How to Study in Turkey for International Students
As a transcontinental country sprawling across two continents, Turkey is as diverse in culture as it is in geography. It is one of the most affordable countries in the European continent for international students as it offers significant discounts on accommodation fees and transportation. Turkey is also known for its hospitality, establishing itself as a top destination for international students looking to pursue higher education in a friendly, inclusive, and multicultural environment at a very affordable price.
When it comes to the choices that are available, Turkey currently has 172 universities, from which 104 universities are a part of the public sector and 68 universities are private institutions.
Suppose you’re not just looking for any school but a well-performing school. In that case, the top universities in Turkey you should definitely check out are Middle East Technical University, Istanbul Technical University, and Koc University.
Being able to study in Turkey as an international student starts with planning ahead of time, as the process of researching your institution, filling out forms, and completing your paperwork can take a vast amount of time. In this article, you will find out the application process to study in Turkey, along with information on tuition, language requirements, and visa applications. So, let’s dig in!
1. Cost of Studying in Turkey
When choosing a university, you also need to consider the tuition fees and your budget. Before applying to a university in Turkey, it’s best to have a general knowledge of the tuition fees there. The annual tuition fees for international undergraduate students range from 247 TRY to 250,254,000 TRY, while for master’s degree studies, the yearly tuition fees are between 0 TRY and 845,700 TRY.
Cost of Studying in Public Universities in Turkey
To give you an idea of how much it costs to study in Turkey, here are the tuition fees in these public and private universities:
| Institution | Bachelor’s International Tuition Fee | Master’s International Tuition Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Bursa Uludag University | 71,400 TRY - 182,300 TRY | 40,000 TRY |
| Hitit University | 30,000 TRY - 50,000 TRY | 30,000 TRY - 42,000 TRY |
| Kastamonu University | 3,444 TRY - 6,896 TRY | 3,444 TRY - 6,896 TRY |
| Eskisehir Osmangazi University | 32,000 TRY - 42,000 TRY | |
| Sakarya University | 28,000 TRY - 100,000 TRY | 15,000 TRY |
| Akdeniz University | 29,000 TRY - 45,500 TRY | 45,500 TRY |
| Izmir Bakircay University | 6,682 TRY - 9,948 TRY | |
| Erzurum Technical University | 3,680 TRY - 4,592 TRY | |
| Konya Food and Agriculture University | 253,400 TRY | 253,400 TRY |
| University of Health Sciences | 2,232 TRY - 9,143 TRY | |
| Nigde Omer Halisdemir University | 2,784 TRY | 2,784 TRY - 5,060 TRY |
| Erzincan Binali Yildirim University | 6,000 TRY - 30,000 TRY | 4,000 TRY |
| Istanbul Medeniyet University | 2,453 TRY - 4,597 TRY | 2,400 TRY |
| Bursa Technical University | 27,000 TRY - 40,000 TRY | 24,000 TRY |
| Karabuk University | 7,500 TRY - 11,300 TRY | |
| Cukurova University | 36,000 TRY - 80,000 TRY | 40,000 TRY |
| Yildiz Technical University | 2,090 TRY - 4,183 TRY | 1,670 TRY |
| Istanbul Technical University | 79,000 TRY - 264,000 TRY | 33,300 TRY |
| Usak University | 1,200 TRY - 1,800 TRY | 920 TRY |
| Abdullah Gul University | 59,800 TRY - 85,500 TRY | 42,800 TRY |
| Aksaray University | 24,000 TRY - 38,000 TRY | 20,000 TRY - 38,000 TRY |
| Manisa Celal Bayar University | 4,080 TRY - 8,400 TRY | 11,400 TRY |
| Bartin University | 27,000 TRY | |
| Karadeniz Technical University | 15,000 TRY - 130,000 TRY | 10,000 TRY |
| Kirikkale University | 3,400 TRY - 6,900 TRY | |
| Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University | 23,300 TRY - 28,000 TRY | |
| Izmir Institute of Technology | 568 TRY - 774 TRY | |
| Social Sciences University of Ankara | 6,000 TRY | 6,000 TRY - 9,000 TRY |
| Gazi University | 3,678 TRY - 18,800 TRY | |
| Kocaeli University | 35,700 TRY - 243,000 TRY | |
| Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University | 464 TRY - 1,883 TRY | |
| Mugla Sitki Kocman University | 247 TRY - 768 TRY | 335 TRY - 4,500 TRY |
| Erciyes University | 25,500 TRY - 51,000 TRY | 20,000 TRY |
| Dokuz Eylul University | 67,500 TRY - 150,000 TRY | 51,000 TRY |
| Bogazici University | 341,900 TRY - 427,400 TRY | 42,800 TRY |
| Anadolu University | 45,000 TRY - 95,000 TRY | 45,000 TRY - 75,000 TRY |
| Ege University | 33,000 TRY - 192,300 TRY | 33,000 TRY - 64,100 TRY |
| Hacettepe University | 133,468,800 TRY - 250,254,000 TRY | |
| Ankara University | 82,000 TRY - 306,000 TRY | |
| Middle East Technical University | 6,000 TRY - 10,000 TRY | 5,000 TRY |
Cost of Studying in Private Universities in Turkey
| Institution | Bachelor’s International Tuition Fee | Master’s International Tuition Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Fatih Sultan Mehmet University | 149,600 TRY - 299,200 TRY | 213,700 TRY - 341,900 TRY |
| Ibn Haldun University | 685,000 TRY - 813,400 TRY | |
| Istanbul Kent University | 188,100 TRY - 248,000 TRY | 106,900 TRY - 641,200 TRY |
| Cankaya University | 585,000 TRY | 29,300 TRY |
| Cankiri Karatekin University | 32,100 TRY - 36,400 TRY | |
| Yasar University | 102,300 TRY | 116,700 TRY |
| Yuksek Ihtisas University | 46,900 TRY | 56,300 TRY |
| Sanko University | 25,500 TRY - 28,500 TRY | 8,750 TRY - 9,250 TRY |
| MEF University | 56,600 TRY - 69,500 TRY | |
| Nuh Naci Yazgan University | 22,300 TRY - 25,500 TRY | |
| Alanya University | 256,300 TRY - 309,700 TRY | |
| Bezmialem Vakif University | 213,700 TRY - 427,400 TRY | |
| Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University | 75,100 TRY - 187,700 TRY | 75,100 TRY - 93,900 TRY |
| Biruni University | 153,900 TRY - 192,400 TRY | |
| Beykoz University | 196,600 TRY - 256,500 TRY | 179,500 TRY - 299,200 TRY |
| KTO Karatay University | 103,100 TRY - 224,900 TRY | 56,300 TRY - 75,100 TRY |
| Istanbul Topkapi University | 169,000 TRY | |
| Fenerbahce University | 269,300 TRY - 359,000 TRY | |
| Istanbul Medipol University | 214,100 TRY - 342,500 TRY | |
| Beykent University | 6,112 TRY - 6,722 TRY | 5,000 TRY - 7,200 TRY |
| Turkish Aeronautical Association University | 150,200 TRY | |
| Istinye University | 86,600 TRY - 222,600 TRY | 45,600 TRY - 50,700 TRY |
| Cag University | 28,000 TRY | |
| Altinbas University | 117,500 TRY - 320,400 TRY | 294,700 TRY - 845,700 TRY |
| Istanbul Ticaret University | 256,900 TRY - 299,700 TRY | 214,100 TRY - 299,700 TRY |
| Istanbul Gedik University | 56,200 TRY - 112,400 TRY | 52,500 TRY - 65,600 TRY |
| Dogus University | 53,900 TRY - 75,400 TRY | 19,300 TRY - 31,200 TRY |
| Maltepe University | 74,700 TRY - 93,300 TRY | 85,900 TRY |
| Izmir University Of Economics | 149,300 TRY | 70,000 TRY |
| TOBB University of Economics and Technology | 705,400 TRY | |
| Ozyegin University | 225,100 TRY - 300,100 TRY | 186,600 TRY - 349,800 TRY |
| Uskudar University | 59,700 TRY - 72,800 TRY | 27,100 TRY - 56,000 TRY |
| Isik University | 154,200 TRY - 205,500 TRY | 12,000 TRY - 15,000 TRY |
| Halic University | 179,800 TRY - 214,100 TRY | 107,100 TRY - 192,700 TRY |
| Atilim University | 598,200 TRY | 286,300 TRY - 376,000 TRY |
| Istanbul Kultur University | 79,300 TRY - 117,400 TRY | 46,700 TRY - 112,000 TRY |
| Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University | 299,700 TRY | 342,500 TRY - 385,300 TRY |
| Nisantasi University | 50,600 TRY - 93,700 TRY | 54,300 TRY - 234,100 TRY |
| Acibadem University | 341,700 TRY - 640,700 TRY | |
| Sabanci University | 1,560,300 TRY | 688,200 TRY |
| Istanbul Aydin University | 213,800 TRY - 277,900 TRY | 213,800 TRY - 256,500 TRY |
| Bahcesehir University | 363,100 TRY - 512,600 TRY | 299,000 TRY - 384,400 TRY |
| Yeditepe University | 158,500 TRY - 270,400 TRY | 55,900 TRY - 93,200 TRY |
| Istanbul 29 Mayis University | 24,000 TRY - 30,000 TRY | |
| Istanbul Bilgi University | 513,000 TRY - 812,200 TRY | 427,500 TRY - 598,500 TRY |
| Bilkent University | 274,000 TRY | 270,300 TRY |
| Koc University | 363,600 TRY | 0 TRY - 456,800 TRY |
If you’re looking for the most affordable universities in Turkey, check out the Cheap Universities in Turkey!
Besides tuition fees, you also need to consider other expenses like books, accommodation, and living expenses.
2. Requirements to Study in Turkey for International Students
Once you have an idea of how much tuition fees are to study in Turkey, it’s time to consider preparing the paperwork to apply to those universities. Academic institutions have varying admission requirements, but the ones you should always prepare in advance are your academic records, such as a transcript of records or diploma from a previous academic level, and travel documents, such as your passport and visa.
Some institutions that offer master’s programs might also ask for a statement of purpose, a curriculum vitae or résumé, and letters of recommendation. There are also degree programs where you need to take an admissions test before you can apply. Besides these, universities might also require you to submit proof of language proficiency.
In Turkey, English and Turkish are the languages of instruction. If you’re looking to study in any of the academic institutions here, you might need to prove language proficiency by taking standardized tests, such as TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo for English. Depending on the institution and the language of instruction for your program, you might also have to prove your language proficiency by submitting TYS for Turkish.
To give you an idea, here are some universities in Turkey and their required minimum scores for each program level.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet University
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Ibn Haldun University
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Istanbul Kent University
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Typically, you can find information about language requirements on the admissions requirements page of the university. You can also check out if the university has a dedicated language requirements page for international students.
Application Procedure to Study in Turkey
The specific admission process may vary depending on the university. The good news is that most institutions in Turkey have online applications available on their websites, like Middle East Technical University and Istanbul Technical University. To help you with this, we also compiled the official websites and admission pages of some of the top institutions in Turkey.
Middle East Technical University
Istanbul Technical University
Koc University
Make sure to gather all the information you need for the admission process. As you apply to these institutions, expect that they may ask for additional requirements depending on your nationality, degree, or program. So, it’s best to keep your lines active.
After completing your academic and language requirements, it’s time to apply!
The admission process in Turkey differs from one university to another, so it’s best to contact your chosen school beforehand. Please note that the admission process for international students may take some time, so be sure to know the application dates and apply early.
The application process may take weeks or months, depending on your timing, nationality, degree, and other factors. To make the most of your application, make sure to completely follow the admission steps and submit the necessary requirements to ensure that you’ll be accepted to your chosen university in Turkey.
The key to being admitted to your chosen school will depend on your punctuality and the quality of your application. So make sure to complete the requirements beforehand and follow the steps in applying. After this, you’ll wait for a week or a month for the results.
4. Visa Application for International Students in Turkey
Now that you’re accepted into your chosen institution, it’s time to apply for a student visa in Turkey. A student visa is an essential document for studying abroad. It’s an important government document that you need to present before going to Turkey as an international student.
In this section, let’s briefly discuss the requirements needed and how you can apply for a student visa in Turkey. If you’re going to stay here for your studies, you will need to obtain a Student Visa.
To start your student visa application in Turkey, you will need to present the following:
- A valid passport
- Biometric photos adhering the Turkish foreign ministry's visa photo requirements
- A letter of acceptance from the academic institution
- Copies of all your diplomas, academic transcripts, and certificates
- Proof of Financial means including a letter of sponsorship, bank statements, and letters of scholarship (when applicable)
- Proof of flight booking and travel insurance
- Proof of payment of tuition fees
- Proof of accommodation
Kindly take note that these requirements may vary depending on your nationality. So, please expect that may ask for additional requirements. Moreover, you will be required to pay a student visa application fee. The visa application fee in Turkey is 2,542.20 Turkish Lira for Multiple Entry, 758.90 Turkish Lira for Single Entry.
After preparing your requirements and application fees, it’s time to apply for a student visa! The first steps in getting your student visa are:
- Complete a visa form
- Collect a number of documents
- Attend your visa interview
For more information regarding the specific steps in applying for a student visa, visit or contact the nearest embassy or consulate in your home country. They are the ones responsible for processing your student visa application.
That’s it! After getting your student visa, you can now officially study in Turkey. Make sure to book a flight early, before your classes start, so that you’ll have ample time to explore and familiarize yourself in your new place!