis, doctoral studies, or postdoctoral research in Turkey, providing generous monthly research stipends, research budgets, travel expenses, and health insurance.

Universities (13)

Fees for international students and the highest discount or scholarship available, from each university’s official sources.

Kadir Has University

Kadir Has University

جامعة قادر هاس

IstanbulPrivate (foundation) universityUp to 75% off

$20,000 per year

1 scholarshipDetails
OSTİM Technical University

OSTİM Technical University

جامعة أوستيم التقنية

AnkaraPrivate (foundation) universityUp to 75% off

$7,500 – $18,500 per year

1 scholarshipDetails
Özyeğin University

Özyeğin University

جامعة أوزيغين

IstanbulPrivate (foundation) university

$16,500 – $25,000 per year

1 scholarshipDetails
Sabancı University

Sabancı University

جامعة سابانجي

IstanbulPrivate (foundation) university

$24,500 per year

1 scholarshipDetails
TED University

TED University

جامعة TED

AnkaraPrivate (foundation) universityScholarships up to 100%

$7,500 – $11,800 per year

1 scholarshipDetails
İstanbul Medipol University

İstanbul Medipol University

جامعة إسطنبول ميديبول

IstanbulPrivate (foundation) universityUp to 15% off
1 scholarshipDetails
Izmir University of Economics

Izmir University of Economics

جامعة إزمير للاقتصاد

IzmirPrivate (foundation) universityUp to 50% off
1 scholarshipDetails
Koç University

Koç University

جامعة كوتش

IstanbulPrivate (foundation) universityScholarships up to 100%
1 scholarshipDetails
Yaşar University

Yaşar University

جامعة ياشار

IzmirPrivate (foundation) universityScholarships up to 100%
1 scholarshipDetails
Middle East Technical University (METU)

Middle East Technical University (METU)

جامعة الشرق الأوسط التقنية (ODTÜ)

AnkaraState university

$800 – $1,200 per semester

Details
Üsküdar University

Üsküdar University

جامعة أوسكودار

IstanbulPrivate (foundation) university

$2,800 – $24,000 per year

Details
Ankara University

Ankara University

جامعة أنقرة

AnkaraState university
Details
Gazi University

Gazi University

جامعة غازي

AnkaraState university
Details

All scholarships & discounts (18)

Filter by funding type and study level.

Study guide

The study system

Higher education in Türkiye follows the European Bologna system and is overseen by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK): • Associate degree (Ön Lisans): 2 years. • Bachelor’s: usually 4 years; 5 years for dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine; 6 years for medicine. • Master’s: about 2 years, with or without a thesis. • PhD: about 4 years. Programmes are taught in Turkish or English. Students admitted to a Turkish-taught programme usually get time (often one to two years) to prove Turkish proficiency through a preparatory year or a Turkish language centre (TÖMER); students admitted to an English-taught programme must prove English proficiency or complete the preparatory year. The academic year usually starts in September or October.

How to get admitted

There are three main ways to study in Türkiye: 1) Türkiye Scholarships (Türkiye Bursları): the online application opens every year from 10 January to 20 February at turkiyeburslari.gov.tr. The scholarship covers tuition, housing, a monthly stipend, health insurance, a Turkish language year and a flight ticket; interviews take place roughly between April and June and results are announced in August. 2) Direct application to universities under the international student quota: each university publishes its own call and dates (usually between spring and summer). TR-YÖS, SAT, ACT, the International Baccalaureate, A-Levels or equivalent national school diplomas are accepted, with minimum scores that differ from one university to another. State universities have low fees, while foundation (private) universities give international students discounts that are usually decided at admission. 3) Graduate studies: apply to each university’s graduate school; ALES or GRE/GMAT and a language certificate are often required depending on the programme. Many universities offer master’s and PhD students a tuition waiver and sometimes a monthly stipend.

Fees and living costs

Tuition fees: • State universities: each university sets its fees for international students every year, generally between about 30,000 and 600,000 Turkish lira a year depending on the university and programme, with medicine the most expensive. Example: Middle East Technical University charges US$800–1,200 per semester for bachelor’s programmes (2025–2026). • Foundation (private) universities: about US$6,000 to 20,000 a year for international students, and many give discounts from 25% up to 100%. Living costs: the European Commission estimates €400–800 a month including housing; Middle East Technical University in Ankara (2026) estimates a student budget of about 12,000–18,000 lira a month with a campus dormitory and 20,000–35,000 lira with a shared flat. Istanbul is usually more expensive than Ankara and Izmir.

Visa, residence permit and health insurance

1) Student visa: once you have your acceptance letter, apply for a student visa at the Turkish embassy or consulate in your country. 2) Student residence permit (İkamet): the first application must be made during your visa (or visa-exemption) period by pre-registering on e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr; the university usually submits the file to the migration directorate. Main documents: the signed application form, a passport valid at least 60 days beyond the requested permit period, four biometric photos on a white background, a student certificate, proof of address (dormitory letter or notarised lease), the residence card fee receipt and health insurance. The card is sent by post and must be renewed before it expires (renewal can be requested from 60 days before expiry). 3) Health insurance: students can join the General Health Insurance (GSS) of the Social Security Institution (SGK) within 3 months of their first university registration; otherwise private health insurance is required.

Working while studying

Holders of a student residence permit may work with a work permit: • Associate and bachelor’s students: after completing their first year, part-time. • Master’s and PhD students: from their first year. The employer applies for the permit to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (General Directorate of International Labour Force) once you find a job, and the work permit replaces the residence permit. Working without a permit can lead to the cancellation of your residence permit.

Information last verified: October 12, 2026Official source

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Key questions and answers regarding eligibility, documents, and application steps for 2026 / 2027.

Usually not, but state university fees are relatively low, the government’s Türkiye Scholarships fully cover tuition, housing and a stipend, and many private universities give international students discounts from 25% up to 100%.

It depends on the programme: English-taught programmes require proof of English, while Turkish-taught programmes usually give one to two years to learn Turkish in a preparatory year or a TÖMER centre. Türkiye Scholarships include a Turkish language year.