With its unique geographic location between Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia, the Republic of Turkey has an exciting culture and history as it blends with the two continents. This country has a large and diverse population that makes it more popular not only for vacation but also for studies.
There are more than 200 universities in Turkey, and they offer various programs for undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate degrees. These universities are known not only in the country, but they also have an excellent reputation worldwide. Interestingly, this country has a schooling rate that shows that universities here are recognized internationally.
If you want to study abroad, you might want to consider Turkey as it offers quality education. Additionally, you’ll enjoy living in a multicultural population, and you’ll get to see the country’s long history. There are various scholarships in Turkey to fund your studies as you continue living there.
Top Scholarships in Turkey for International Students
1.Türkiye Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Covers the cost of accommodation, tuition, health insurance, language courses. It also provides a monthly stipend of ₺700 for undergraduate students, ₺950 for graduate students, and ₺1,400 for doctorate students.
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The government of Tukey funds the Türkiye Scholarships, which is the best scholarship in Turkey for international students. It aims to assist international students in terms of their financial needs. Also, this scholarship is a way to nurture the connection and cooperation of Turkey to other countries by supporting these international students.
Türkiye Scholarships are competitive scholarship programs because it selects outstanding international students. To qualify for this scholarship, you need to have an excellent academic record. You can directly submit your scholarship application to their official website with the required document. The requirements may include a copy of your valid passport or ID, previous academic records, and scores from international examinations like SAT or GRE. They may also ask for proof of English language proficiency. You can find other information on their website.
Lastly, the selection process will be done by the committee. As a part of the evaluation, they may ask for a 15 to 30 minutes interview, and they will notify you if your application is accepted or not.
2. Sabanci University – Undergraduate Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: 25% – 100% tuition fee discount
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s
The Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey, offers scholarships to incoming international undergraduate students. The scholarship amount that the recipient will get will depend on the student’s previous academic success and involvement in extracurricular activities.
All successful international undergraduate applicants in the university are automatically evaluated for this scholarship in Turkey. The scholarship committee will review your admission documents showing your previous academic standing, and this may include your reference letter, transcripts, certificates, and others. They may ask for additional documents while they evaluate your application.
Lastly, the university encourages these international applicants to submit their applications completely and early. The competition for this scholarship is high, and applicants must present their documents on time because the committee will not acknowledge late applications.
3. KHAS Scholarship Programs
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: 25% – 100% tuition fee discount
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
Kadir Has University (KHAS) is a research university located in Istanbul, Turkey, and this institution is known for creating quality research in different fields. Today, since they offer programs for international students in different levels – undergraduate programs, graduate studies, and doctoral degrees, they also provide scholarships to assist these students. These scholarships are in the form of a tuition fee reduction.
Since this scholarship in Turkey is based on your academic performance, there is no separate application and selection for the scholarship. You’ll be automatically qualified for the tuition fee reduction scholarship if you meet the required academic grade. Lastly, you need to maintain a GPA of 1.8 every academic year.
4. Bilkent University – Scholarship for International Students
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Partial to a full tuition fee discount
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The Bilkent University offers scholarships to international students in any degree or program. This scholarship is granted to students who need financial assistance but have an excellent academic reputation. Also, this scholarship can cover ten semesters in a four-year undergraduate program and some semesters in the English preparatory classes.
To qualify for this Turkey scholarship for international studentes, you need to have good academic grades from your previous level or institution. Recipients need to maintain their academic standing, and they should enroll in their program’s minimum course load. They are expected to show good conduct, punctuality, and excellence in their chosen programs. Lastly, they should meet the GPA mandated by the university.
If the recipient of this scholarship fails to meet the required GPA, has been subjected to disciplinary action, or had poor attendance in lectures and academic activities, his scholarship can be suspended, reduced, or worst, it will be canceled.
5. TUBITAK Scholarships for International Students
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: A monthly stipend of ₺2,500, travel costs, and health insurance coverage
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s, Ph.D.
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) gives scholarships to aspiring students who want to take a master’s degree in Science, Arts, or Ph. D in Turkey. They support these future professionals coming from other parts of the world that chooses to study in Turkey. The scholarship will cover the two years of the graduate program and four years of Ph.D. degrees.
To be eligible for this scholarship in Turkey, international students must be blue cardholders (a permit that allows non-European individuals to work, study or stay in a European country). Graduate and doctorate students should be both enrolled and registered in a program in one of the universities around Tukey.
The academic requirement for graduate and doctorate students is that their thesis and research proposals should be approved by their respective departments. You may contact the TUBITAK office to gather information about the complete list of requirements and deadlines.
6. CoHE scholarship for International Students
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: 800 TL Scholarship Fee to undergraduate students, 1400 TL to graduate students, Undergraduate and graduate tuition fees, Turkish language tuition costs for non-Turkish scholars, Health insurance, Accommodation in dormitories of Institution of Credit and Dormitories
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) offers scholarship opportunities at all levels for local and international students. However, students from abroad should be from countries where there is signed a protocol with the Council of Higher Education and are currently in their undergraduate or postgraduate studies.
Different benefits for international students will be afforded such as a scholarship fee, tuition fee, Turkish language learning fee, health insurance, and accommodation fee. The amount of scholarship fee given is different for undergraduate and graduate students, 800TL for the former and 1400TL for the latter.
There are multiple CoHE scholarships available for students such as the CoHE Foreign Language Education Scholarship, and CoHE Turcology Scholarship. Aspiring students may find more information here, where Turkey’s CoHE answers frequently asked questions including CoHE scholarship queries.
7. KOC University Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Full or partial tuition fee coverage
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s
Undergraduate international students in Koç University may receive full (100%) or partial (25%, 50%, or 75%) tuition coverage and nothing more. While there is no set academic grade requirement, the Admissions Committee of Koç University will review scholarship applications on the basis of academic merit except for those enrolled in the School of Medicine.
Additionally, the tuition fee coverage is awarded for the full duration of the undergraduate program. Recipients of this scholarship must also follow the academic and discipline rules of the university.
8. Üsküdar University Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Full or partial tuition fee coverage, at least 1000TL monthly stipend, allowance
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
Üsküdar University offers scholarships available to international students for Undergraduate and Postgraduate level education. Two of the many scholarships they offer are the Preference Scholarship and First 5 Preferences Scholarship which both give partial tuition fee coverage based on their university of preference on the ÖSYM guide.
For contextual information, the ÖSYM is short for the Measuring, Selection, and Placement Center. It is a system that handles university selection and examination in Turkey. Foreign students aiming to study university or higher levels of education are required to take an exam under ÖSYM as stated here. The preferences they put in the exam will affect whether they are eligible for the previously mentioned scholarships.
9. Middle East Technical University – METU Development Foundation Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Living expense fee coverage, Financial Assistance
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
International students with financial problems are welcomed by Middle East Technical University (METU) with scholarships funded by their own foundation named the METU Development Foundation. Scholarship benefits come in the form of meals, dormitory overage, and cash grants.
Applicants only need to send an application form stating their reason for financial aid, and any evidence of financial burden. METU is lenient with its scholarship applications, having no strict requirements on what documents should be present in application forms.
In the link presented above, other scholarship opportunities can be checked out by international students. However, the scholarships in the bottom section are not directly offered by METU and are instead offered by external groups that may require specific documents, academic merits, and many more.
10. Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Partial tuition fee coverage
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) is another university in Turkey that offers scholarships to currently registered international students with a GPA of at least 2.50 and has been enrolled for at least 2 terms. The applicant will have to send an application form containing a passport photo, along with a cover letter, reference letter, transcript of records, and proof of attendance on Social and Cultural Activities.
Accepted applicants will receive 15 percent tuition fee coverage and be exempt from 15 USD worth of application fees.
11. Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Full or partial tuition fee coverage, Accommodation expense coverage
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The Eastern Mediterranean University offers scholarships to international students for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels of education. These scholarships cover the students’ tuition fees and accommodation expenses.
For tuition fee coverage, 50 percent or 25 percent may be awarded to international students but there is also full tuition fee coverage for undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctors of Philosophy students. The EMU admissions office will evaluate the applicants based on the information filled in the online application form found here.
There are different scholarships that are offered, and applicants are encouraged to find which scholarship best fits them whether it is aid on tuition fees, research assistantship, discounts, or grants.
12. İstanbul Bilgi University Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Partial tuition fee coverage, Financial assistance
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
While Istanbul Bilgi University does not offer scholarships that have international student exclusivity or preference, they are still offering scholarships open for application to international students as well.
Undergraduate and postgraduate programs are taught at Istanbul Bilgi University and scholarships are awarded for ease of access to students with financial problems. One of the few scholarships akin to some previously mentioned scholarships is the ÖSYM (SSPE) Scholarships/Discounts.
Other scholarships base their evaluation on academic or sports achievement, academic necessity, and sometimes through relations such as having a student sibling or familial connection to a faculty member in the university.
13. Bogazici University Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Full or partial tuition fee coverage, Cost of living coverage, €1,000 Grant
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s, Ph.D.
Boğaziçi University is another university that offers scholarships open, but not exclusive or with preference, to international students. This university has had a long history of support from international students, organizations, and academic institutions.
Part of their promotion and assistance to international students are partner scholarships offered directly to their university. These scholarships are MA/Ph.D. Scholarship Offer by the Graduate Institute Geneva, Utrecht Network Young Researchers Grant, and the Yenching Academy of Peking University: One-year Master’s scholarship.
Each scholarship offers different benefits, requires different items, and covers different fields of study and academic objectives so students should thoroughly read through the descriptions.
14. Hacettepe University Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Financial assistance, Food assistance, Free housing
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
Scholarships and financial assistance are open to international students in Hacettepe University which will be evaluated through the ÖSYM guide.
Foreign students in Turkey would have had an examination conducted by the Student Selection and Placement System which implement the ÖSYM guide. This, in turn, makes foreign students be considered in Hacettepe University’s evaluation.
Academic merit and ranking preference of Hacettepe University in the applicant’s OSYM examination will be their basis of evaluation and depending on the results, different benefits will be awarded from housing, food, and financial assistance.
15. Marmara University Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Amount: Accommodation coverage, Meal coverage, Monthly stipend
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s
Marmara University has two scholarships that they directly offer and fund which are the Accommodation Scholarship and the Meal Scholarship. As their name states, the first scholarship awards its recipients free in-campus accommodations through dormitories, and the second scholarship awards its recipient a free meal daily.
Another financial aid that may be considered a scholarship is the Part-Time Student Work Programme where students may work up to 5 hours a day which is 15 hours a week and 60 hours in a month. They can earn up to 399.30 TL if they maximize the hours available to work in a month.
We hope that this article on the Turkey scholarships for international students was helpful. To know more information like this, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
