Scholarships 2023 in Turkey fully financed for foreign students

The Turkish government offers fully-funded scholarships to foreign students to attend undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs at Turkey's most prestigious universities through the Türkiye Scholarships.

The Turkish Government Scholarship

The Türkiye Scholarships program aims to offer students from all over the world top-level educational opportunities at Turkey's most renowned universities. The program aims to create a network of future leaders committed to strengthening cooperation between countries and mutual understanding between societies. It also promotes cultural exchange and international cooperation by offering students a unique educational experience in Turkey. In addition, the program contributes to the promotion of Turkish higher education abroad and helps foreign students obtain a high-quality education in their field of interest in Turkey.

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility criteria for scholarships offered by Turkey (The Türkiye Scholarships) for foreign students are as follows:

• Applicants must be under 21 for bachelor's programs, under 30 for master's programs and under 35 for doctoral programs.
• Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain a degree equivalent to that required in Turkey for the desired level of study (e.g. a Bachelor's degree for application to a Master's program).
• Applicants must be able to follow courses in Turkish or in the language of the selected program. Students who are unable to provide proof of their proficiency in Turkish will be enrolled in a Turkish language course for one year.
• Academic achievement: Applicants must have a satisfactory academic record. For bachelor's programs, a percentage of at least 70 % is required, for master's and doctoral programs, a percentage of at least 75 % is required and for medical programs, a percentage of at least 90 % is required.

Students currently enrolled at a Turkish university cannot apply for the same level of study. Applicants must also be in good health and have no health problems that could compromise their ability to study.

The benefits of Türkiye Scholarships

• Monthly allowance Students receive a monthly allowance to cover living expenses. The amount of the allowance varies according to the level of study: 1,000 Turkish lira for bachelor's students, 1,400 Turkish lira for master's students and 1,800 Turkish lira for doctoral students.
• Housing Accommodation: Students can stay in public halls of residence free of charge. Students who prefer other housing options may choose them at their own expense.
• Tuition fees : Students pay no tuition or university fees.
• Health insurance : Students' health expenses are covered by public health insurance.
• Turkish language courses Students are enrolled in a Turkish language course for one year if they cannot provide proof of proficiency in Turkish.
• Round-trip air ticket Students are provided with a round-trip air ticket for their first arrival in Turkey and for their departure after completing their studies. If the student buys his/her own ticket, the amount will be reimbursed later.

Documents required for application processing

Documents required to apply for the Türkiye Scholarships :

• A valid national identity document or passport.
• A recent photo of the applicant (The photo uploaded to the application system must be a clear portrait photo of the applicant; photos that are not identifiable may interfere with the evaluation of the application).
• National examination results (required for candidates without international qualifications or certification)
• Academic transcripts.
• International exam results (GRE, GMAT, DELF, YDS, YÖS, etc. if required by the university and program chosen).
• Language test results (if required).
• Please also prepare a letter of motivation explaining your plans for the future and your studies.

For doctoral candidatesA research proposal and written work sample will also be required. The research proposal must describe the subject, objectives, methods, current state of research and potential contributions of the proposed research. The written work sample should demonstrate the candidate's research and writing skills. It may be a chapter or part of a dissertation or thesis already written. These documents are essential to assess the quality of the application and are only required for doctoral candidates.

How to apply

To apply for a bursary, you must register at the online portal here.

Steps to follow to apply for the Türkiye Scholarships :

1. Applicants must register online on the Türkiye Scholarships website and create an account to access the application form.
2. Complete the online application form, providing personal, academic and professional information.
3. Upload required documents such as identification documents, transcripts, diplomas, exam results, proof of language proficiency, etc.
4. Once all the documents have been uploaded and the application form completed, candidates must submit their application for assessment.
5. Applicants can follow the status of their application online by logging into their account. Those selected will be contacted to complete further steps in the scholarship process.

Registration calendar and deadlines

General application calendar :

Merit scholarship :

Research grant :

Evaluation interview

Candidates selected from the final list will be evaluated by interview panels made up of academics and experts. The interview, which generally lasts between 15 and 30 minutes, follows the following format: welcome and entrance, document check, purpose of the candidate's application, academic knowledge and professional goals, closing and questions from the candidate to the committee.

Candidates invited for interview should bring all documents and certificates from their most recent course of study to the interview. It is important to note that candidates should be prepared to talk about their academic and professional background, as well as their motivations and objectives for continuing their studies in Turkey.