Turkey (Türkiye) had a total population of 86,092,168 in 2025, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). The Ministry of Health publishes national health statistics, including the latest available Health Statistics Yearbook.
Prospective nurses should distinguish between studying nursing and being authorized to practice as a nurse. Under Turkey’s Nursing Law, the nurse title depends on qualifying nursing education and Ministry of Health registration. Foreign-educated applicants must also have their equivalency approved. Foreign nationals who want to work in Turkey must check the applicable professional and immigration rules.
To learn more about the nursing profession and how to become a nurse in Turkey, review the steps and details below.
How to Become a Nurse in Turkey
Step 1. Get a Language Proficiency in Turkish or English
The language of instruction and accepted proof of proficiency vary by university and nursing program. Applicants should check the official admissions page for the specific program rather than assume that a TOEFL iBT score of 75 or Turkish proficiency at level B2 applies to every institution.
International applicants can review the official Study in Türkiye portal for general guidance. Foreign nationals who later seek nursing employment should also review the Turkish-language rules that apply to their intended work route.
Step 2. Choose a School Offering Nursing Courses, Finish the Program, and Obtain a Diploma
For students following the current university route into nursing, an undergraduate nursing program is a bachelor’s degree program. Official program pages from Turkish universities commonly describe four years, eight semesters, and 240 ECTS credits, with theoretical, laboratory, and practical or clinical education. Two-year associate programs in related health fields should not be presented as the standard nursing qualification.
After completing a bachelor’s degree, graduates may apply for graduate education. Program length and admission requirements vary by institution. Under Turkey’s Nursing Law, bachelor’s-level nurses work as specialist nurses only after completing relevant graduate education and having their diplomas registered by the Ministry of Health.
Step 3. Work as a Specialist Nurse
Graduating from a nursing program is not the same as receiving authorization to practice. Under the Nursing Law, only people who have acquired the nurse title under the law may practice nursing in Turkey. Nurses’ responsibilities include identifying nursing-related health needs and planning, implementing, supervising, and evaluating nursing care within their authorized scope.
Foreign nationals should not assume that graduation alone permits immediate employment in public or private institutions. The Ministry of Health regulation for foreign health professionals concerns employment in private health institutions. It includes requirements relating to diploma equivalency and registration, legal eligibility to practice, Turkish-language knowledge, and applicable work and residence authorization. The application process also involves the private healthcare institution and the relevant authorities.
Step 4. For International or Foreign Students, Look for an Accredited Turkish University Offering Nursing Courses
International applicants should use official university pages and the Study in Türkiye portal to identify nursing programs and review each application procedure. Required documents vary by institution. Depending on the university, applicants may be asked for a secondary-school diploma, transcript, passport or identification document, examination results, language evidence where required, and translations.
Applicants should follow the program-specific instructions. Two references and translated copies should not be presented as universal requirements unless the chosen university expressly requests them.
Step 5. Make a Deposit Payment
Review the chosen university’s official offer, tuition, and payment instructions. A tuition deposit is not a universal application step. Pay a deposit only if the university’s official admission or enrollment instructions require one, and use the payment method stated by the institution.
Step 6. Apply for Student Visa
After admission, check whether a visa is required for your nationality and circumstances. Use the official consular portal and follow the instructions of the relevant Turkish mission. For a stay beyond the permitted visa or visa-exemption period, or longer than 90 days, follow the Presidency of Migration Management guidance. Eligible higher-education students apply for a student residence permit through the e-Residence system and complete the required procedure with the relevant migration-management office in Turkey.
Residence-permit documents and fees must be checked against the current official guidance. The Presidency of Migration Management fee page states that the residence-permit document fee is 964 TL for 2026, while other residence-permit fee rules may depend on nationality. Health-insurance rules also apply. A Turkish embassy or consulate handles the visa process where applicable; it does not issue the student residence permit.
Step 7. Await Issued Permit from the Turkish Embassy and Prepare to Study in Turkey
Complete any required visa process before travel and follow the residence-permit procedure in Turkey. For a residence-permit extension, official guidance states that the application should be made within 60 days before the permit expires and, in every case, before expiration. A student residence permit is not automatically limited to one year for every higher-education student; its duration depends on the applicable rules and study circumstances.
International graduates who want to work as nurses should review the applicable professional requirements before accepting employment. Graduation alone does not replace diploma registration, equivalency where applicable, Turkish-language requirements for the intended foreign-professional route, or work authorization.
The Ministry of Health also maintains health-information functions and publishes national health statistics. Applicants should rely on current official university, Ministry of Health, migration-management, and consular guidance because admissions and immigration procedures can change.
We hope you found this article on the steps to becoming a nurse in Turkey informative and helpful. To learn more about studying abroad, check out the Study in Turkey and Available Programs for International Students pages for more informative articles.
