Stages of University Degree Equivalence in Turkey
According to Turkish law issued by the Higher Education Council of Turkey, Law No. 2547, by having your university degree equated—whether you are a foreigner or even an Arab residing in Turkey—your degree is recognized for all levels of education, whether it is a Bachelor's, a Master's, or even a Doctorate. This process qualifies its holder to work in their field of study, giving them the same opportunity to work as any Turkish citizen holding a degree issued by a Turkish university.
University Degree Equivalence in Turkey:
This is a procedure carried out at the Higher Education Council in Turkey, specifically in the capital Ankara. It is considered equivalent to an original degree and is called “Denklik” in Turkish. This procedure is undertaken to verify the authenticity of the foreign or Arab student’s degree that was issued in the country where they studied.
How Is the University Degree Equivalence Process Conducted in Turkey?
After a person submits all the required documents along with the original degree to the Ministry of Higher Education in Turkey, the ministry then contacts the concerned university mentioned on the degree to verify the authenticity of the degree by checking details such as the name, surname, grade point average, and graduation date recorded on the degree, etc.
Following that, the ministry issues a decision that allows for the equivalence of the degree after verifying that all the information on it is correct. Then, the applicant must take a comprehensive exam in the field specified on the degree, and if they pass, the ministry will issue a document equating their degree. Note that the degree equivalence exam is held twice a year in Ankara.
Required Documents for University Degree Equivalence in Turkey:
If you are among those who wish to have your university degree equated in Turkey, you must first be aware of the documents you need to submit and understand how to present them and the importance of preparing them properly for your degree equivalence application:
How to Apply for University Degree Equivalence in Turkey:
After deciding to have your university degree equated, you must do the following:
- First: You must submit a copy of your passport, ensuring that it has not expired.
- Second: Complete the registration form manually after downloading and printing a copy of it electronically, so that you can attach the form along with the necessary documents for the equivalence process.
You can download the application form to fill in your information from here.
- Third: Submit a document proving the equivalence of your secondary school certificate along with a copy of it, noting that this document must be notarized.
- Fourth: Attach your original diploma or even your Bachelor's degree certificate from the country where you studied, provided that the certificate is translated into Turkish and also notarized by a Turkish notary.
- Fifth: Submit a transcript that details the grades of the subjects studied throughout your university years, along with a copy of the transcript translated into Turkish and notarized by a Turkish notary.
Why Should You Have Your University Degree Equated in Turkey?
In order for your university degree—which was originally issued from outside Turkey—to be recognized in Turkey, it must be equated so that it is considered as if it were issued by one of the accredited Turkish universities, thereby making it equivalent to an original Turkish university degree. This decision is based on the law issued by the Turkish Ministry of Higher Education, Law No. 2547.
Stages of University Degree Equivalence in Turkey and How to Expedite the Equivalence:
Equating your university degree is essential for being able to practice your profession or even for enrolling in further studies (graduate programs) at a Turkish university. We have outlined for you the methods for equating your university degree in Turkey and how to expedite the process.
Methods to Expedite University Degree Equivalence in Turkey:
Many people have their degree equivalence applications rejected due to inadvertent mistakes. Therefore, we will outline the most detailed points you need to be aware of:
- Complete Submission of the Required Documents:
It is extremely important that no documents are missing from your equivalence submission. Therefore, you must submit all the required documents in full to avoid issues or objections to the Ministry of Education’s decision, which can take more than approximately eight months.
- Attaching Additional Documents:
The Turkish Ministry of Higher Education may request additional materials related to the applicant’s field of study at the university. This might occur if there is insufficient evidence regarding the training period (for example, in Psychology, Pharmacy, or their equivalents in Medicine). In such cases, the ministry requires the applicant to undergo approximately 33 weeks of training in one of the government hospitals in Turkey.
- Communicating with the University:
The stage in which the Ministry of Higher Education contacts the university from which the applicant graduated is one of the longest stages in the degree equivalence process, taking between two to five months.
- Payment of the University Receipt Fee:
Some countries impose fees for responding to the Ministry of Higher Education regarding applicants for degree equivalence from abroad. Unfortunately, YÖK (the Council of Higher Education) will freeze the equivalence process if such fees are requested.
- Taking the Exam Before the Equivalence Decision Is Issued:
In some fields, applicants are required to take the equivalence exam before the decision is issued, as this exam significantly reduces the waiting period, which may range from 3 to 12 months during the degree equivalence process.
- Attaching the University “Cartoon” (Wall) Certificate:
If you attach evidence that the university from which you graduated is ranked among the best in the world throughout your years of study, some academic fields may exempt you from taking the equivalence exam entirely. This greatly helps in expediting the equivalence procedures and saves a lot of time.
- Communication with the Ministry by Your Employer or the University:
Applicants should maintain constant communication with the ministry, as this can help expedite the issuance of the decision regarding your degree.
Is It Possible to Obtain Degree Equivalence from Outside Turkey?
Yes, you can definitely do that. You can obtain the Turkish degree equivalence certificate before coming to Turkey through the Cultural Attaché offices in Turkey, which are affiliated with the Turkish embassies abroad.
If you do not have a Cultural Attaché in your country, then you must obtain the Turkish degree equivalence certificate after arriving in Turkey.
At the end of our comprehensive article on the stages of university degree equivalence in Turkey and its importance, we hope we have provided you with all the information you need for your application to have your university degree equated in Turkey. If you still have any questions regarding degree equivalence in Turkey, please feel free to contact us, and we will answer all your questions. We wish you success.
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