Study in Turkey 2026: Tuition, Scholarships & Top Unis
Quick Answer Quick Answer: Public university tuition for international undergrads runs USD 400–1,500 / year ; top private universities charge USD 8,000–20,000 / year . The government-funded Türkiye Bursları scholarship covers full tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance, accommodation and round-trip airfare for ~5,000 students per year. Top English-Medium Universities Koç University (Istanbul) — private, ~top 500 QS Sabancı University (Istanbul) — private Boğaziçi University (Istanbul) — public, extremely selective Middle East Technical University / METU (Ankara) — public Bilkent University (Ankara) — private İzmir Institute of Technology — public STEM focus Türkiye Bursları — the Big Scholarship Full-ride scholarship for undergraduate, master's and PhD. Applications open every January, results in July. Highly competitive (~150,000 applicants for ~5,000 spots). Covers tuition, USD ~150–450/month stipend by degree level, dorms, insurance and flights. Application Timeline (Fall Intake) Jan–Feb: Türkiye Bursları application window Mar–Apr: private university applications May–Jul: interviews (for scholarship) Aug: residence permit + housing setup Sep: semester starts Cost of Living for Students USD 400–700/month in Istanbul (shared apartment), USD 300–500/month in Ankara or Izmir. Public transport is heavily discounted with a student card. See the Campus First Choosing between Koç, Sabancı, Boğaziçi and METU on a website is nearly impossible — the campus cultures are wildly different. Our campus visit tours arrange multi-university visits, meetings with admissions officers, and dorm walk-throughs. Plan a private campus visit trip →