The educational system in Turkish universities encourages many international students to study there, especially at the undergraduate and graduate levels—such as bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. There are many reasons that drive these students to join Turkish universities, so in this article we will discuss the stages of the educational system in Turkish universities as well as the reasons why students choose Turkey for their studies.
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The Stages of the Educational System in Turkish Universities
When discussing the educational system in Turkish universities, we begin with the school education system, which consists of three different stages, each lasting 4 years, reaching a total of 12 years of compulsory education. Let us explore the details of each stage:
Stage One: Primary Education (İLKÖĞRETİM)
Primary education consists of a mandatory primary stage lasting 4 years, an intermediate stage that includes both elective and compulsory courses, and Imam-Hatip schools, which also last 4 years. Additionally, preparatory schools and Imam-Hatip schools include elective courses that are not compulsory and aim to prepare students for secondary education by nurturing and refining their talents, choices, and orientations.
Stage Two: Secondary Education (ORTAÖĞRETİM)
This stage includes all technical and vocational educational institutions as well as public compulsory schools, which last 4 years. Upon completion of study in these schools, students receive their educational certificates.
Secondary education consists of schools specialized in teaching specific fields in addition to teaching other subjects in a more limited manner. These schools are known by different names according to their specializations, such as general high schools, vocational high schools, technical agricultural high schools, and others.
To summarize the institutions of secondary education in Turkey:
General High Schools (Düz Lise)
All students who have completed the full 8 years of primary education are eligible to enter these high schools. After completing the 4-year course, Turkish students must pass the “Transition to Higher Education (YGS)” and the “University Placement (LYS)” exams.
Vocational High Schools (Meslek Lisesi)
Turkish students can enter technical institutes after completing vocational high schools without taking additional exams. Vocational high schools are divided into branches such as:
- Vocational-Technical
- Media
- Health
- Tourism and Hotel Management
- Educational and Maritime Technical
The duration of study in these institutions may be extended by an additional year.
Anatolian High Schools (Anadolu Lisesi)
Education in these high schools is focused on foreign languages, and entry may require studying a foreign language during a preparatory year. The number of study hours in these schools is greater than that in regular high schools, and they also offer the option of studying in a second foreign language, as seen in institutions such as Gülata Saray School, Anatolian High School in Qadi Koy, and Istanbul High School.
Scientific High Schools (Fen Lisesi):
These schools are designed for students who possess exceptional abilities in scientific fields, aiming to prepare them for entrance into scientific universities in subjects such as biology, chemistry, and others.
Imam-Hatip High Schools (İmam – Hatip Lisesi)
Established by the Turkish Ministry of Education, these high schools aim to develop a generation that serves Islam in areas such as oratory and Quranic education. They enable students to prepare directly for employment and higher education.
Fine Arts High Schools (Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi)
These were established to nurture the talents of children with exceptional abilities in fine arts from an early age.
Private Schools (Özel Lise)
Also known as “Kolej,” some of these schools offer a curriculum taught in foreign languages in subjects such as mathematics and fine arts. Their tuition fees are considerably high, and admission is more challenging and complex compared to other educational institutions.
Stage Three: Higher Education (YÜKSEKÖĞRETİM)
After completing their education in high schools or equivalent institutions, students can enroll in higher education institutions. They are required to take the ÖYSM exam as well as the YGS and LYS exams, which are overseen by the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK), and achieve a certain total score that qualifies them for admission to Turkish universities.
Once the Turkish Higher Education Council assigns students to various higher education institutions based on their scores and choices, some of these universities require students to take a special aptitude test. This requirement may vary according to the university or faculty.
For international students wishing to study in Turkey, special seats are allocated for them. Their admission requirements depend on their country’s central examinations and international tests such as the American SAT or ACT, in addition to the Turkish aptitude exam (YÖS), to facilitate their entry into Turkish universities.
The higher education system in Turkey is divided into several categories:
- Universities
- High Technology Institutes
- Higher Educational Institutes, such as the Military Academy and the Police Academy.
Associate Degree (Ön Lisans Derecesi)
Students who graduate from technical high schools can enter universities/technical institutes without additional exams. However, for general high school graduates to enter these technical universities, they must pass the Transition to Higher Education exam (YGS) and obtain a certain number of points, which vary depending on the technical university or institute.
The duration of study in these universities/technical institutes is two years. A preparatory year for a foreign language may be required before beginning the specialized courses. After obtaining an associate degree from these institutions, students can enter universities by taking the Vertical Transfer exam (DGS), which allows them to obtain a university degree after only two years of study.
Bachelor’s Degree (Lisans Derecesi)
The student earns a Bachelor's degree after 4 years of study at the university. However, for the faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine, the duration of study in these fields ranges from 5 to 6 years.
Master’s Degree / Graduate Degree (Yüksek Lisans Derecesi)
A Master’s degree is awarded to students who complete 2 years of higher education—some programs require a final thesis while others do not—along with the Bachelor’s degree they have earned.
To obtain a Master’s degree with a thesis, the number of credits must be at least 21, and each student must prepare their own thesis or research paper.
For a Master’s degree without a thesis, the number of credits must be at least 30 over a year and a half, and each student must complete their own capstone project.
Doctorate Degree (Doktora Derecesi)
Students who have obtained both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree can apply for a Doctorate. They must undergo a qualification exam and study at least 7 subjects totaling a minimum of 21 credits. After completing the courses and the qualification exam, they must write a doctoral dissertation and present it in an oral defense.
10 Reasons to Choose Turkey for Your Studies
We will provide you with a list of the most important reasons that drive many international students to study at Turkish universities, whether public or private, and some students also pursue their graduate studies (Master’s and Doctorate) there. These reasons are:
- Turkey’s university education system is one of the oldest in the world.
- The rapid growth of Turkish universities at an accelerated pace to compete with many European universities.
- The facilities provided by Turkish private universities for international students and the attention given to them.
- The provision of job opportunities after graduation and the expanding Turkish market.
- The possibility of studying in either English or Turkish, according to the student's preference and language proficiency.
- Scientific progress in Turkey and collaboration with many countries in advanced scientific research.
- Political, economic, and security stability, which is one of the most attractive elements for many students from the Middle East.
- Turkey is home to more than 190 public and private universities distinguished by their highly competent and integrated staff.
- Turkey aims to increase the number of its universities to 500 by the year 2023.
- Turkey is considered a safe, comfortable country and the best place for female students to study and live with peace of mind.
We have provided you with all the information you might want to know about the educational system in Turkish universities from Skyline Educational, including the stages of the school education system up to the higher education system in Turkish universities.
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