MyCollab
Country guide

Study in Turkey

Everything an international student needs to apply to a Turkey university: grading scale, fees, language tests, visa proof, top universities, and deadlines.

Grading scale

0 – 100, mapped to AA / BA / BB / CB / CC / DC / DD / FF

60 (DD) is the typical minimum pass for undergraduate; master's often requires CC (70) or higher in the overall GPA

Convert your grades

Application requirements

Application fees

₺200 – ₺1,500 application fee depending on the university; YÖS exam fee separate for some bachelor's applicants

Language tests

English-taught programmes require IELTS 6.0–6.5 / TOEFL iBT 79–90, or pass the university's own English proficiency exam (e.g., Boğaziçi BUEPT, METU EPE). Turkish-taught: TÖMER C1.

Cost & visa proof

Estimated tuition, accommodation, living costs, and the visa financial proof requirement — by city and university type.

Open Study Cost Estimator

Top universities in Turkey

Ranking source: QS World University Rankings & Times Higher Education 2024 (where noted). Links go to each university's official admissions page.

UniversityCityRankingAdmissions
Boğaziçi UniversityIstanbulTHE 351Open
Koç UniversityIstanbulTHE 401Open
Sabancı UniversityIstanbulTHE 451Open
Middle East Technical University (METU)AnkaraQS 426Open
Bilkent UniversityAnkaraQS 561Open
Istanbul Technical University (ITÜ)IstanbulQS 624Open
Istanbul UniversityIstanbulQS 821Open
Hacettepe UniversityAnkaraQS 711Open
Yıldız Technical UniversityIstanbulQS 801Open
Ankara UniversityAnkaraQS 821Open

Application timeline

Fall (Sep start)

Typical window

Apr – Jul; YÖS exam typically in April for undergraduate

Spring (Feb start)

Typical window

Oct – Dec preceding year (limited; many programmes don't admit)

Individual programmes vary. Always confirm on the target university's official admissions page.

Cost of living (per month)

Istanbul

₺15,000 – ₺25,000 (≈ €450 – €750)

Ankara

₺12,000 – ₺20,000

Izmir

₺13,000 – ₺22,000

Eskişehir

₺10,000 – ₺17,000

Indicative all-in ranges for student accommodation, food, transport, and basic utilities. Personal lifestyle and accommodation type swing these significantly.

Common questions

What is YÖS?+
YÖS (Yabancı Uyruklu Öğrenci Sınavı) is a standardized exam for non-Turkish applicants to undergraduate programmes. Some universities (Boğaziçi, Koç, Sabancı) accept SAT instead; many state universities require their own YÖS or the central YÖS.
Türkiye Bursları scholarship — how does it work?+
Türkiye Bursları is the government's flagship international scholarship covering tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, health insurance, and Turkish language training. Applications open each January at turkiyeburslari.gov.tr.
How does the AA / BA / BB letter scale map to GPA?+
AA = 4.0 (90–100), BA = 3.5 (85–89), BB = 3.0 (80–84), CB = 2.5 (75–79), CC = 2.0 (70–74), DC = 1.5 (65–69), DD = 1.0 (60–64), FF = 0 (below 60). MyCollab handles this conversion automatically.
Are English-taught programmes really fully in English?+
At Boğaziçi, Koç, Sabancı, METU, Bilkent, and ITÜ — yes, the coursework, exams, and theses are in English. Daily life and bureaucracy require some Turkish; most universities provide free Turkish classes.

Next steps

Convert your grades

Use the My Grades tool to translate your transcript into the turkish scale.

Plan your application

Personalised application checklist for Turkey at every degree level.

See related conversions

Every conversion involving the turkish grading scale, in one place.