Eastern Mediterranean University
Doğu Akdeniz Üniversitesi
An English-medium public university in Famagusta where most students come from abroad, from more than 100 countries.
- Students
- 16,000
- International
- 72%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 23.3:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $4,450
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1979
About EMU
Eastern Mediterranean University began in 1979 as the Institute of Higher Technology in Famagusta, teaching three-year civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programmes to 105 students. It became a state university in 1986 and describes itself as the only state university in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a territory recognised as a state only by Turkey; its programmes are accredited by the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and by Northern Cyprus's own higher education board.
EMU reports about 16,000 students from 110 countries and 1,100 academics from 35 countries, and THE data put international students at 72% of the student body. It runs 13 faculties (its About page still says 12, but a new Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences now appears in its faculty list and 2026-27 fee table), 3 schools and an English Preparatory School, with programmes from engineering, architecture and business to law, pharmacy, medicine and dentistry. Most programmes are taught in English, with parallel Turkish-medium versions of some.
The university leans on external accreditation: its engineering bachelor's programmes are ABET-accredited, pharmacy is ACPE-accredited, business and tourism programmes hold FIBAA accreditation, and EMU says 55 programmes carry accreditation from 13 international bodies. It suits students who want an English-taught, internationally accredited degree at a relatively low fee, and who are comfortable living in a small coastal city with a complex political status.
Why students choose EMU
After the standard international scholarship, 2026-27 annual fees for most bachelor's programmes are USD 4,450 to 6,400, and at most USD 18,140 for Medicine.
Eight Faculty of Engineering bachelor's programmes, including Computer, Civil, Mechanical and Software Engineering, are accredited by ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission.
The student body is overwhelmingly international: about 16,000 students from 110 countries, with international students making up 72% in THE's data.
ShanghaiRanking placed EMU 51-75 in the world for Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2025, the only university from Northern Cyprus or Türkiye listed in that subject.
Admissions
2027 entry (Fall 2027 intake; Spring 2027 intake also available)
Selectivity
EMU publishes no acceptance rate. International applicants are admitted on published minimum school results that vary by programme group (highest for Medicine and Dentistry). Turkish citizens are placed through Türkiye's national university entrance exam, and Northern Cyprus citizens sit the EMU Entrance Examination.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels (GCE) | Medicine: 3 A-levels (Biology, Chemistry and one of Mathematics or Physics), minimum B; Dentistry: 3 A-levels (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics), minimum C; Engineering: 2 A-levels or equivalent (Mathematics and Physics); most other programmes: 5 IGCSEs or equivalent |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Minimum 30/42 for Medicine and Dentistry, 28 for Pharmacy, 26 for Engineering and Architecture/Health; IB Diploma for other programmes |
| SAT | Medicine: SAT plus 3 subject tests at 600+; Dentistry: subject tests at 550+; Pharmacy: minimum 1200; Engineering: minimum 900 with 450 in Math; other programmes: minimum 900 |
| WAEC/WASSCE | 5 subjects including English and Mathematics with a total of 25 or less (minimum C) for most programmes; stricter totals for Medicine (15) and Dentistry (16) with Biology and Chemistry |
| National certificates | Country-specific minimums, e.g. Bangladesh HSC 85% for Medicine/Dentistry, 65% for Engineering, 60% for other programmes; Gaokao 600/750 for Medicine, 480/750 for Engineering and others |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 65 Scores for direct exemption from the English Preparatory School for most programmes: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 65, PTE Academic 42. Medicine and English Translation and Interpreting require IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or PTE 50. Students without a valid certificate take the EMU English Proficiency Exam; those who do not pass spend a preparatory year in the English Preparatory School first. |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 intake Non-bindingRolling; new-student orientation 18 January to 3 February 2027
EMU publishes no fixed undergraduate application deadline. Course registration for the Spring 2027 semester runs 1-3 February 2027.
- 100% all-inclusive scholarship (Fall 2027 intake) Non-bindingApplications evaluated at the end of January 2027
For applicants in the top 1% of secondary school graduates in their country; September intake only; late applications not considered.
- Fall 2027 intake Non-bindingRolling; no fixed date published
For reference, the past Fall 2026 semester began on 21 September 2026, with English proficiency tests on 8-11 September 2026.
EMU admits undergraduates twice a year (Fall and Spring) on a rolling basis and publishes no single application deadline. Partial scholarships are decided with admission; the full scholarship committee meets 30 or 60 days before a semester depending on scholarship type. Dates for the Fall 2026 intake have passed.
How to apply
Apply online through EMU's undergraduate application system (applyonline.emu.edu.tr) with high school certificate and transcripts, passport copy, photo and any English certificate, with translations where needed. Admission runs twice a year, for Fall and Spring. The admission decision states any partial tuition scholarship. Turkish citizens are placed through Türkiye's national entrance exam; Northern Cyprus citizens take the EMU Entrance Examination.
What admissions looks for
- A completed secondary school certificate meeting EMU's country-specific minimum for the programme group you choose.
- For Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, strong results in Biology and Chemistry (and Mathematics or Physics).
- For Engineering, Mathematics and Physics at A-level or equivalent.
- English proficiency at the level your programme requires, or readiness to complete the English Preparatory School.
- For partial tuition scholarships, academic performance relative to the programme applied for.
Tips for applying to EMU
- 1 Check the country table on EMU's Admission Criteria page: your national certificate has its own minimum for each programme group.
- 2 Send an IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 65 score (6.0 or 72 for Medicine) to skip the preparatory English year.
- 3 Ask to be considered for a scholarship in the online application; the admission letter states your tuition discount.
- 4 If you are in the top 1% of your country's school graduates, apply for the all-inclusive scholarship before the end of January for the September intake.
- 5 Pay annual fees early: in 2026-27, international students got an extra 8% off for paying in June.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
All international applicants can be considered for a partial tuition scholarship at admission; the 2026-27 fee table is built on 60-75% scholarships for most programmes and 30-45% for Medicine and Dentistry. A small number of full scholarships exist: the all-inclusive award (tuition, a double room and three meals a day) for the top 1% of school graduates in their country, and 100% tuition waivers for up to two top students per country each year. Sibling discounts, sports grants, student assistantships and early-payment discounts are also available.
- 60-75% for most programmes; 30-45% for Medicine and Dentistry
- Standard scholarship built into 2026-27 fees
- Tuition, double room and 3 meals a day for the top 1% of school graduates in their country
- All-inclusive scholarship
- 8% in June, 6% in July, 5% in August
- Early annual payment discount (international students, 2026-27)
- 25% each for the first two siblings; 75% for further siblings
- Sibling discount
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (Fall from September, Spring from February) plus a summer semester
Engineering (BS programmes)
Eight programmes, including Computer, Civil, Electrical and Electronic, Mechanical and Software Engineering, are ABET-accredited; 2026-27 fee USD 4,700-6,799 a year after scholarship.
Tourism and Hospitality Management
ShanghaiRanking placed EMU 51-75 worldwide in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2025, and the school holds TEDQUAL and FIBAA accreditation.
Pharmacy
EMU's Pharmacy programmes are accredited by ACPE; 2026-27 fee USD 5,485-7,629 a year after scholarship.
Medicine
Admission needs three science A-levels at B or IB 30 and a higher English level (IELTS 6.0); fee USD 14,510-18,140 a year after scholarship.
Interior Architecture
Accredited by both CIDA and AQAS, in English- and Turkish-medium versions.
New Media and Journalism
Part of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies; alumni include Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad.
Research
- EMU lists research centres including the Nanotechnology and Multifunctional Structures Research Center, the Energy Research Center and the Underwater Research and Imaging Center.
- THE subject rankings reported by EMU placed it 301-400 in Business and Economics and in Physical Sciences, and 501-600 in Engineering.
- In ShanghaiRanking's 2025 subject ranking, EMU placed 12th in the world for research impact in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Architecture
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Communication and Media Studies
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Tourism
- Faculty of Dentistry
Student life
EMU is a self-contained campus about 3 km from Famagusta city centre, with its own dormitories, a health centre with 13 specialist doctors, the Lala Mustafa Paşa sports complex, a beach club and 51 cafeterias. Most students come from abroad and most programmes are taught in English, so classes and dormitories are highly international. The Spring Festival each May brings concerts, club stands and performances, and the university runs its own radio station, Radio EMU. Many students live in the four EMU-run dormitories (EMU-2, EMU-3, EMU-4 and EMU Akdeniz) or the private dormitories on the campus edge.
- Spring Festival every May, organised with student clubs and the Student Council.
- Lala Mustafa Paşa indoor sports complex, outdoor athletics stadium and an EMU beach club.
- Radio EMU broadcasts island-wide on 106.5 FM.
- Exchange agreements with universities in 13 countries, including the US, Canada, Italy, Austria, South Korea and China.
Housing. EMU runs four dormitories on campus (2026-27 rates USD 1,420-5,100 a year, paid in cash or four instalments), and 14 privately owned dormitories sit on or near campus.
Location
Famagusta (Gazimağusa) is a historic port city on the east coast of Cyprus, in the part of the island administered by the Turkish Cypriot authorities; mail is addressed via Mersin 10, Türkiye. The city centre is within walking distance of campus, and the nearby coast has beaches where loggerhead and green turtles nest. The university describes living costs as low compared with Western Europe.
Nearest airport: Ercan Airport (ECN), about 40 minutes by road; regular flights connect via Türkiye
Notable alumni
- PA Plestia AlaqadPalestinian journalist and author; New Media and Journalism graduate (2022)
- RS Rahama SadauNigerian actress and filmmaker; studied Human Resource Management
- BG Buğra GülsoyTurkish actor, writer and director; Faculty of Architecture graduate
- MH Mehmet HarmancıMayor of the Nicosia Turkish Municipality; studied international relations
- AE Ann El SafiSudanese novelist, journalist and engineer; computer engineering graduate (1996)
- HZ Hasan ZaidiIndian television actor; bachelor's in tourism and hospitality management
- EB Ese BrumeNigerian long jumper and Commonwealth champion; represented EMU at Turkish university games (2018)
Frequently asked questions
How much does Eastern Mediterranean University cost for international students?
For 2026-27, new international students pay USD 4,450-6,400 a year for most bachelor's programmes after EMU's standard tuition scholarship, up to USD 7,629 for Pharmacy, USD 10,000-12,400 for Dentistry and USD 14,510-18,140 for Medicine.
Is EMU taught in English?
Most programmes are taught in English, with Turkish-medium versions of some. Students without IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 65 (6.0 or 72 for Medicine) take EMU's English Proficiency Exam and may need a preparatory English year.
What are the admission requirements for EMU?
EMU sets country-specific minimum school results for each programme group; for example IB 26 for Engineering and 30 for Medicine, or three science A-levels at B for Medicine. There is no entrance test for international applicants.
When is the EMU application deadline for 2027?
EMU admits students twice a year, for Fall and Spring, on a rolling basis and publishes no fixed undergraduate deadline. Applications for the full all-inclusive scholarship (September intake) are evaluated at the end of January.
Is an EMU degree recognised?
EMU's programmes are accredited by Türkiye's Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the Northern Cyprus higher education board, and 55 programmes hold accreditation from international bodies such as ABET, ACPE and FIBAA. Because Northern Cyprus is recognised as a state only by Turkey, check how your home country treats the degree, especially for regulated professions.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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