Turkish Scholarships

Türkiye Scholarships

Historical Background

Through international students studying in Turkey, Turkey’s aim is to raise generations that will produce solutions to problems of their countries as well as our world, have equality of opportunity and a supra-national perspective.

Turkey has opened its doors to many international students for their education both in the pre-Republic and the Republic period, scholarships were provided to those students for them to receive a distinguished education in our country.

While, in 1960s, scholarships were being provided within the framework of bilateral agreements signed with other states; especially with the support of the late President Turgut Özal, policies towards international students were systematized for the first time in 1992 and the “Great Student Project” was initiated.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, major developments exhibited in all areas from Turkey’s foreign policy to culture, social policy to economic development; which also reflected on the international education paradigm of the country and caused important steps to be taken in the said area.

Within the framework of the tasks entrusted to the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities following its establishment in 2010, “Türkiye Scholarships” program has been implemented with our Presidency’s initiatives and in cooperation with all respective agencies in 2012, as a result, higher education scholarships provided by our country for international students were updated and relaunched under the brand name of Türkiye Scholarships.

Türkiye Scholarships

With the implementation of Türkiye Scholarships in 2012, which recieved around 40.000 applications in its first year, a rapid increase was witnessed in the application numbers throughout the years, to reach about 150 thousand applications in 2019.

Türkiye Scholarships is a scholarship program which not only provides financial support but also ensures university placement for students in their intended program of application. With this feature, it differs from other scholarship programs in the world. Apart from university education, it is aimed to provide students with the benefits of social, cultural and academic extra- curricular programs and activities while they are in Turkey.

Today Türkiye Scholarships is a well-known scholarship program in most countries of different continents.
Offering support also to academicians, researchers and civil servants in other countries, Türkiye Scholarships program offers various modules for research and Turkish language education.

Close communication with international students is sustained not only during their education but also after their graduation. Students who have completed their higher education in Turkey become voluntarily country ambassadors who build bridges of friendship between Turkey and their countries. Therefore, the Turkey Alumni network has been established in order to protect our ties with our alumni around the world.

Why Turkey Government Scholarships?

A comprehensive and unique scholarship program

Apart from providing education opportunities at an international caliber as well as a wealth of knowledge and experience, Turkey offers scholarships to international students from all over the world to study in the most prestigious universities in Turkey.

Turkey opens the doors of its universities for international students from all around the world with “Türkiye Scholarships”. The scholarship program provides its recipients with vast opportunities and education in the most prestigious Turkish universities, helping students gain new perspectives and have a unique educational experience during their study in Turkey.

Türkiye Scholarships is a government-funded, competitive scholarship program, awarded to outstanding students to pursue full-time or short-term program at the top universities in Turkey.

Türkiye Scholarships aims to build a network of future leaders committed to strengthening cooperation among countries and mutual understanding among societies.

What Makes Türkiye Scholarships Unique?

What makes Türkiye Scholarships unique is that it’s not only inclusive of financial support but also provides university placement to its awardees at all levels of higher education.

The scholarship program offers programs at the 50 top and most prestigious universities in Turkey, and provides a compulsory one-year Turkish Language Course which ensures that all students acclimatize and adapt to the social and cultural environment they live in.

Türkiye Scholarships also provides assistance in all the necessary services and procedures for an international student to feel at home in Turkey. These include, providing a dormitory, health insurance, student bank account, and a student residence permit, as well as a one-year language course.

What the Scholarship Covers

Full-Time Programs

Undergraduate Scholarship Program

University and program placement
Monthly Stipend: 800 TL per month
Tuition Fee
Once-off Return Flight Ticket
Health Insurance
Accomodation
One year Turkish Language Course

Length of award: 1 year Turkish Language course + 4-6 years (depending on the normal duration of the program)

Postgraduate Scholarship Program

University and program placement
Monthly Stipend:
- Master’s: 1,100 TL per month
- PhD: 1,600 TL per month
Tuition Fee
Once-off Return Flight Ticket
Health Insurance
Accomodation
One year Turkish Language Course

Length of award:

Master’s: 1 year Turkish Language course + 2 years
PhD: 1 year Turkish Language course + 4 years

Short-Term Programs

Success Scholarship Program (1 year)

Monthly Stipend:
- Bahcelor’s: 450 TL per month
- Master’s: 600 TL per month
- Phd: 900 TL per month

Success scholarship program does not cover accommodation and other amenities

Research Scholarship Program (3-10 months)

Monthly Stipend: 3,000 TL per month

Research scholarship does not cover accomodation and other amenities

Turkish Language & Culture Programs

Turkish Language Programme for Public Officials and Academicians (8-10 months)

Monthly Stipend: 2,000 TL per month
Once-off Return Flight Ticket
Accomodation
Turkish Language Course

How To Apply

For the first step, you must submit our application form. This form will help us get to know you better and select the universities that are right for you. You can find the form at (medutur.com/applicaiton).
After choosing a university, all you have to do is to collect the required application documents. These documents may vary by university and program because universities determine their own conditions in the admission of international students.
This is where the magic happens! MEDU experts will apply to your favorite university. Our experts do their best to ensure that the application is done accurately to guarantee your acceptance.
It’s time to pack your suitcase and get ready for travel. We are here to meet you at the airport and make some memorable days together. We will make sure that Turkey will be your second home!

Candidates are strongly advised to carefully read the instructions and warnings in the application system.
Applicants are required to submit and upload the necessary documents to the application system.
Applications delivered by post, courier, or by hand will not be accepted.
Applications are free of charge. Please do not entertain any third party institutions or persons who offer to make an application on behalf of you in exchange for a fee.
Türkiye Scholarships include both scholarship and university placement at the same time. Applicants will be placed in a university and program among their 12 preferences which they choose in the application system

Required Documents

All candidates must submit the following documents during online application:

A valid National Identification Document OR a valid Passport
A recent Photo of the candidate (Please note that the photo you upload into the Application system must be a proper portrait of yourself, candidate photos which are not identifiable will undermine the evaluation of your application)
National exam scores (required for candidates who do not possess any international qualification or certification)
Diploma or temporary certificate of Graduation
Academic transcripts (online screenshots and uncertified transcripts will undermine the evaluation of your application)
International exam scores (GRE, GMAT, DELF, YDS, YÖS …etc. if required by the chosen university & program)
Language test scores (if required by the chosen university & program)
A research proposal and an example of your written work (for PhD applicants only)

Important Details:

Most programs in Turkish universities are instructed in Turkish. However, some departments and universities offer programs in English or other languages. Candidates who wish to study in these programs need to have an internationally recognized language certificate to prove their language proficiency (TOEFL and other equivalent certificates). Most of these programs require international admission test scores such as GRE, GMAT, SAT etc. Candidates can check the language of instruction while selecting the programs in the application system.
Undergraduate candidates who possess International qualifications such as SAT or GCSE instead of national exam scores, will need to provide the minimum required qualifications needed for completing secondary school according to these international exams.
All Türkiye Scholarships awardees who do not possess C1 Level Certificate for Turkish Proficiency (including those who are placed into English or other language taught programs) must attend a 1-year Turkish Preparatory Course and attain the C1 Level Certificate by the end of their academic year.

Application Dates
To be announced for 2021 later

Application Criteria

Basic Criteria for Applying

Minimum Academic Criteria:

Minimum academic achievement for Bachelor’s degree applicants: 70%
Minimum academic achievement for Master’s and Doctorate degree applicants: 75%
Minimum academic achievement for Health Science (Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy) applicants: 90%

Age Criteria:

To be under the age of 21 for Undergraduate programs
To be under the age of 30 for Master’s programs
To be under the age of 35 for Doctorate programs

Eligibility

Eligible Groups:

Citizens of all countries
Graduates or applicants who are able to graduate at the end of the current academic year (before September 2019)
Researchers and academicians

Non-Eligible Groups:

Turkish citizens and those who have lost Turkish citizenship
Students already registered in Turkish universities at the level of study they are applying for.

Evaluation and Selection Porcess

Türkiye Scholarships applications are assessed on the basis of academic success, extra-curricular activities and other professional credentials of the candidate. In the evaluation process of the applications, candidates will be evaluated based on their eligibility to the application criteria of the program applied for as well as their academic and social achievements.

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT:

All applications are reviewed based on basic criteria such as minimum academic grades, age limit, required documents etc.

SHORTLISTING:

Applications of eligible candidates are carefully reviewed by Expert committees based on a broad set of criteria including academic standing, previous qualifications, academic interests, career goals, consistency of choices, clarity of letter of intent, participation in social activities …etc. After which a list of qualified candidates is shortlisted for interviews.

INTERVIEW:The shortlisted candidates are interviewed in more than 100 countries by interview committees including academicians and experts.
Interviews usually last 15-30 minutes and are conducted in the following format:
Welcome and introduction
b. Document check
c. Candidate’s motivation for applying
d. Academic knowledge and career goals
e. Ending and questions to the committee

Please note that the interview is not indicative of whether the candidate will be selected or not.

Note: Candidates who are selected for interviews must bring all transcripts, documents and certificates of each year they have studied if they have not graduated yet.

4. SELECTION:

Interview results of candidates nominated by the interview committees are evaluated by a selection committee and a list of candidates to be awarded a scholarship are formed. This final evaluation stage will assess the overall eligibility and suitability of the candidate for Türkiye Scholarships.

Update : 10.23.2020

The Turkish Endowments announced a scholarship for Turkish and foreign students for the year 2020-2021

Registration starts: 15.10.2020
Registration ends: 30.10.2020

The Scholarship:
For international students: 600TL per month
For Turkish students: 300TL per month

Conditions :
To have a registration in any Turkish university.
It means anybody who has accepted and confirmed his registration, or he is a first year, or a second, or a third, or fourth, or preparatory, he can registered

Registration link for Turkish citizens:
https://burs.vgm.gov.tr/Login.aspx?BasvuruTuru=YO

Registration link for foreigners:
https://burs.vgm.gov.tr/Login.aspx?BasvuruTuru=YBO

Reference : turkiyeburslari.gov.tr