Türkiye Bursları (Turkey Scholarships)

What the scholarship covers

• Full tuition coverage
• Monthly stipend by study level
• Free university accommodation
• One year of Turkish language course
• Health insurance and return flights

Eligibility requirements

• Not a Turkish citizen
• Under 21 for bachelor's, 30 for master's, 35 for PhD
• Minimum 70 per cent academic average (90 per cent for medicine)
• Not currently enrolled at a Turkish university

Documents you will need

• Online application on the Türkiye Bursları portal
• Passport or identity document
• Academic transcripts and diploma
• Letter of intent
• Exam results such as SAT, YÖS or GRE where relevant

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Create an account on the official portal

   Applications open once a year, usually in January, and the window is short.

2. 2

   Choose up to twelve programme preferences

   You rank universities and departments in one application. Order them realistically.

3. 3

   Write the letter of intent

   Explain why Türkiye specifically, and how the programme connects to your plans.

4. 4

   Upload documents

   Transcripts, diploma and identity documents must be legible; unclear scans are rejected.

5. 5

   Interview if shortlisted

   Conducted in person or online at a Turkish diplomatic mission in your country.

When to do what

Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.

1. 14 weeks before

   Research Turkish universities and departments.

2. 11 weeks before

   Check age and academic average requirements for your level.

3. 9 weeks before

   Prepare transcripts and diploma copies.

4. 7 weeks before

   Draft the letter of intent.

5. 4 weeks before

   Decide your twelve preferences in a sensible order.

6. 1 week before

   Submit, the portal closes on time regardless of demand.

What the panel is actually looking for

• Academic average against the threshold for your level
• Coherence of the letter of intent
• Interview performance
• Fit with the chosen programmes

Common mistakes to avoid

• Missing the annual window, which is only a few weeks long.
• Listing twelve unrealistic preferences with no fallback.
• Exceeding the age limit for the chosen level.
• Uploading unclear document scans that cannot be verified.

Fields of study