Turkey — Study (Bachelor's, master's or PhD at private (foundation) universities)

Main requirements

Turkish private (foundation/vakıf) universities have YÖK-approved quotas for international students and each admits under its own senate-approved rules. Under YÖK's 2026 principles a university may use national exams of other countries, international exams (SAT, TR-YÖS etc.), high-school GPA or its own entrance exam; own exams are allowed only for non-state universities since 2024-2025. For a bachelor's you must be in the final year of high school or a graduate.

Foreign nationals who attended high school in Türkiye (except embassy schools and registered international schools) can no longer use the international quota and, from 2026, enter only through the Turkish national exam (YKS). Master's and PhD requirements are set by each university; for example İstanbul Ticaret requires a thesis master's for PhD entry.

Documents

Passport; high-school diploma and transcript, or for a master's the bachelor's degree and transcript; language certificate for English-taught programmes; photos. After arrival the student residence permit needs: e-İkamet form, passport copy, student certificate, health insurance covering the whole permit period, card-fee receipt and proof of address (notarised lease, dormitory letter or hotel receipt).

Iran is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so apostille doesn't work. The Turkish embassy in Tehran describes the chain as: official translation into Turkish, then certification by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Turkish embassy or a consulate general (Tabriz, Urmia, Mashhad). For university documents, first complete the Student Affairs Organization's document certification (or your university's equivalent). Ask the university whether it wants the legalised copy at application or only at enrolment.

Language

Each university sets its own language rules; YÖK only says the admitting university assesses Turkish level. English-taught programmes usually ask for an English certificate or their own test, otherwise you do a preparatory year; at İstanbul Ticaret the English prep year costs USD 7,000 in 2026-2027.

Costs and proof of funds

Private universities set their own fees. Official example for 2026-2027 (İstanbul Ticaret): bachelor's USD 6,000/year in Turkish and USD 7,000/year in English; non-thesis master's USD 5,000-6,600 and thesis master's USD 5,500-7,000 for the whole programme; PhD USD 6,800-8,000 for the whole programme; USD 1,000 deposit at registration. A pricier official example (Bahçeşehir, 2026-2027): bachelor's USD 8,500-9,000 a year (law 10,000), medicine USD 28,000 and dentistry USD 24,000 a year, thesis master's USD 14,000 for the whole programme. Fees vary a lot, so always check the university's own page.

For the student permit your own declaration of means is normally enough unless the migration office asks for documents, but YÖK tells universities to include a financial guarantee in their admission terms. Students at Turkish universities pay no residence-permit fee (harç), only the card fee. Living costs come on top: METU estimates TRY 12,000-18,000 a month with a campus dorm and TRY 20,000-35,000 in a shared flat (about EUR 220-630, Ankara, June 2026); big cities like Istanbul usually cost more. For reference, the 2026 net minimum wage is TRY 28,075.50 a month (about EUR 510).

Steps and timeline

Pick university and programme and check fees and discounts; apply online; get an acceptance letter with a YÖKSİS ID; pay the deposit; travel visa-free; register in person, then book a student residence appointment on e-İkamet. Applying within three months of the academic year start lets you join general health insurance (GSS). Permit decisions take up to 90 days.

Notes for Iranian applicants

Iranian ordinary passport holders can enter Türkiye visa-free for up to 90 days and do not need a separate study visa for university (a study visa is only required for primary and secondary school). File the residence application before the visa-free period ends. Paying tuition from Iran is hard because of sanctions, so arrange a transfer route in advance. Deposits are usually refundable only with proof of visa refusal or quota problems; read the terms before paying. Male applicants who haven't finished military service need a conscription exit permit to leave Iran for study; whether you can get one depends on your level and situation, so check with Iran's conscription organisation before paying anything.

After arrival (work while studying, post-study stay, path to permanent residence)

Associate and bachelor's students may work part-time with a work permit after completing the first year; master's and PhD students have no such restriction. The student permit ends on graduation day and you must apply for a new permit within 10 days; graduates of Turkish universities who apply within 6 months can get a one-time short-term permit of up to one year. Long-term residence needs 8 years of uninterrupted residence, and student-permit years count only half.