Education in Turkey for foreigners

In this article, we have put together a complete guide on education in Turkey for foreigners, from kindergartens to advanced degrees and employment. Children can study free of charge in public kindergartens and schools, regardless of citizenship. At the main Turkish universities, tuition for foreign students costs from 1,000 US dollars per year, and with good academic performance, the scholarship covers up to 100% of the cost. Read the article to learn all about entering an educational institution: what documents are needed and where one should apply for enrolment.

The Turkish education system is in line with the Bologna

Education in Turkey begins with kindergarten, but this stage is not required. Children start school at the age of 5.5 years. School education is based on the “4 + 4 + 4” system: 4 years in primary school, 4 years in secondary school and another 4 years children study at a higher school or lyceum. Lyceum students can choose specialisations that will help them better prepare for further professional education.

Graduates of higher education enter universities or vocational schools. After 2 years in vocational schools, graduates receive an associate degree with which they can already be employed or, if they choose to continue their studies, enrol in the third year of a bachelor's programme. Higher education in Turkey is in line with the Bologna system, which is generally accepted in the EU countries. Universities offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes. Bachelor's programmes last 4 years, master's — 2 years, doctoral — 3–5 years.

Kindergartens: preparation for primary school and additional education for toddlers

Turkey has public kindergartens (anaokulu) and private kindergartens (kreş). You can send a child to a public kindergarten from the age of 36 months; private kindergartens accept children from the age of 24 months. Preschool education institutions teach children up to the age of 65 months. Parents themselves decide at what age they will send their child to a kindergarten. Kindergarten teachers develop children's fine and gross motor skills as well as cognitive and social skills. They also prepare children for primary school.

If a child and his foreign parents have a residence permit, parents can choose any kindergarten. Lists of accredited private and public kindergartens can be found on the Turkish Ministry of Education website.

Public kindergartens are free even for foreigners

The services of public kindergartens are free, but parents pay additional costs for stationery and toys, hikes and excursions, and a special bus that picks up the kids in the morning and takes them home in the evening. These extra costs usually amount to 200–500 Turkish liras per month.

Daytime sleep is not featured in public kindergartens. Children here either stay in shifts or from morning till 16:00. During the stay they feed the kids twice: in the morning and in the afternoon.

Enrolment in a public kindergarten should either be in June or in the next academic year. The sooner parents apply, the better: popular institutions run out of vacant places quickly. Most public kindergartens are closed in the summer.

Foreigner’s documents needed for admission to a public kindergarten:

• residence permit (ikamet);
• health certificate;
• vaccination certificate.

Private kindergartens have an extended schedule and a rich programme

Fee-based private kindergartens have a number of advantages: the option to leave children in the kindergarten for the whole day, balanced meals three times a day, daytime sleep and more versatile basic education, including learning at least one foreign language. Some private kindergartens are also open on weekends.

The cost of staying and studying in private kindergartens starts from 2,000 Turkish liras per month. Montessori education is widespread in private kindergartens in Turkey. The Italian method of education, known as the “The Reggio Emilia approach”, is gaining popularity as well, however such kindergartens are more expensive.

Three-level school education

School education in Turkey consists of three four-year periods: primary (Ilkokulu), secondary (ortaokul) and lyceum (lise). Every four years children take exams, and the calculation of average annual scores begins from the sixth grade. The higher the score, the more prestigious lyceum you can choose. There are special ratings of all lyceums, indicating what score is required to enter a particular lyceum.

The school year begins on different dates around mid-September, when the Hajj period and the Eid al-Adha holiday end. The academic year is divided into two semesters of four months each. At the end of January, the pupils have a two-week holiday.

Education in public primary and secondary schools is free.

Primary and secondary schools

Teaching in public schools is conducted in Turkish. Children from foreign-speaking families undergo two-month language training before the school year starts. When the language level becomes sufficient to understand the curriculum, children from foreign families begin to attend classes with local students. Foreign languages in public schools are included in the compulsory programme only from the 4th grade.

While tuition in public primary and secondary schools is free, textbooks, uniforms, equipment, and cleaning are paid for by parents. In public school classes, the number of pupils can reach 50 people, and children study in two shifts. Many people complain about the shortage of primary schools and their condition. The disadvantages also include the absence of refectories in public primary and secondary schools, there are only paid cafes. There are no gyms in public primary school buildings. Physical education classes only start in secondary school.

All these drawbacks are absent in paid private primary and secondary schools (kolej). Children in commercial schools are educated in modern conditions, they are fed three times a day, and there are extended day groups, electives, academic supervision and more thorough training in foreign languages.

Usually foreign parents prefer to send their children to private schools, because this way their education takes place in an international environment.

There is a large selection of private schools in Turkey: some are expensive and old, some are new with foreign teachers. The tuition fee costs between 1,000 US dollars and 7,000 US dollars per year. Here are just a few examples of Turkish private schools:

• TED (available in most regions of Turkey). A very popular modern school with an international teaching staff.
• Bahçeşehir (available in most regions of Turkey). Established on the basis of Bahcesehir University.
• UFUK (Alanya). It is possible to attend religious classes here, but they are not included in the mandatory programme.
• OHEP (Alanya).
• Robert College (Istanbul). A prestigious school, which was founded in 1863.
• Saint Benoît Lycée (Istanbul). Founded in 1783, the Saint-Benoit French School is considered one of the best private schools. Teaching here is conducted in French and Turkish.

Lyceums are higher schools

At the end of the 8th grade, children take the Lyceum entrance exam (Liselere Geçiş Sınavı). Based on the results of this exam, you can choose the lyceum, in which you can enter for free and continue your studies. Lyceums vary in specialisations:

Both private and public schools have shuttle services. Mini-buses collect pupils from various districts and take them to and from school. This is a paid service, but most parents use it.

Lists of accredited public and private schools and their contacts can be found on the Turkish Ministry of Education website: Istanbul schools, Alanya schools, Bodrum schools.

International schools in Turkey

International schools in Turkey teach children with foreign citizenship according to programmes and standards adopted in other countries: British IGCSE, American Advanced Placement, German Abitur, French programmes, etc. Children with Turkish citizenship do not study in international schools, because according to Turkish law, they are required to obtain a Turkish certificate. They can study under international programmes, but only in parallel with the Turkish programme in public schools and Imam Hatip schools.

The majority of such schools are located in Istanbul. The most common international school accreditation system is the Council of International Schools.

The best international schools in Istanbul:

• Robert College (American programme);
• Üsküdar American Academy (American programme);
• German High School (German school);
• Saint George’s Austrian High School (Austrian school);
• Galatasaray high school (French school);
• Saint Joseph high school (French school).

German schools pay great attention to preparation for engineering and natural science undergraduate programmes. French schools’ pupils study humanitarian subjects in depth, American — financial and economic.

Vocational schools in Turkey

Vocational schools (Meslek Yüksek Okulları) usually operate on the basis of public universities. The purpose of vocational schools is to develop applied skills, therefore these educational institutions work closely with leading enterprises in Turkey. Graduates gain real work experience and an understanding of employers' needs. Schools train industry specialists in foreign trade, logistics and transport, computer technology and programming, designers, managers, tax specialists and accountants, translators, cooks and many others.

To enter such a school, foreign applicant needs to have a translated school certificate, a residence permit or a student visa, as well as a TOEFL language certificate with a level of at least B2.

Graduates receive an associate's degree, with which they can get a job or enter the 3rd year of the undergraduate programme. To continue undergraduate studies, associates must pass the national DGS (Dikey Gecis Sinavi) exam and have a sufficient GPA for the undergraduate programme of interest.

Why do international students choose Turkish universities?

Foreign students choose Turkish universities for the opportunity to study at affordable prices according to European and American standards in a multicultural environment.

Over the past 10 years, the number of international students in Turkish universities has increased by 75%. As of 2022, more than 200,000 foreign students study in Turkey, of which 20,000 study for free on the Turkiye Burslari state scholarship. Public universities offer equal opportunities to enrollees from all over the world making Turkey the world’s top-10 country by the number of attracted foreign students in UNESCO ranking.

How to enrol at a Turkish university

Method 1. Through the Turkiye Burslari Scholarship programme. This is the most popular method among foreign applicants. Scholarship holders receive free education, including accommodation in a public university dormitory, health insurance, Turkish language courses, and even plane tickets. It takes several months to wait for the results of the scholarship exam and the universities’ response. In addition, there is a big competition for this programme: up to 50 people per place. In total, Turkey allocates 5,000 scholarships annually. In 2021, 165,000 foreign applicants applied for this scholarship.

Method 2. Based on the results of the YÖS exam for foreign students. The exam does not test knowledge of Turkish and is taken in various languages. The exam consists of 80 questions in mathematics, geometry, and logic, which are given from 80 to 120 minutes to solve. The average passing score is 45–50; it is enough to answer 40 questions correctly to get this score. Universities compose questions according to a similar methodology, so the exam results of one university are accepted in others.

Applications for the YÖS exam are accepted on the university websites. Here is an example of this exam on the OMÜ University’s website; it also shows which other universities accept the results of this exam. The exam is taken in person in Turkey.

For American applicants, it is often enough to provide the results of standardised SAT or ACT exams.

Method 3. Using a Turkish school certificate or vocational school diploma with an associate degree. For this, foreign students need to enrol in a Turkish school to learn Turkish and prepare for the national entrance exam. This method provides more freedom in the choice of universities.

After admission to the university, language training follows: usually, universities provide foreign students with preparatory language courses. To study in English, you will need a TOEFL level B2 certificate, in Turkish — TÖMER level B2.

Documents for admission to a Turkish university

For undergraduate admission, Turkish universities accept online applications on their websites. You can also find information about admission requirements there. Universities usually ask to send the following documents:

1. School certificate with Turkish translation.
2. YÖS exam results (or SAT/ACT).
3. Applicant’s letters of motivation and recommendations.
4. A translation of the passport and a copy of the original.
5. Photographs.
6. To study in English-language programmes, you will need to confirm knowledge of the language. TOEFL scores at B2 level will suffice. Many universities allow you to take an internal English language exam upon arrival in Turkey. If the score is lower than needed, universities can still accept such students and send them to preparatory training courses before the start of the academic year.
7. To study in Turkish-language programmes, you must have a C1 level according to the results of the TÖMER test or the Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Proficiency Exam.

Some universities conduct online interviews with applicants, especially for medical programmes.

After enrolling at a university, you will need to affix an apostille for a school certificate.

If you plan to enrol in a master's or doctoral programme, you will need to obtain a Diploma Equivalency Certificate (Denklik Belgesi) from the Turkish consulate of your country. Diploma recognition is mandatory for registration in Turkish universities.

The lists of documents and the enrolment procedure are usually specified on the universities’ websites.

Top 5 universities and tuition fees for international students

Since this selection is prepared for foreign applicants, it corresponds to the international Top Universities ranking. It contains those universities that most actively participate in international programmes and attract students from abroad. The national ranking of Turkish universities differs from the international one.

Koç University, Istanbul

In the 30 years since its founding, it has become the most prestigious university in Turkey. It is located in the elite district of Turyapi in the European part of Istanbul. The campus is reminiscent of mediaeval Istanbul. Most of the teachers here are from America and Europe, and teaching itself is conducted in English.

Students who want to get an education according to American standards go to this university. About 70% of students study under scholarship programmes, which are based on academic merit and cover from 25% to 100% of tuition costs. The university cooperates with the international exchange and internship programmes Erasmus+ and Global Exchange, so students have the opportunity to go on these programmes to more than 230 universities from 50 countries around the world.

Sabanci University, Istanbul

This university is consistently ranked among the top five universities in Turkey. It is included in international student exchange programmes and internships, thanks to which students have the opportunity to practice at international giant companies, such as JP Morgan and KPMG International in the UK, Komatsu in Japan and Porsche in Germany.

The most famous study programmes are presented at the faculties of engineering and natural sciences. Sabancı is the first Turkish university to become a member of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM).

Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara

METU was founded in 1956 in Ankara and for several decades had been considered one of the leading universities in Turkey in the fields of arts and humanities, engineering and technology, natural and social sciences. Many civil servants of Turkey graduated from this university. Graduates of the Middle East Technical University are in demand among employers in Turkey. In 1991, METU was one of the first universities in Turkey to launch the accreditation of all its engineering programmes in accordance with the ABET standard. The university is the leading one in Turkey in terms of the number and funding of international research projects. Tools for Turkey's accession to the European Union were developed on the basis of METU.

The university provides scholarships, based on academic merit, which cover up to 50% of the tuition fee.

Bilkent University, Ankara

Bilkent is one of the largest universities in Turkey, with more than 13,000 students studying here. The university is famous for its Faculty of Engineering, which was ranked 98th in the world and 1st in Turkey in 2014. The Faculty of Management became the first business school in Turkey, which was accredited by the International Association for the Development of University Business Schools. The famous historian Ilber Ortaily, professor, doctor of political sciences, works in Bilkent.

Bilkent University graduates are in demand in local and international companies in the field of radio electronics, aviation, telecommunications, IT, mechanical engineering, consulting and audit.

64% of students receive scholarships ranging from 20% to 100% of tuition fees.

Boğaziçi University, Istanbul

This university was founded in 1863. Prior to the reorganisation in 1971, it was called Robert College. In 2022, more than 17,000 students are studying here. Most programmes are taught in English.

Many famous people of Turkey graduated from this university: Güler Sabancı (Director of a large financial and industrial conglomerate of companies Sabancı Holding), Tansu Chiller (former Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey), comedian Cem Yilmaz, artist Teoman and others. Graduates work in banks, insurance companies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in various industries.

Student visa and student residence permit in Turkey

Foreign students without a Turkish residence permit must apply for a student visa through the Turkish Embassy in their country before the academic year starts. You can make an appointment at the Turkish consular website. The basis for obtaining a student visa is an invitation from the university and a paid study contract, an extract from the bank account of the student or his guardian, confirming the availability of at least 6,000 US dollars. A student visa is issued for one year.

After obtaining a student visa, the student then travels to Turkey and within a month from the date of entry into the country applies for a student residence permit. To do this, you need to file an application on the official website and collect the following documents:

1. Application for a residence permit in Turkey (if the student is a minor, the application needs to be signed by the guardian).
2. Copy of the passport or a document replacing the passport (the original must be taken to the interview at the consulate).
3. Four biometric photographs.
4. Proof of sufficient funds or income for the period of residence (a scholarship received from the university, an extract from the guardian’s account, etc.).
5. State duty payment receipt.
6. Medical insurance for the entire period of residence permit.
7. Document confirming the place of residence in Turkey (a lease agreement or registration in a student dormitory).
8. Certificate from the university (Öğrenci Belgesi).
9. If the student has not reached the age of majority in their home country, then written consent from parents or guardians is required, as well as a written commitment from the individual or legal entity in Turkey with whom the student will reside in the country.

Student residence permit for university students is issued for 4 years or for the duration of the contract with the university. According to the Turkish Migration Service, almost 350,000 foreign citizens live in Turkey on student residence permits in 2022.

Part-time jobs for international students in Turkey

With a student residence permit, you can officially find a job in Turkey, but first you need to obtain a work permit. However, many students work remotely as freelancers.

Turkish universities allow students to work part-time at the department and in libraries, to participate on a paid basis in research projects. Universities often pay tuition fees for master’s and doctoral students in exchange for teaching assistance.

Another popular way of earning money for students is paid internships for international programmes in Turkish and foreign companies. All leading Turkish universities have Career Centres, which organise such internships and employ graduates after graduation.

Prospects for finding a job in Turkey after graduation

One thing is important to understand: hiring a foreigner is usually a costly undertaking for a Turkish company, because of the difficulties of obtaining a work visa. However, there are many companies in Turkey that work on international markets, so hiring foreign employees is a necessity for them. You can search for employers and suitable vacancies through Career Centres at universities, through the Turkish Employment Agency or through job search websites. For example, vacanciesinturkey.com and flagma.biz.tr — these two websites both post Turkish vacancies for foreigners. Additionally, the most popular websites in Turkish are: secretcv.com, yenibiris, kariyer.net, careerjet.

After concluding an employment contract with a Turkish employer, you need to apply for a work visa at the Turkish Consulate and receive a registration number. With this number, the employer must submit a package of documents to the Turkish Ministry of Labour:

1. Application for a work permit.
2. Company's tax return for the year.
3. Extract from the Register of companies, indicating the amount of capital and the shareholder structure.
4. Translated and notarised copies of the employee's passport, diploma and school certificate.

The Ministry of Labour considers applications for up to a month and a half, only after the application’s approval does the employee start working in a Turkish company.

Another good way to find a job in an international Turkish company is through AIESEC internships.

Author: Alesia Razinkevich