The Turkish school system consists of three distinct stages, each lasting four years, for a total of 12 years of compulsory education.
The second stage is middle school (fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades).
The final stage is high school (ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades).
The comprehensive education system also consists of three stages, divided into primary education, middle education, and higher education.
Primary Education (İLKÖĞRETİM)
Primary education consists of the compulsory elementary stage (four years) and the middle stage, which consists of compulsory and elective courses, and Imam Hatip schools (four years).
Middle schools and Imam Hatip schools offer various elective courses that aim to prepare students for high school by supporting and refining their talents, preferences, and orientations.
Secondary Education (ORTAÖĞRETİM)
Includes all compulsory official technical, practical, and general educational institutions with a duration of four years.
Students receive a diploma upon completion of these schools.
Secondary education consists of schools that specialize in specific fields, while maintaining a reduced focus on other fields. These schools are given different names based on their specializations, such as high schools, technical high schools, technical agricultural high schools, etc.
Secondary education institutions in Turkey can be summarized as follows:
General High Schools (Düz Lise)
All students who have completed eight years of primary education are eligible to enter these high schools. After completing four years of study, Turkish students take the Higher Education Entrance Examination (YGS) and the University Placement Examination (LYS).
Vocational High Schools (Meslek Lisesi)
Turkish students are eligible to enter technical institutes after completing vocational high schools without taking any exams. Technical high schools are divided into vocational high schools, media, health, tourism and hotel management, education, and marine technical high schools.
The number of years of study at these institutions may be extended by an additional year.
Anadolu High Schools (Anadolu Lisesi)
These high schools focus on foreign languages or require a preparatory year in a foreign language. These schools also offer longer study hours than regular high schools and offer the option of studying a second foreign language, such as Galatasaray High School, Kadıköy Anatolian High School, and Istanbul High School.
Technical Science High Schools (Fen Lisesi):
These high schools are designed for students with outstanding abilities in technical sciences. They aim to prepare students for entry into technical science universities, such as biology, chemistry, and other disciplines.
Imam-Hatip High Schools (İmam-Hatip Lisesi)
These high schools were established by the Ministry of Education with the aim of creating a generation that serves the Islamic faith in the fields of public speaking, Quranic education, and other subjects. These high schools provide students with the opportunity to prepare directly for employment and higher education.
Fine Arts High Schools (Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi)
They were established with the aim of developing the talents of children with outstanding talents in the fine arts from an early age.
Private Schools (Özel Lise)
Also called "Kolej," some of which offer foreign language instruction in certain fields, such as mathematics and art. Tuition fees are significantly higher, and admission to these schools is more difficult than at other educational institutions.
Some of these schools are foreign, such as Robert Koleji, Saint Joseph Lisesi, Avusturya Lisesi, and others.
Higher Education (YÜKSEKÖĞRETİM)
When students complete their education at high schools and equivalent schools, they are eligible to enter higher education institutions. To enter universities, they must take the ÖYSM exam and the YGS and LYS exams administered by the Turkish Higher Education Institution (YÖK) and obtain a certain qualifying score. After the Turkish Higher Education Institution distributes students to various higher education institutions based on their grades and preferences, some universities require students to take a special talent test. However, this requirement varies depending on the university or college.
For international students wishing to study in Turkey, the situation is different. Students have designated places, and admission requirements depend on their country's central exams and international tests such as the SAT and AST. There is also a special exam for foreigners called the YÖS (School of Applied Sciences) for admission to Turkish universities.
The higher education system in Turkey is divided into different sections, consisting of universities, higher technical institutes, and other higher education institutions (such as the Military Academy and the Police Academy).
First Bachelor's Degree (Ön Lisans Derecesi)
Students who graduated from technical high schools can enter universities/technical institutes without any exams. However, to be admitted to technical universities, high school students must take the Higher Education Entrance Exam (YGS) and obtain a specific score according to the technical university/technical institute.
The duration of education at universities/technical institutes is two years, and some include a preparatory year in a foreign language. After obtaining an initial bachelor's degree from these institutions, students can enter universities after taking the Vertical Transfer Examination (DGS), which allows them to obtain a university degree after only two years of study.
Bachelor's Degree (Lisans Derecesi)
To obtain a bachelor's degree, students must complete four years of university education. In the faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine, this period varies between five and six years.
Master's Degree/Higher Bachelor's Degree (Yüksek Lisans Derecesi):
A master's degree is awarded to students who complete two years of study—some with a thesis and some without—in addition to their bachelor's degree.
To obtain a master's degree with a thesis, the number of courses must be at least 21, and each student must prepare a thesis.
To obtain a master's degree without a thesis, the number of courses must be at least 30 over a year and a half, and each student must prepare their own graduation project.
Doctoral Degree (Doktora Derecesi)
Students who have both a bachelor's and a master's degree can apply for a doctoral degree.
PhD students take a qualifying examination and are required to complete seven courses consisting of at least 21 credits. After completing the courses and the qualifying examination, students write and present their doctoral dissertation in an oral defense.
Specialization in Medicine (Tıpta Uzmanlaşma)
The specialization degree in medicine is equivalent to a doctorate in other fields.
After completing medical school, students take the Specialization Examination in Medicine (TUS) to obtain this degree in various specializations.
Each student must submit a graduation thesis/dissertation and present it in an oral defense before a committee.
Certificate of Competence in Arts (Sanatta Yeterlilik)
This is a degree equivalent to a doctorate, which students receive after passing a specialization exam in their chosen field and submitting a scientific paper on that field.