Turkey Student Visa - Full Details

Obtaining a student visa in Turkey is the primary goal for Arab and foreign students.

Obtaining a study visa in Turkey, also known as a student visa, is the primary objective for Arab and foreign students who wish to complete their studies and specialize in the country, and we at Skyline Education Company

have dedicated this article to outlining the steps to obtain a study visa for Turkey, the most important information related to it, and the differences between it and a regular visa.

We have also answered the most important questions on this topic regarding the possibility of obtaining a job opportunity for the visa holder and the different types of visas that a student can obtain, many of which remain little known.

Extremely important information awaits you; we wish you an enjoyable reading experience from Skyline Education.

How to Obtain a Study Visa for Turkey

There are several steps and stages that every student must go through on the path to obtaining a study visa in Turkey, starting from preparing the documents and certificates, passing through the essential stages that must be awaited, and culminating in obtaining the long-awaited study visa. Let’s get to know them..

Determining the University Major

In the first step, you must decide on the specialization you wish to study. This is followed by selecting the university, the region, and the remaining related details, as universities differ fundamentally between medical, engineering, and other disciplines..

Contacting the University You Wish to Enroll In

After choosing the university and the desired specialization, you prepare a set of required documents and send them to the university’s email to obtain preliminary acceptance. These documents usually include a high school transcript, a curriculum description, a statement of the student’s status, a copy of personal identification, and some additional certificates that some universities require and others do not.

Obtaining Final Acceptance

Following the submission of the documents, the university council sends the student a notification of preliminary acceptance. Then, the university tuition fees must be paid by transferring the amount to the university’s bank account.

Registration fees and installments can be paid in cash through a relative inside Turkey, and after the payment is made, the student should resend the payment receipt to the university to obtain final acceptance.

Submitting the Documents to the Turkish Consulate

Once the university sends the final acceptance notification, the student’s academic journey is about to begin, as they have been officially accepted and a seat has been reserved in their name.

Therefore, you must immediately proceed to apply for the study visa by preparing a set of documents and submitting them to the Turkish consulate in the country. These documents include:

A copy of your personal identification or a passport valid for at least 6 months.
3 passport-sized photographs.
The visa application form (available from the consulate).
A copy of your final university acceptance.
Recently issued travel health insurance.
A bank statement.
A receipt for the visa fee (non-refundable).

After applying for and actually obtaining the study visa, the student can enter Turkish territory smoothly and be easily registered at the university to begin attending classes.

General Information about the Study Visa for Turkey

Applicants for a study visa for Turkey often have many questions and inquiries, most of which include the following:

What Is the Issuance Time?

The time required to issue the study visa depends on the applicant’s nationality. It can sometimes be issued in just one day, but most applications are referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, which means it can take several weeks to several months.

What Is Its Cost?

The cost of the visa for Turkey varies according to many factors, including the applicant’s nationality, the type of visa, and the local currency. Therefore, it is essential to contact the nearest Turkish consulate or embassy to learn about the latest fees and costs associated with the visa application.

What Is Its Validity Period?

The validity period of the study visa is determined by the student, based on the period specified in the acceptance letter they submitted.

There are cases where a student requests the visa to attend a single course; in such cases, the visa is valid for only one month.

There are also cases where the applicant enrolls in TÖMER institutes, which grant a visa valid for approximately 3 months.

However, when the visa is long-term—as in the case of university studies that extend over several years—there is no need to exit and re-enter the country to extend the visa; instead, the student applies to convert the visa into a study permit valid for several years.

How Can I Obtain It at the Border Gates?

Many students wonder about the cases in which they can obtain the study visa for Turkey immediately upon reaching the border gates of Turkish territory.

In fact, there are a limited number of nationalities whose holders can enter the country with just their personal passport. That is, when the student reaches the border between Turkey and another country, they simply present their personal passport and receive an immediate entry visa. This privilege is available to holders of passports issued by:

Jordan
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Qatar
Bahrain
Oman

Other Types of Visas That a Student Can Obtain

Although the study visa is the most desired and sought-after among Arab and foreign students coming to Turkey, there are many other visas that Turkey has designated for students arriving through exchange programs or for those wishing to obtain a certificate of proficiency in the Turkish language. These visas include:

Turkish Language Study and Proficiency Visa
Scientific Training Visa
Study Visa for Cyprus Specifically
Erasmus Visa
Aisec Visa

All the conditions and requirements of the study visa apply to these visas as well, but the duration differs among them based on the time required to study each case individually—for example, the period for a language course differs from that for training, a fellowship, or university studies, and so on..

Is a Study Visa Holder Allowed to Work in Turkey?

One of the most important questions asked by every student wishing to study in Turkey is about finding a source of income to support themselves. Unfortunately, the study visa does not grant its holder the right to work. However, if the study visa is converted into a study permit, the student can work part-time for several hours a day. Alternatively, the student may obtain a tourist residence, later convert it into a work residence, and apply for a work permit from the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, coinciding with an application for Turkish citizenship. This decision was recently issued by the Turkish government to facilitate matters for foreigners and meet their needs.

What Is the Difference Between the Study Visa and the Regular Visa for Turkey?

Each type of visa has many advantages and differences compared to the other, and the same goes for discussing the study visa versus the regular visa. The most important differences between them are:

Obtaining a regular visa takes several months, whereas the study visa can be obtained in just a few days or several weeks in some cases.
The requirements for obtaining a regular visa are numerous and complex—they include a recommendation letter, a bank statement showing a substantial amount, a residence statement, and many other details. In contrast, the study visa only requires final acceptance and a few routine documents.

Thus, we come to the conclusion of today’s article in which we discussed the study visa for Turkey, the steps to obtain it, and the most important information about it. We also talked about the other types of visas that a student can obtain and the possibility of working with them,

in addition to highlighting the key differences between the regular and study visas, so that this article serves as a guide for every student seeking to complete their studies in Turkey.

And if you have any additional questions, you can ask the Skyline Education team, who will answer all your inquiries from all Arab and foreign countries with the highest levels of professionalism and reliability.