Istanbul University
İstanbul Üniversitesi
Turkey's oldest university, centred on Beyazıt Square, with free first-shift study for Turkish students.
- Student–faculty
- 29:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- TRY 95,220
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1453
- QS World Ranking
- #629
- 2027 edition
About IU
Istanbul University traces its origins to 1453, when Sultan Mehmed II founded a school the day after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople; its successor has operated under its current name since 1933 and is considered the first university of modern Turkey. The central campus sits behind the monumental gate on Beyazıt Square in the historic Fatih district, with further campuses at Çapa, Avcılar, Maslak and Maltepe.
It is a large public university: its 2024 activity report counts 3,257 academic staff, 7,436 international students and about 29 students per faculty member. Faculties include the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Law, Letters, Science, Economics, Political Sciences, Pharmacy, Communication, Architecture, Aquatic Sciences, Computer and Information Technologies and the School of Business, plus the State Conservatory. Its Faculty of Dentistry describes itself as Turkey's first dental school.
Most programmes are taught in Turkish, but the university reported 90 programmes taught in a foreign language in 2024, including English-taught Medicine, Dental Medicine and Computer Engineering, usually with a compulsory preparatory year. Turkish students enter through the national YKS exam; international students apply directly with SAT, ACT, TR-YÖS, IB, Abitur, Matura or French Baccalaureate results.
Why students choose IU
Turkish students placed through YKS in first-shift (birinci öğretim) programmes pay no contribution fee.
International applicants can apply with SAT, ACT, TR-YÖS, IB, Abitur, Austrian Matura or French Baccalaureate results, and choose up to three programmes.
Alumni include two Nobel laureates, chemist Aziz Sancar and novelist Orhan Pamuk.
Programmes are taught not only in Turkish and English but also in German, French, Spanish, Russian and other languages, with preparatory language years.
Admissions
2027 entry (dates shown are from the 2026 cycle)
Selectivity
No overall acceptance rate is published. Turkish students are placed centrally by ÖSYM through the YKS exam. International applicants compete for a separate, small quota of places per programme (e.g. 10 in Turkish-taught Medicine and 4 in English-taught Medical Practice for 2026), ranked by score and preference order; students from one country cannot exceed 20% of a programme's quota.
Typical entry requirements
| SAT | Medicine/Nursing 1440; Dentistry, Pharmacy, Computer Technologies, Law 1360; Science, Architecture, Economics, Business, Communication 1280; Letters, Political Sciences, Theology 1200 (out of 1600) |
|---|---|
| ACT | Medicine/Nursing 32.33; Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law 30.5; Science, Economics, Business 28.67; Letters, Political Sciences 26.88 (out of 36) |
| TR-YÖS | 300/500 for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law and Computer Technologies; 250/500 for most other faculties |
| IB Diploma | 36.33/42 for Medicine and Nursing; 33.5 for Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law and Computer Technologies; 30.67 for Science, Economics and Business, with maths and a science (or other) subject at HL |
| Abitur / Matura | 2.0 or better for Medicine and Nursing; 2.5 for Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law and Computer Technologies; 3.0 for Science, Economics and Business |
| Turkish students: YKS | Central placement by ÖSYM based on YKS results; registration follows the university's YKS registration guide |
| English language | Foreign-language programmes include a compulsory one-year preparatory class unless you pass the university's proficiency exam (24 September 2026 in the last cycle) or present an accepted language certificate at the level the university sets. Turkish-taught programmes: the university held a Turkish Proficiency Exam on 22 September 2026 for newly placed international students. |
Deadlines
- International student application and preferences (2026 reference, past) Non-binding Passed20 July 2026
2026 window: 13-20 July. Placement results 17 August; acceptance letters 19-20 August; registration 7-11 September 2026.
- State Conservatory special talent exams (2026 reference, past) Non-binding Passed1-4 September 2026
Conservatory applicants applied in the same 13-20 July window; age limits apply to opera, musical theatre, acting and ballet.
The dates shown are from the 2026 international admission guide and have passed. The 2027 guide had not been published; expect a similar one-week window in July 2027. Turkish students follow the national YKS calendar.
How to apply
International students create an account on isad.istanbul.edu.tr, complete a six-step online form with personal, education and exam details, and pay a 950 TRY (or 20 USD) application fee. After an advisor approves the file, they choose up to three programmes. Results and acceptance letters are published online, followed by registration and a Financial Security Declaration. Turkish students apply through the national YKS placement run by ÖSYM.
What admissions looks for
- An exam score or diploma grade at or above the faculty's published minimum.
- A high score relative to other international applicants for the same programme, since placement is by score and preference order.
- Complete and accurate application details: false or incomplete information cancels the application or registration.
- For conservatory programmes, success in each stage of the special talent exam.
Tips for applying to IU
- 1 Use only one exam or diploma: applications that mix two score types are invalid.
- 2 Send your SAT or ACT scores to Istanbul University as a score recipient if they can be verified online, or your application will be invalid.
- 3 Choose your three preferences carefully: students placed in the first round who do not enrol cannot apply for additional placement.
- 4 If you plan an English-taught programme, prepare for the proficiency exam or bring an accepted certificate to skip the preparatory year.
- 5 Watch the July application window: in 2026 it was open for only eight days.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in TRY
International students whose family holds a Turkish residence permit get a 25% sibling discount when more than one family member studies at a state university. Preparatory-year students pay the fee of the faculty they are registered in. The university lists its own and ÖSYM-linked scholarships for students on its student affairs pages.
- 950 TRY or 20 USD, non-refundable
- Application fee (international)
- 25%
- Sibling discount (international students resident in Türkiye)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (fall and spring)
Medicine (Istanbul Faculty of Medicine)
Offered in Turkish and as an English-taught Medical Practice programme; six years, with the highest international entry scores (SAT 1440) and fee (476,100 TRY a year).
Dentistry
At what the university describes as Turkey's first dental school; five years, in Turkish or English.
Law
A four-year programme with a SAT minimum of 1360 for international applicants; former Prime Minister Sadi Irmak attended the Law School.
Computer Engineering (English)
An English-taught four-year programme in the Faculty of Computer and Information Technologies.
State Conservatory programmes
Music, opera, acting and ballet, admitted through a multi-stage special talent exam in September.
Research
- The Oncology Institute runs a comprehensive cancer hospital; in 2024 it administered 20,915 chemotherapy and 21,810 radiotherapy treatments.
- The Faculty of Dentistry handled over 240,000 clinic applications in 2024.
- Alumnus Aziz Sancar, who studied medicine at Istanbul University, went on to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Schools & faculties
- Istanbul Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Letters
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Economics
- Faculty of Political Sciences
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Communication
- Faculty of Architecture
- School of Business
- State Conservatory
Student life
Student life centres on the historic Beyazıt campus, entered through the university's monumental gate on Beyazıt Square, while medicine is based at Çapa and other faculties at Avcılar, Maslak and Maltepe. The university runs a Student Culture Centre that supports theatre, cinema, exhibitions and student clubs, and it takes part in the Erasmus, Mevlana and Farabi exchange programmes. University dormitory capacity is limited: the 2024 report notes only 424 students housed after one residence closed, so most students need to arrange their own accommodation.
- The monumental main gate on Beyazıt Square in the old city.
- Erasmus, Mevlana and Farabi exchange programmes.
- Student Culture Centre supporting clubs, theatre and cinema.
- More than 7,400 international students.
Housing. University housing is very limited (424 students housed in 2024), so most students arrange their own accommodation.
Location
Istanbul spans Europe and Asia and is Türkiye's largest city. The main campus is in Fatih, the historic peninsula on the European side, next to Beyazıt Square in the old city. Other campuses are spread across the city, so commuting times can be long.
Nearest airport: Istanbul Airport (IST)
Notable alumni
- AS Aziz SancarNobel Prize in Chemistry laureate; studied medicine at the Faculty of Medicine
- OP Orhan PamukNobel Prize in Literature laureate; graduated from the Institute of Journalism in 1976
- AG Abdullah Gül11th President of Turkey; studied economics and earned his PhD at Istanbul University
- SI Sadi IrmakPrime Minister of Turkey and physiologist; attended the Law School
- YB Yitzhak Ben-ZviLongest-serving President of Israel; studied at the Faculty of Law 1912-1914 (non-degree)
- MS Moshe SharettPrime Minister of Israel; studied law until the outbreak of the First World War (non-degree)
Frequently asked questions
How can international students apply to Istanbul University?
Apply online at isad.istanbul.edu.tr during the July window with one of SAT, ACT, TR-YÖS, IB, Abitur, Matura or French Baccalaureate results, pay the 950 TRY (20 USD) fee and choose up to three programmes. In 2026 the window was 13-20 July.
What SAT score do I need for Istanbul University?
Minimums depend on the faculty: 1440 for Medicine and Nursing, 1360 for Law, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Computer Technologies, 1280 for Economics, Business and Science, and 1200 for Letters and Political Sciences.
How much are Istanbul University's fees for international students?
For 2026/27 they range from 95,220 TRY a year (Letters, Theology) to 476,100 TRY (Medicine), for example 190,440 for Law and 309,465 for Dentistry.
Is Istanbul University free for Turkish students?
Turkish students placed through YKS in first-shift programmes pay no contribution fee; second-shift and distance programmes charge tuition.
Does Istanbul University teach in English?
Some programmes, such as Medical Practice, Dental Medicine and Computer Engineering, are taught in English, usually after a preparatory year; most programmes are in Turkish.
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.
- Istanbul University: Application guide for international students 2026 (PDF)
- Istanbul University: International student tuition fees 2026-2027 (PDF)
- Istanbul University: International student quotas 2026 (PDF)
- Istanbul University: International Student Admission (ISAD)
- Istanbul University: 2026 YKS registration guide (PDF, Turkish)
- Istanbul University: 2024 Administrative Activity Report (PDF, Turkish)
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