Turkey University Admission Requirements for International Students

To get into a Turkish university as an international student, you need a completed (or final-year) high-school diploma, one accepted exam or diploma score at the level the university sets (TR-YÖS, SAT, ACT, IB, A-levels or a national exam), and for English-taught programs, proof of English or a place in the preparatory year. There is no single national minimum: each university publishes its own table of accepted exams and scores.

This guide explains the eligibility rules set by YÖK and ÖSYM, then shows real 2026/27 minimums from official university pages so you can see how much they differ.

Who is eligible for the international student quota

According to the Study in Türkiye FAQ, you can apply to bachelor's or associate programs if you are in the final year of high school or have already graduated. Foreign nationals qualify as long as they did not attend or graduate from a high school in Turkey. Exceptions are embassy schools, international schools in the MOBİS system and some MEB/YÖK projects.

Accepted exams and diplomas

Since 2024/25, public universities admit international students using TR-YÖS, high-school grade averages set by the university senate, national exams or international exams such as SAT, IB and Abitur. Foundation (private) universities may also use their own YÖS. You usually apply with one score type, so pick the one that makes you most competitive.

TR-YÖS

TR-YÖS is run by ÖSYM twice a year in Turkish, English, German, French, Russian and Arabic. Knowing Turkish is not a condition to sit it, and a score is valid for two years from the exam date. Some universities accept only ÖSYM's TR-YÖS and not other universities' YÖS exams or online YÖS.

Real minimum scores for 2026/27

The gap is large. A score that is too low for a highly selective university can still be competitive elsewhere, so check several universities before you decide which exam to take.

How universities rank international applicants

Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place. Universities rank applicants within a fixed quota, and some convert different exams into one score. Sakarya University, for example, counts TR-YÖS at 100% of its value, ACT, SAT and A-levels at 90%, and the high-school diploma at 70%, so the same student can rank higher with an exam than with a diploma. Sakarya also states that it may leave quotas unfilled.

Some universities also cap places by nationality. Anadolu University admits at most 20% of a program's quota from one nationality, which can make popular programs more competitive for students from countries that send many applicants.

Medicine, Law and other special programs

• Medicine and Dentistry usually have the highest minimums: Sakarya asks for TR-YÖS 400 for 2026/27, and Ordu University asked for TR-YÖS 430 in its 2025/26 call.
• Türkiye Scholarships requires a 90% school grade for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, and offers no graduate scholarships in health sciences.
• Some Law and Turkish-literature programs need Turkish: Boğaziçi asks for Turkish B2 for Law and Turkish Language and Literature.
• Sports and arts programs may add a special talent exam, as Sakarya notes in its 2026/27 rules.

Requirements for applicants from Afghanistan

Universities publish country tables that say which Afghan qualifications they accept. In FindUniPath's data, 56 university requirement entries are specific to Afghan applicants, and they vary a lot.

If your Kankor score is high, it can be enough at many universities. If your university does not accept Afghan diplomas, TR-YÖS is often the way in, and in 2026 it could be taken in Herat, Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif.

English requirements for English-taught programs

At most universities you can apply without an English score. At registration you either show an accepted certificate, pass the university's own proficiency exam, or join a one-year English preparatory program. Accepted tests vary: Bilkent accepts IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 87, Boğaziçi accepts IELTS 6.5 (Writing 6.5) or its own exam, while METU does not accept IELTS taken on or after 24 December 2022.

Some public universities also expect Turkish. Ankara University requires all international students to prove Turkish proficiency within at most two years, even in English programs, and Yıldız Technical University requires Turkish B1 within one year (plus one). Details are in our English-taught programs in Turkey guide.

Documents for a bachelor's application

• Passport ID page and a photo
• High-school diploma or temporary graduation certificate (with official translation if not in Turkish or English)
• Full high-school transcript
• Your exam or diploma result (SAT, IB, A-levels, TR-YÖS or national exam)
• English certificate if you have one (some universities, such as Boğaziçi, ask for it with the application)
• Sometimes a statement of purpose, CV or references (optional at METU, required at Boğaziçi)

At final registration many universities ask for originals and an equivalence letter for your diploma from Turkey's Ministry of National Education (MEB) or a Turkish embassy. See our documents, translation and legalization guide.

Master's and PhD requirements

Graduate admission is decided by each graduate school, program by program. Typical requirements at research universities include:

• A bachelor's degree (or master's for PhD) with a program-specific minimum GPA, for example 2.50/4.00 for Biomedical Engineering M.S. at Boğaziçi
• ALES or GRE/GMAT: METU expects GRE scores usually around 149–155, and Boğaziçi gives examples such as ALES Quantitative 70 or GRE Quant 153
• An English score at application: METU asks for TOEFL iBT 79–95, PTE Academic 70–75 or its own exam, depending on the program
• Statement of purpose, reference letters and a CV
• A YÖK School Recognition Letter for your bachelor's university (non-health fields), or a full Diploma Equivalence Certificate for health fields with clinical practice

Anadolu University notes that YÖK checks the recognition of your foreign university after registration and that unrecognised degrees are cancelled, so get the recognition letter early.

Quick eligibility checklist

• You are in your final year of high school or have graduated, and you did not study at a high school in Turkey (unless an exception applies).
• You have one accepted exam or diploma at or above the university's minimum for your country, and it is still valid (usually two years for exams).
• You know which English tests the university accepts, or you are ready to take its exam or a preparatory year.
• For graduate study, your bachelor's university is recognised by YÖK and you meet the program's GPA, ALES/GRE and English minimums.
• You have checked whether the program also expects Turkish during your studies.

Türkiye Scholarships requirements

If you also apply for Türkiye Scholarships, the minimum grades are 70% for associate and bachelor's, 75% for graduate study and 90% for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy. You must be under 21 for bachelor's, under 30 for master's and under 35 for a PhD. See our scholarships guide.