Information for Foreign Students Planning to Study at a Turkish University
Date: 05.12.2022
In order for foreign nationals to continue their education at a Turkish university they must first sit for the Foreign Student Exam (Yabancı Öğrenci Sınavı or YÖS in Turkish) before applying to universities on the basis of the points they receive in this examination. In previous years, this examination was organized and given by each individual university. However, this year the exam will be held just one time as a centrally organized, universal examination. This exam’s new name is the “Turkiye International Student Acceptance Examination”, in Turkish: Türkiye Yurt Dışından Öğrenci Kabul Sinavı or TR-YÖS. Students planning to begin their studies at a university in September of 2023 must register and sit for the TR-YÖS exam organized by ÖSYM (the Turkish ministry of Student Selection and Placement Centers) on October 29, 2023 and apply to universities based on the points they receive on this exam. Registration for the TR-YÖS exam is open between 24 November 2022 – 05 December 2022.
Examination Date: 29 October 2023 at 11:15
(It’s necessary to arrive at the testing center with your identification document at least one hour before testing begins. Those who arrive after 11:00 will not be allowed to enter the testing center.)
Examination Registration: 24 November 2022 – 05 December 2022 until 23:59
Examination Fee: 800 TL
Payments can be made either with a credit or bank card via the ÖSYM e-Services website’s “Ödeme” (“Payment”) webpage. (Payments must be received by 23:59 on Decmeber 6th at the very latest.)
Late Registration Period: 12 – 15 December 2022
Late Registration Fee: 1,200 TL (Payments must be received by 23:59 on 15 December 2022 at the very latest.)
Who is eligible to register:
- foreign nationals who are high school (lise) students in their final year or those who have already graduated from high school.
- high school (lise) students in their final year or have already graduated and who were foreign nationals but have since gained Turkish citizenship or who have become dual nationals with Turkish citizenship.
Examination Languages: Turkish, German, English, French, Russian, Arabic
About the Exam: The 80-question exam consists of a 40 question Numerical Aptitude test and a 40 question Basic Mathematics Test, which must be answered within 100 minutes.
Length of Validity of Exam Scores: 2 years
Application Procedure: Individuals with Identity Documents which are valid in Turkiye can apply!
For Individuals with an E-Devlet Password:
- Register with the ÖSYM’s “Aday İşlemleri Sistemi” (“Candidate Services System”) using the “e-Devlet Kapısı” (“e-Devlet Portal”). You’ll need to login using your e-Devlet password.
- Complete your application via the ÖSYM website: https://tryos.osym.gov.tr
- Submit your application payment fee by credit or bank card via the ÖSYM website: https://odeme.osym.gov.tr
* In order to be sure that your registration details have been successfully entered into the system, it’s important that you see the following announcement on your screen: “Başvuru İşlemi ÖSYM’ye bildirilmiştir.” (“ÖSYM has been notified of your registration.”) You must also have paid the exam registration fee. It is of particular importance that you take care to print out and carefully keep a record of your candidate registration information, as it may be required at other stages of the registration process.
For individuals who do not have an e-Devlet password nor a photographic identification document:
You may register for the exam at one of ÖSYM’s Exam Registration Centers with a photographic identification document. You will need:
- A fully and correctly filled out Aday Başvuru Formu (Candidate Registration Form)
- A photographic nufüs cüzdanı (national ID card) or a photographic Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Kimlik Kartı (Republic of Turkiye Identity Card) or your original and unexpired photographic passport.
- Payment for the registration service fee
Important Notes about Filling Out the Registration Form:
- For foreign nationals who do not have a Republic of Turkiye Identity Number, enter your 11-digit Foreign National Number (Yabanci Uyruklu Numarası or yabancı kimlik numarası) starting with the number “9” in the field labeled “T.C. Kimlik Numarası”.
- Information such as your Name, Surname, Father’s Name, Mother’s Name, Date of Birth should all be entered in the exact same way as they are written on your Uluslararası Koruma Kimlik Belgesi (International Protection ID) or Geçici Koruma Kimlik Belgesi (Temporary Protection ID).
- Under the Uyruğu (Nationality) field, foreign nationals, stateless individuals and refugees will mark the option “Yabancı Uyruklular” (Foreign Nationals).
- Indicate your country of nationality in the Yabancı Uyruk Ülke field.
- If you have a passport, write your passport number in the Pasaport Numarası field; otherwise, leave this field blank.
- If you have a national identity number from your country of nationality, write this number in the Vatandaşlık Kimlik Numarası field; otherwise, leave this field blank.
- In the Yazışma Adresi (Contact Address) field, write the residence address which you have registered with the İl Nüfus Müdürlüğü or İl Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü.
- In the telephone number and email address sections of the Contact Address section, the most up-to-date and correct information should be entered in order to ensure the candidate can be reached.
- Soru Kitapçığı Yabancı Dil Seçeneği (Question Booklet Foreign Language Selection)
- Questions in the Question Booklet are provided in Turkish. A translation of these questions is provided in one of the following languages: German, English, French, Russian or Arabic. You may only indicate one language selection. You will only be given a question booklet with translation in the language which you indicated during registration. If you would like to change your language selection, you may do so while the registration period is still open (including late registration days) via the ÖSYM website: https://tryos.osym.gov.tr
- Under the Sınav Merkezi Tercihi (Examination Center Preference) field, you should write the name of the Examination Center where you would like to take the exam. Candidates may not change their indicated Examination Center preference. For this reason, candidates should indicate the examination center which is most convenient for them. A list of Examination Centers can be found on the 9th page of the TR-YÖS Registration Guide linked below.
IMPORTANT! After completing your registration, you must be sure to save and take a printout of your Examination Entrance Document (Sınava Giriş Belgesi). You will need to have this document as well as an ID document which is valid in Turkey in order to enter the Examination Center on the day of your exam.