Universities

Out of the almost 200 University in Turkey, more than half of them are public universities governed by the state of Turkey. The rest of them are then divided among 61 private foundation universities, eight two-year granting institutions, one special national defense university and one police academy.

The general quality of the educational system in Turkey is quickly improving over the past decades. Indeed, according to the QS World University Rankings 2015/16,  a total of 10 Turkish universities were listed within the top 1000 institutions in the world. Among those worldwide famous universities you would come across the followings :

 

• Bilkent University
• Middle East Technical University
• Boğaziçi University
• Sabanci University
• Koç university
• Istanbul Technical University
• Hacettepe university
• Istanbul University
• Çukurova University

 

Those results are echoing even louder about the high standard of education in Turkey when you come to realize that the country of Turkey, created in 1923, is not even 100 years old yet but represents  already one of the spearhead of the emerging economy of the world.

 

At the beginning of every new academic year, the Turkish government is setting the minimum and maximum tuitions fees that will be established for the Master's programs.

 As an international student, you will soon enough realize that the costs of the academic year varies significantly between private and public universities. Usually, foreign students at state universities can expect to pay from 220 € to 450 € for one year of postgraduate study taught in Turkish language. Lessons held in English language are tending to be a bit more pricy and you should then expect an annual cost of about 450 € to 670 €.

On the other hands, if you intend to attend lessons in a Turkish private university, you should be expecting to pay from 3,700 € to 15,000 €  for a Masters' course.

 

Usually, Universities officially open in October, with many places offered on a first-come, first-served basis, although specific application deadlines may differ between each institution. Therefore, it can be wise to contact them as early as possible, ideally at least one year in advance.

Turkish institutions typically require candidates to have completed an undergraduate degree or equivalent diploma before applying, but as each university will have its own entry requirements, it is worth speaking to the admissions office directly.

In addition to the application form and fee, international students may need to pass graduate exams before being authorized to study within a Turkish university. You may be expected to achieve the required level in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) revised General Test or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). These computer-based exams are generally available all the year round.

It is also likely that each specific department may have its own written exams and/or conduct interviews to determine suitable candidates for the course.

 

Foreign students who would like to enroll in the post-graduate programs of the Turkish institutions of higher education can apply directly to universites and must have completed their secondary education in a high school in which the education is equivalent to that of a Turkish high school (lise); they need to have it confirmed from a Turkish Embassy in their country and apply for a student visa.

Your admission will also depend on the universities' capacity to allocate places for foreigners within their establishment. The students must as well pass the Foreign Student Entrance Examination (YÖS).  This exam is compounded of two parts which are the followings :  

1. A part testing your "basic learning skills" where it will be required from you to reach a minimum score of 40.
2. A second part testing your "Turkish language proficiency" in order to evaluate your Turkish language level. Yet, do not worry! Language courses are organized for those who do not speak Turkish or willing to improve their knowledge of the language. Moreover, some Turkish universities are offering lessons taught in English, French or German.

 Finally, and as said previously, foreign students must take the Graduate Education Entrance Examination or an international examination (GRE, GMAT, SAT, etc.) required by each university.