Popular degree subjects in Turkey

If you are planning to study in Turkey than know that the process is similar to what you find in European Union (EU) or commonly known as Bologna system. Turkey offers higher international education on three levels: Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D.

When applying in Turkey, you have an array of degree options to choose from which are offered by its 104 public universities and 62 private ones. The universities that offer English-taught degree programs are:

METU Middle East Technical University
Istanbul Aydin University
TED University (TEDU)
Bilkent University
Koc University
Istanbul Sehir University

While there is a wide variety of a degrees offered by Turkish universities, the programs offered under the degrees are even wider. There are

Given the wide choice of Turkish universities, there’s no surprise that the study programmes offer is even wider. It is also true that there are certain programs that you can’t study in Turkey but there are some popular courses that Turkish universities are highly ranked for:

Masters in Architecture in Turkey
Masters in Finance in Turkey
Masters in Management in Turkey
Masters in Engineering in Turkey
Masters in International Relations in Turkey

It is however pertinent to note that each year the Turkish government offers a fixed number of places for foreign students for each programme, which the students can apply for and try their luck for being accepted (the smaller the number of places, the higher the competition).

How to apply to a Turkish university

University admission requirements and application documents

Once you have selected the degree programme in Turkey, now is the time to check the entry and application requirements. The criteria for each university can vary so check on the website whether you meet the requirements or not. However, there are general conditions that a candidate has to fulfill when applying to any university.

Applying for an undergraduate degree in Turkey

If you are planning to apply for the Bachelor’s in Turkey in 2022, you need to apply by August or September. While you wait for your A1 or Intermediate result, make sure you have the following documents.

Application form
High school diploma (or a paper certifying you will graduate)
Transcript of records
Language proficiency score (TOEFL or a university's proficiency test upon arrival or IELTS)
Motivation letter
Proof of application fee payment (35-100 USD)
A certificate attesting you had a secondary school exit exam (e.g. SAT 1, International Baccalaureate, National Baccalaureate, etc.)
A letter which guarantees you have the financial funds to support yourself during your studies

The general deadline for submitting your application documents is before the 1st of August.

Applying for a graduate degree in Turkey

Similar to the Bachelor’s program, you need to see the specific requirements for the Masters and and PhD programme in Turkey. Some general documents that a university must ask for are listed as:

Application form
Bachelor's or Master's diploma
A statement of purpose (presenting your project and motivation)
An updated CV
Reference letters from professors and employers
Transcript of records
Graduate exam scores (depending on the programme: GRE or GMAT)
Language proficiency score (TOEFL, or a university's proficiency test upon arrival)
Written exams and/or interviews
A letter which guarantees you have the financial funds to support yourself during your studies

Universities offer typically two programs annually:

For the fall semester: end of May

For the spring semester: end of December

Application and the university admission response

Once you have all the documents in place, there are two ways to submit form. You can submit your documents online or send them to a university via post. If university selects you and requires you to attend an interview, you might have to travel to Turkey. However, with Covid-19 restrictions, many universities are holding the interviews on Skype.

If you have these points covered, you’ll just have to wait a bit. Tick-talk, tick-talk … until:

Now you have to wait for some time to hear the university response.

Mid-August: if you are applying for a Bachelor’s

Mid-September: if you’re applying for a Master’s or Ph.D.

The acceptance letter from the university usually come with an info about the next steps you must talke to secure the admission, this may include paying tuition fees or applying for student visa at the local Turkish Embassy or Consulate.

Applying for the Turkish student visa

Most international students need to apply for a student visa if they go to a university in Turkey. The process for getting a visa is pretty simple and straightforward.

To apply for the visa, you have to submit the copy of your acceptance letter from the university and fill the visa application form and take it to the embassy. The visa is usually issued in eight weeks, therefore, always apply accordingly.

Tuition fees and living costs in Turkey

Let’s be practical and talk about the tuition fees. Everyone has a dream to study abroad, but sometimes it can be costly, so make sure you have sorted your finances before applying in Turkish university. The fees for the humanities courses may look like:

Bachelors in English: 450 – 1,500 USD/academic year

Masters in English: 600 – 900 USD/academic year

For engineering, medical and science subjects, the degree can be double the amount or may vary varisty to varsity. Additional costs include:

350-500 USD/month on living expenses

An extra 100-150 USD/semester on books and administrative fees

Between 40-70 USD/year on health insurance

To check scholarships in Turkey, you can go to Campus Guru Scholarships.