In Turkey, the vast majority of the country’s 93 recognized universities are autonomous. Teaching is primarily in Turkish, but some public and private universities offer programs in English and even German. The newly established Galatasaray University offers programs in French.
Turkey is located between Asia, Europe and Africa and is thus an important piece in the dialogue between Eastern and Western civilizations and faiths. The country is divided into seven regions, all of which have different types of landscape, climate and fauna. Tourism plays a major role for Turkey, which receives approx. 17 mio. tourists annually.
Turkey’s form of government is parliamentary democracy, and the country’s political institutions were founded on the basis of Kemal Atatürk’s constitution of 1924. Since 1999, when Turkey became an EU candidate country, the EU reform process has dominated the domestic political scene. Accession negotiations with Turkey began on 3 October 2005 and have not yet been concluded.
Worth knowing
Vocational training in Turkey
The vocational educations are offered as:
- Devlet Meslek Lise Diplomasi (State Vocational / Trade High School Diploma): 3 years after 8 years of schooling.
- Technical upper secondary education: 4 years on the basis of 8 years of primary school. The education ends with a Technique Lise Diplomasi.
- Vocational high school education: 4 years on the basis of 8 years of primary school. The education ends with a Meslek Lise Diplomasi.
- Post-secondary, non-university education: a 2-year post-secondary education. The education ends with an Önlisans Diplomasi /Associate Diploma.
Technical upper secondary education and vocational upper secondary education provide both professional qualifications and access to higher education in Turkey. The educations take place at vocational schools (Meslek Lise) and technical schools (Teknik Lise).
Higher education in Turkey
According to topschoolsintheusa, admission to higher education is based on a general Turkish high school education Lise Diploma(4 years on the basis of 8 years of primary school) or one of the above described youth educations as well as an entrance exam, Ögrenci Seçme Sınavı, ÖSS (Student Selection Examination). Find information on access to higher education as a foreign student at Study in Turkey. The academic year is divided into two semesters: September to January and February to June.
Institutions
Here is a list of universities in Turkey: Study in Turkey
Degrees at university level
- Önlisans Diplomasi / Önlisansi /Associate Degree: a 2-year post-secondary education course.
- Lisans Diplomasi/ Bachelor’s degree: a 4-year education course based on 12 years of schooling and ÖSS. There is also a 2-year course based on Önlisansi Diplomasi /Associate Degree .
- Yüksek Lisans Diplomasi/ Master’s degree: a 2-year course based on Lisans Diplomasiand an entrance exam. The education ends with a thesis. The education course can also last 3 semesters, but in that case the education is completed without a thesis.
- Doctorate/ph.d.: lasts approx. 4 years on the basis of Yüksek Lisan’s Diplomasiand an entrance exam.
Application for higher education
You must apply directly to the university where you want admission.
Admission requirements
A Danish upper secondary school diploma gives the right to apply for admission to a higher education. It is the individual university that determines the specific admission requirements.
Language proficiency
To be admitted, you must be able to document your English language skills, often by passing a language test. This is usually the IELTS test (the International English Language Testing System), which can be taken at the British Council in Denmark, and which must be passed with a minimum of 6.0-6.5, or the TOEFL test, which you can read more about. on the TOEFL website. TOEFL must be passed with a minimum of 500-550.
Application deadlines
You must contact the individual educational institutions directly for information on application deadlines.
Recognition of foreign educations
If you have completed a publicly recognized education abroad, you can have it assessed by the Danish Agency for Research and Education. See the application procedure.
Economics and education
Tuition fees
In Turkey, tuition fees in higher education vary depending on whether the university is private or public, where it is located in the country, and what courses you take. English-language programs are generally more expensive than Turkish ones, and the fees for master’s programs are in most cases also higher than for the bachelor – undergraduate – level. At Study in Turkey you can find Approx. estimates for different types of universities and levels.
Scholarships
Several Turkish universities allow foreign students to apply for scholarships for their studies in Turkey. The size of the scholarships and specific conditions vary between the institutions.
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) offers a number of scholarships to international students wishing to take a master’s or PhD degree in Turkey. The scholarships can be applied for by international students who take a degree in science, engineering and engineering, medicine, agriculture, social sciences and humanities. Read more about the scholarship here.
Work in Turkey
The weekly working time in Turkey is 45 hours with a maximum of 11 hours per day. day, and the number of paid days of holiday varies between 14 and 26, depending on how long you have been employed by the company. To achieve 26 paid vacation days, one must have worked in the same place for more than 15 years. The retirement age for men is 60 years, while women can retire from the labor market when they are 58 years old.
International students are not allowed to work – either in public or private companies. Nevertheless, at some universities there may be few, but often low-paid, student jobs as assistants.
Job search
If you are looking for work in Turkey, it is a good idea to have knowledge of the Turkish language.
On Adecco’s website you can find both temporary and permanent jobs in Turkey. At Anywork anywhere, there is a list of different job offers in Turkey. The same applies to Jobsabroad, where it is possible to apply for vacancies online. Also try looking at the careerjet.
It is not allowed to work in Turkey without a valid work permit.
You also have the opportunity to go on a working holiday in Turkey. On Genctur’s website you will find detailed information about such work holidays. Gsm-youth (Turkish only – the English page is under construction) also has information on how to get to youth camps in Turkey.
Work-and residence permit
As a Dane, you can stay in Turkey for up to 3 months without applying for a residence permit. If you are going on a study or work stay in the country, you must have a residence and / or work permit. You can apply for this at the local police authorities in Turkey or at the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen.
Illegal stay in Turkey is punishable by a fine and possibly prison.
Practical conditions
At most Turkish higher education institutions, it is possible to get a dorm room where you can either live alone or with other students. The dormitories are gender-segregated, and prices typically vary between DKK 200 and 2,000 per year. month. Contact the educational institution for more information. It is also very common, primarily in the larger cities, to rent an apartment. Often several students agree on a lease, as the prices of apartments vary greatly, depending on the location, condition and size of the apartment. Note that rent according to Turkish standards is often quite expensive in larger cities – typically between DKK 1,200 and 3,000. Read more here.
It is also possible to spend your stay in Turkey in a youth hostel. Take a closer look at the website of the Independent Hostel Network where the different hostels are divided by city.
Facts about Turkey
Population: Approx. 80.7 million.
Employment: unemployment is 10% (EUROSTAT, December 2013).
Currency: Turkish lira.
Residence permit: Applied to local police department within one month of arrival.
