Degrees in Türkiye taught in Turkish or in English
Turkish universities offer degrees taught in Turkish and degrees taught in a foreign language, usually English. The Turkish requirement depends on the language of your programme. The levels come from the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference with six levels from A1 to C2.
| Programme | Turkish requirement | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Taught in Turkish | usually C1 before the degree starts | Gazi University in Ankara |
| Taught fully in a foreign language | start without Turkish, B1 later | Gazi University, B1 within two years |
| Türkiye Scholarships | one preparatory year of Turkish to C1 | applies to every scholar |
Many universities require C1 for degrees taught in Turkish. At C1 you understand demanding, longer texts and express yourself clearly and in a well-structured way on complex subjects. At Gazi University in Ankara, students in programmes taught fully in a foreign language may start without proof of Turkish but must show B1 within two years.
Even if you study in English, you need Turkish for authorities, flat hunting and daily life off campus. At B1 you handle daily life in Türkiye on your own.
TYS and TÖMER as proof for admission
Turkish universities usually accept two kinds of proof for Turkish. Check the list of your chosen university before you apply all the same.
1 TYS
Türkçe Yeterlik Sınavı (TYS) is the Turkish exam of the Yunus Emre Institute, Türkiye's state cultural institute. It is built on the CEFR and tests reading, listening, writing and speaking. Successful candidates receive a certificate at B2 or C1. The exam runs three times a year in Türkiye and at Yunus Emre Institutes abroad.
2 TÖMER certificates
TÖMER is the name of the Turkish language centre at a Turkish university. These centres teach international students and issue their own certificates, up to C1 depending on the course. If you complete a course there, you get your proof directly at the university.
You take both kinds of proof in person, while preparation and mock tests run online. telc Turkish targets job applications in Europe, while admission to Turkish universities usually relies on TYS and TÖMER.
The preparatory year with 960 hours of Turkish
The government scholarship programme Türkiye Scholarships gives every scholar one year of free Turkish education, whatever the language of their degree. Teaching takes place at the TÖMER centres of the universities. By the end of the year, scholars are expected to earn a Turkish certificate at C1.
The preparatory year includes 960 hours of Turkish and 140 hours of academic Turkish. Academic Turkish means the language of lectures, academic texts and exams, such as reading literature in your subject, taking notes and writing short academic texts.
Scholars skip the preparatory year if they already hold a C1 certificate from the Yunus Emre Institute or a university language centre in Türkiye. An online course before departure still helps if it takes you to A1 or A2. The preparatory year then does not start with the alphabet, and you gain time for academic Turkish.
The figures of the preparatory year show the full-time effort to reach C1. If you study five hours a week next to a job, you cover about 250 hours a year and need several years for the same 1,100 hours.
Academic Turkish in reading and essays
Academic texts in Turkish follow their own patterns, which textbooks at levels A1 to B1 hardly show. Four features stand out.
| Feature | Example | What it means for your studies |
|---|---|---|
| The ending -dır for statements | önemlidir (is important) | it marks factual claims |
| Passive and impersonal forms | incelenmiştir (has been examined) | the researcher steps back |
| Participles instead of relative clauses | okuduğum kitap (the book I am reading) | long noun phrases before the noun |
| Older loanwords next to native words | bilim and ilim (science) | a larger reading vocabulary |
Participles are verb forms that stand before a noun like adjectives. Turkish uses them where English uses a relative clause, and in academic texts these phrases become very long.
Spelling follows the Yazım Kılavuzu, the spelling dictionary of the Türk Dil Kurumu. The Türk Dil Kurumu is the Turkish Language Association, which issues the rules for spelling and vocabulary. Watch the letters ı, ğ, ş and ç in your essays, because a missing dot changes words.
- ✓Regular grammar makes academic texts predictable once you know the endings.
- ✓Spelling follows pronunciation.
- ✗Long participle phrases require practice in reading from the end backwards.
- ✗Academic vocabulary mixes older loanwords and newer Turkish coinages.
Preparing an exchange semester in Türkiye
An exchange semester in Türkiye is possible, for example, through the Erasmus+ programme, in which Türkiye takes part. The host university sets the language requirements. Whether you take classes in Turkish or English is set in the learning agreement, the agreement on your courses between your home and host university.
You still need Turkish for daily life. An online course to A2 before departure covers shopping, transport and student housing. At B1 you get by in daily life without help and can follow your first seminars in Turkish.
- Six months before: Start an online course and learn the alphabet, pronunciation and vowel harmony.
- Three months before: Practise everyday conversations such as flat hunting, dealing with offices and doctor's appointments.
- In the host country: Join a course at the host university's TÖMER centre and use every chance to speak.
Heritage speakers, people who learned Turkish at home, often speak fluently but write with less confidence. For study in Türkiye they mainly need academic Turkish and spelling, not a beginner course.
Frequently asked questions about online Turkish courses for university
What Turkish level do Turkish universities require for a degree taught in Turkish?
For a degree taught in Turkish, many Turkish universities require level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), for example Gazi University in Ankara. C1 is the fifth of six levels. They usually accept TYS and certificates from TÖMER language centres.
Can you study in Türkiye without knowing Turkish?
You can start studying in Türkiye without Turkish in programmes taught fully in a foreign language. At Gazi University, students in these programmes must show Turkish at B1 within two years. You need Turkish for daily life anyway.
Which Turkish certificates do Turkish universities accept?
Turkish universities usually accept the TYS of the Yunus Emre Institute at B2 or C1 and certificates from the TÖMER language centres of Turkish universities. TYS runs three times a year. Check the list of your chosen university before you apply.
How does the Turkish preparatory year of Türkiye Scholarships work?
The Turkish preparatory year of Türkiye Scholarships includes 960 hours of Turkish and 140 hours of academic Turkish at the TÖMER centres of universities. It applies to every scholar, including those on English-taught degrees. The goal is a certificate at C1.
How does academic Turkish differ from everyday Turkish?
Academic Turkish uses the ending -dır for statements, many passive forms and long participle phrases instead of relative clauses. It also mixes older loanwords with newer Turkish words. Everyday Turkish uses shorter, more personal sentences.
How does an online Turkish course prepare you for an Erasmus semester in Türkiye?
An online Turkish course prepares you for an Erasmus semester in Türkiye by taking you to A2 before departure. That covers shopping, transport and student housing. At B1 you can follow your first seminars in Turkish.
Sources
The information is based on these sources. Check fees and dates with the provider before you register.