Türkiye’s popularity as a dream study destination country continues to increase from year to year. Of course this is inseparable from the quality of Turkish education which cannot be underestimated. In addition to the quality of education, Turkey also offers a variety of majors from various fields of study to students who are interested in continuing their education in this country.
At present, Turkey is recorded to have opened more than 45,000 different programs at various levels at 208 existing universities. In addition, the cost of study and living expenses required to pursue higher education in Turkey are also much lower compared to other popular study destinations such as the United States or the United Kingdom. Of course, this adds to Turkey’s attractiveness as an ideal alternative study destination for international students from all over the world.
Then, which universities are the best universities in Türkiye?
Based on an assessment conducted by Times Higher Education , the 5 (five) universities that get the best ranking in Turkey are Cankaya University, Koç University, Sabanci University, Middle East Technical University and Bahçeşehir University.
1. Cankaya University
Cankaya University is one of the young universities in Turkey which was established in 1997. In 2022, Cankaya University has succeeded in becoming the only university in Turkey which has managed to maintain its position in the world ranking range of 401-500 for 4 consecutive years. The university which is located in Ankara, the capital and the second largest city in Turkey, opens departments in various fields of study including Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Law, Computer Science and Psychology.
2. Koç University
Koç University is one of the best universities in Turkey which has been established since 1993. The university which is located in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, opens 22 undergraduate programs, 29 postgraduate programs and 30 doctoral programs in various fields of study including Social Sciences and Humanities , Administrative Science and Economics, Physics, Engineering, Law, Nursing and Medicine. International students who are interested in continuing their studies at Koç University also don’t need to worry about the language barrier considering that almost all study programs at this university use English as the main language of instruction (except for the fields of study in Nursing and Law).
Koç University also offers various scholarship programs to international students at various levels, including through the Koç University Support Scholarship Program (KUDEB) scholarship program which is given based on the results of college entrance exams. Through this scholarship program, students can receive 50% or 100% tuition fee waiver as well as the opportunity to receive subsidized accommodation costs, monthly living expenses and required book fees in accordance with the conditions set by the university (specifically for full scholarship recipients ) .
3. Sabancı University
Sabanci University is another university in Turkey that should be considered as a study destination, especially for undergraduate students. The university, which was founded in 1994, is the first university in Turkey to apply a multi-disciplinary approach where students are given the freedom to choose the desired program without restrictions so that students can gain broader knowledge, outside of the specialization they are interested in. Based on the university entrance examination results, instead of majors, students who have been accepted at Sabanci University can choose the desired “program group”, including:
- Kelompok program FENS: Industrial Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering, Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Electronics Engineering
- Kelompok program FASS: Psychology, Economics, Political Science and International relations, Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design
- YB Program Group: Management Science
Sabanci University also offers several scholarships to students who continue their studies at this university, including:
- Sakip Sabanci Scholarship Outstanding Achievement Program . Students who manage to get the top 1000 ranking based on the results of the university entrance examination are entitled to get a scholarship with this type of full scholarship (as long as the quota is still there). This scholarship includes:
– Tuition fee waiver
– A stipend of 2500 Turkish Lira per month for 9 months
– Hostel fee waiver (students who do not live in the hostel during the fall and spring, 2/3 of the hostel fee will be provided in cash) - Honors Scholarship Program . Students who are entitled to receive this scholarship are determined based on the results of the university entrance examination (as long as the quota is still there). This scholarship includes:
– Tuition fee waiver
– Boarding fee waiver (for students who choose not to live in the hostel during the fall and spring, 2/3 of the hostel fee will be given in cash)
4. Middle East Technical University
Middle East Technical University or commonly called METU is a research-oriented university in Turkey that specializes in engineering and natural sciences. The university located in Ankara offers 43 undergraduate programs, 107 postgraduate programs and 69 doctoral programs in various fields of study including Architecture, Engineering, Administrative Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Education, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Informatics, Applied Mathematics and Marine. Sciences. Interestingly, all programs opened at METU use English as the main language of instruction.
To help finance studies, METU also provides a special scholarship program for international students which is awarded based on academic achievement. No special application is required because every year, all METU students will be evaluated to be recommended to receive tuition waivers.
5. Bahcesehir University
Bahçeşehir University is one of the young universities in Turkey which is located in Istanbul. Founded in 1998, Bahçeşehir University is considered one of the best private universities in Turkey with the main mission of becoming a global university. Bahçeşehir University opens various programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels for fields of study such as Education, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Educational Sciences, law, communication, economics, administrative and social Sciences, Architecture and Design Conservatory, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Health Sciences and Medicine .
All programs opened at Bahçeşehir University use English as the main language of instruction, so that students who are accepted are given priority in English.
6. Bilkent University
Founded in 1984 by Profesör İhsan Doğramacı in 1984, this one of the best universities in Turkey is the first private university in Turkey.
Bilkent University also provides the language of instruction in English, so that many international students come to this best university in Turkey.
Bilkent University provides 10 faculties with undergraduate, postgraduate, and student exchange programs. Some of the faculties offered by Bilkent University include the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Art, Design, and Architecture, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Economic, Administrative and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty Humanities and Letters, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Music and Performing Arts.
7. Istanbul Technical University
One of the best universities in Turkey that provides a special focus in Technology is Istanbul Technical University (ITU).
Being the third oldest technology campus in the world, Istanbul Technical University has produced various influential alumni starting from the 2nd and 9th Presidents of Turkey and the 23rd and 27th Prime Ministers of Turkey.
Istanbul Technical University provides 3 levels of programs namely Bachelor, Master and PhD. Some of the fields of study offered by this one of the best universities in Turkey include:
- Civil Engineering
- Architecture
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronics
- Maritime
- Chemical-Metallurgical Engineering
- Management
- Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Textile Technologies and Design
- Mines
- Naval Architecture and Marine Sciences
- Computer and Informatics
- Science and Letters
Apart from providing the various fields of study above, one of the best universities in Turkey provides several scholarships. One thing you can try is the TÜBİTAK STAR ( Trainee Researcher Program ) Scholarship . You can see more complete information about this scholarship program here .
8. Bogazici University
One of the best universities in Turkey that cannot be missed is Boğaziçi University which is located directly in the city of İstanbul. Slightly different from other campuses, Boğaziçi University was founded in 1863 which is an American college in Turkey. Although still, the best university in Türkiye is in the Turkish curriculum.
Some of the fields of study offered by Boğaziçi Universiti are Communication Studies, Arts and Sciences, Economics and Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Management, and the Faculty of Foreign Languages.
As one of the best universities in Turkey, Boğaziçi University also provides a financial assistance program for students who get achievements at LYS ( Undergraduate Placement Examinations) annually.
The above financial assistance consists of financial support, dormitories, book fees, meal allowances, and tuition fees for the Summer School.
9. Hacettepe University
Hacettepe University is one of the best universities in Turkey that you should pay attention to. Located in Ankara, Hacettepe University became the first campus to open a Faculty of Medicine in 1958. Not only that, some of the quality fields of study that you can get from this best university in Turkey are:
- Communication Studies
- dentistry
- Economics and Administration
- Education
- Technique
- Art
- Medicine and Health
- Law
- Therapy and Rehabilitation
- Literature
- Pharmacy
- Science
Apart from the several fields of study offered above, Hacettepe University also provides other facilities for its students. Such as dormitories, dining halls, libraries, sports facilities, health facilities, disabled-friendly campuses, facilities for kindergarten children, special facilities for meetings and congresses, and also transportation.
10. Istanbul University
Located in the city center, Istanbul University is one of the best universities in Turkey which was founded for the first time in 1453. Several influential alumni who graduated from Istanbul University include the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül, several Turkish prime ministers, politicians, writers, scientists and musicians .
While some of the faculties offered by the best universities in Turkey include Medicine, Law, Letters, Sciences, Economics, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Business Administration, Political Sciences, Communication, Aquatic Sciences, Theology, Distance Education, Transportation and Logistics, Architecture, Nursing and Computer and Information Technologies
Turkish Government Scholarships
For international students who are interested in continuing their studies at any university in Turkey, the Government of Turkey also provides fully funded scholarships called Turkiye Burslari Scholarships for various majors at undergraduate, postgraduate and postgraduate levels . For the record, this scholarship has an age limit for applicants for undergraduate programs (maximum 21 years), masters programs (maximum 30 years), postgraduate programs (maximum 35 years) and research programs (40 years ) .
There are 4 different scholarship programs available under this scholarship including:
- Undergraduate Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is aimed at international students who wish to pursue undergraduate education in Türkiye. This scholarship accepts applicants from almost all undergraduate programs opened in Turkey, except associate degrees and vocational schools. Applications are accepted in January – February, through the Turkish Scholarship Application System.
- Graduate Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is intended for international students who wish to continue their Masters and Doctoral studies in Turkey. This scholarship accepts applicants from almost all postgraduate programs opened in Turkey, except for programs in the field of health studies.
- Art Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is aimed at international students who are interested in continuing their studies at bachelor, master and doctoral levels in the fields of musical science, performing arts and fine arts at Ankara Music and Fine Arts.
- Merit Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is specifically opened for international students who have recognized academic achievements and foreign language skills, as evidenced by supporting documents such as GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, SAT and so on.
Scholarship Coverage
The scope of the Turkiye Burslari Scholarships includes:
- Monthly allowance of 1000 TL for S-1 students, 1400 TL for Masters students and 1800 TL for Doctoral students
- Tuition fee
- Turkish language course fee for 1 year
- Accommodation costs
- Health insurance costs
- Airfare
Required documents
Documents required for registration for Turkiye Burslari Scholarships include:
- Identity documents such as KTP or passport
- Recent photos taken within the last 1 year
- National test results (if any)
- Certificate
- Transcripts
- Internationally recognized exam results such as GRE, GMAT, SAT etc., if required by the university or program of choice
- Internationally recognized language proficiency certificates such as TOEFL, DEFL, if required by the university or program of choice
- Research proposal and examples of research that has been done (only for PhD applicants)
All documents must be uploaded into the Turkiye Scholarship Application System for further selection.
When 2023 Türkiye Scholarships Open?
Usually registration for Turkiye Burslari Scholarships will be opened from January to February each year.