Study in Turkey

Turkey is increasingly gaining a reputation as an ideal destination for international students. The main reason for the attraction is the opportunity to gain a relatively inexpensive and good quality education. Here is a guide for international students looking forward to study in Turkey.

Reasons to study in Turkey

Turkey is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, reflecting its goal of gaining a global position. Here are the top reasons to study in Turkey :

• The cost of studying in Turkey is much lower without compromising the quality of education. 
• There are several scholarships available for international students to study abroad in Turkey. These scholarships not only cover tuition fees but accommodation, insurance and travel costs.
• The country is working continuously on an increasing number of courses in the English language at Turkish universities. Being an international student you don’t need to learn the Turkish language. You can pursue your education in the English language itself.
• The Degrees granted by Turkish universities are accepted all over the world.
• Turkey is known as a student-friendly nation. You can find Social clubs, sports groups and social occasions at each university for your refreshments. 
• Regardless of the colleges, you choose to study in Turkey, you will experience advanced and advantageous campus life, furnished with the most latest technology.

Best courses to study in Turkey

Turkey follows the same European Union (EU) Bologna system. The higher education is offered in the 3 levels, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD. You can take the study at these 3 levels in any course of study after fulfilling the university requirements. Some of the popular courses in Turkey among international students are:

• Study Architecture in Turkey
• Study Medicine in Turkey
• Study Finance in Turkey
• Study Dentistry in Turkey
• Study Architecture in Turkey
• Study Law in Turkey
• Study Psychology in Turkey
• Study MBA in Turkey
• Study IT in Turkey
• Study Engineering in Turkey
• Study Economics in Turkey

Universities in Turkey for international students

There are over 200 universities in Turkey, the majority of which are run by the government. Also, there are 9 Turkish universities which are ranked among the best in the world by the qs world university ranking. They are:

Requirements to study in Turkey

After choosing the course and the university, your next step is to apply. For application, you will require some documents to be submitted as evidence and for verification purpose. Different Turkish universities have different admission requirements. The common documents asked by the Turkish universities are:

• Application form
• High school diploma 
• Bachelor's or Master's degree
• Transcript of records
• Language proficiency score 
• Motivation letter
• Reference letters from professors and employers
• Scoresheets of entrance exams as asked by the university such as SAT, GMAT, GRE) 
• Evidence of the financial funds to support yourself during your studies in Turkey

Study in Turkey in English

Though Turkish is the main language in Turkey, you can still find study programs in English. You can find many English universities in Istanbul, which is the main city in Turkey.  Here are some of the universities which provide English taught courses:

• Ankara University
• Cyprus International University
• Eastern Mediterranean University
• Lefke European University
• Koç University
• Middle East Technical University
• Istanbul Technical University
• Near East University
• Kafkas University
• Anadolu University
• Gazi University
• Firat University
• Gebze Technical University
• Atilim University
• Bilkent University

To get admission in the English speaking programs at universities, you need to submit an English language proficiency score.  In most cases, you are required to take a Placement Test at the university. 

Study in Turkey without IELTS

Many Turkish universities do not ask for IELTS scores if you have earned your last degree in English. Check the website of the particular university before applying as different courses in different universities have different requirements. In the following universities, most of the study courses do not require IELTS:

• İstanbul Medipol University
• Beykent University
• Bahçeşehir University
• Fatih Sultan Mehmet University
• İstanbul Zaim University
• Istanbul Aydın University
• Ufuk University
• Atılım University
• Çankaya University
• Başkent University

Study in Turkey fees and expenses

Studying in Turkey for international students is not much costlier. The tuition fee varies depending upon the university and the course you chose. Private universities in Turkey have higher fees than public universities. On average you can expect the tuition fee in the universities in Turkey as mentioned below: 

• For Bachelors in English: 3500– 12000 Turkish lira per academic year
• For Bachelors in Turkish: 1860 – 6000 Turkish lira per academic year
• For Masters in English: 4500– 7000 Turkish lira per academic year
• For Masters in Turkish: 2300– 5000 Turkish lira per academic year

Another living cost in Turkey can include 

• 2700 -3900 Turkish lira per month on living expenses
• An extra 775-1200 Turkish lira per semester on books and administrative fees
• between 310 -550 Turkish lira per year on health insurance

We hope you got the answer to the question of how much does it cost to study in Turkey. Arrange the funds accordingly. If you are unable to afford it, you can apply for scholarships.

Study in Turkey scholarship

Scholarships in Turkey can be in the form of grants from the Turkish government and universities and awards from external institutions. To make a way to study in Turkey for free you should take help of the scholarships. Here are a few listed :

• Turkiye Burslari Scholarship Scheme.
• Success Scholarship Program.
• Turkey Research Scholarship Program.
• Undergraduate Partial international awards at Cyprus West University in Turkey.
• Academicians and Public Officials Turkish Language Programme.
• OSTiM Technical University Undergraduate international awards in Turkey.
• ITU AI DeepMind Scholarship in Turkey.

Turkish student visa requirements 

To study in Turkey, you will first need to get enrolled in a course at a Turkish university. The next step would be a student visa application. You can apply for a student visa at your nearest Turkish consulate. For the study visa application, you need to submit the following documents.  

• A copy of your letter of admission from a Turkish university
• Duly filled Turkish student visa application form 
• A valid passport,
• A processing fee
• 2 latest Passport-sized photographs
• Proof of health insurance
• Evidence of enough financial resources to support your studies and stay in Turkey
• Proof of accommodation in Turkey
• Previous education certificates or diplomas

The processing time of the student visa application can be around  8 weeks from the time you submit your application. You also have to apply for a residence permit, within one month of arrival in Turkey. This can be applied at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Administration. You will require to submit documents for it:

• Proof of your enrolment in a Turkish university, 
• Your passport
• Turkish student visa, 
• Photographs 

Your residence permit will be valid only for one year. If you need to extend the stay, you should renew your permit before 60 days of its expiry. You can apply for renewing the visa by visiting the local authorities and completing a renewal application form.

Study and work in Turkey

International students enrolled in degree programs at universities or higher education in Turkey are permitted to work. The only condition to be fulfilled is that they should have a legal work permit.  International students are allowed to work for a maximum of 24 hours per week in Turkey.

Master’s degree and PhD students can start working front the first year itself. However, International students studying the two-year degree course or undergraduate study program can now apply for a work permit after completing their first year.