Ondokuz Mayıs University

About Ondokuz Mayıs University

Ondokuz Mayıs University was established on 1 April 1975 under Law No. 1873. Its early development incorporated the Samsun Faculty of Medicine, previously affiliated with Hacettepe University, and subsequently expanded into a comprehensive university. Several academic units formerly connected with OMU later contributed to the creation of other regional universities, including institutions in Amasya, Ordu, Sinop, and Samsun. OMU remains an active, independent public university. Its official programme catalogue covers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral study, while its 2026–2027 materials show ongoing international admissions. The university combines professional education in areas such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, law, engineering, and education with programmes in science, agriculture, humanities, social sciences, architecture, fine arts, communication, tourism, and sport sciences. Most central academic and administrative activity is based at the Kurupelit Campus in Atakum. Other units are distributed across Samsun Province, so applicants should confirm the teaching location of an individual programme rather than assuming every course is delivered at Kurupelit. This is especially important when comparing accommodation and commuting options. The university’s breadth is a practical advantage for students who value access to multiple disciplines, research centres, health-care settings, and exchange activity. However, programme language, tuition, placement criteria, and calendars vary. Most instruction is in Turkish, and the university maintains separate academic calendars for some professional faculties and graduate education. Applicants should therefore make decisions at programme level rather than relying only on university-wide information.

Admissions depend on applicant category and level. The university’s verified English materials provide a dedicated 2026–2027 route for international applicants to associate and bachelor’s programmes. Applications and programme preferences are submitted online through OMU’s international application system for quotas established under Council of Higher Education rules. Candidates must use the current guide, calendar, programme quotas, and special conditions rather than assuming that one score standard applies throughout the university. For 2026–2027, the first international application period began on 8 June 2026, and a second period began on 20 July 2026. These dates describe that admissions cycle and should not be treated as recurring annual deadlines. The university also published programme-group criteria using accepted examinations or diplomas. For example, minimum TR-YÖS thresholds differed between highly regulated programmes and other faculties, demonstrating why applicants must consult the table for their intended course. Registration requirements can include identity or passport documents, certified translations, educational records, and documents tied to citizenship or schooling history. Most programmes are taught in Turkish. The current guide should be checked for Turkish-proficiency certification and exemptions, especially for programmes taught wholly in another language. Graduate admission is separate. OMU’s Graduate Education Institute published its own 2026–2027 international application announcements, quotas, documents, and registration dates for thesis-based master’s and doctoral or proficiency-in-art study. Domestic applicants should use the applicable national and university procedures; the reviewed English materials do not provide a complete current domestic admissions timetable.

OMU’s official catalogue identifies first-cycle bachelor’s, second-cycle master’s, and third-cycle doctoral programmes. It also lists associate-level study, although the verified degree-level field is limited to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards. Students can search the catalogue by cycle and academic unit and review programme aims, learning outcomes, curricula, assessment arrangements, and progression information. The academic portfolio spans health and clinical fields, agriculture, engineering, natural sciences, education, law, economics and administration, humanities and social sciences, architecture, communication, fine arts, theology, tourism, and sport sciences. This range can support interdisciplinary interests, but availability, admission criteria, and teaching location must be checked for the specific programme. Clinical and professionally regulated programmes may also follow structures and calendars different from the university’s general schedule. The academic year is generally organized into fall and spring semesters. OMU publishes separate calendars for undergraduate and associate programmes, its graduate institute, medicine, dentistry, law, veterinary medicine, distance education, and the School of Foreign Languages. The university had published 2026–2027 calendars as of August 2026, making the relevant unit’s calendar the appropriate source for registration, teaching, examination, and holiday dates. Language is a significant decision factor. The university’s Erasmus information states that instruction is mostly Turkish across levels and programmes. Applicants should not infer English delivery from an English webpage or programme title. They should confirm the actual language of instruction, Turkish-proficiency expectations, and whether a foreign-language preparatory year applies directly with the programme or admissions office.

Key Highlights

• Public university founded by law on 1 April 1975
• Operating university with active 2026–2027 admissions
• Main Kurupelit Campus located in Atakum, Samsun
• Additional academic units operate elsewhere in Samsun Province

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered primarily on the large Kurupelit Campus, with activities also organized at district campuses. The university describes student societies covering scientific, professional, cultural, artistic, social, and sporting interests. Students can use the university’s community information system to learn about groups, events, membership, and opportunities to participate in society management. The Central Library is advertised as operating 24 hours a day and providing printed and electronic resources, computers, and internet access. The university also describes indoor and outdoor sports facilities, including gymnasiums, playing fields, tennis courts, fitness areas, and an indoor swimming pool. A Student Life Center contains food, retail, service, and recreation spaces. Free internal ring buses connect parts of the extensive Kurupelit Campus. University support information includes psychological counselling and guidance, a disabled-student unit, and food services in central and district academic buildings. These services may differ in hours, eligibility, accessibility, and availability, so students should verify current arrangements after enrolment. Accommodation is not presented as a single guaranteed university housing system. The candidate portal lists several dormitories and residences in Atakum and other Samsun districts, including gender-specific properties. Because a programme may be based outside Kurupelit and housing capacity can change, applicants should confirm the operator, location, eligibility, room type, current price, and commute before accepting a place.

Location & Surroundings

The main Kurupelit Campus is in Atakum, a coastal district of Samsun on Türkiye’s Black Sea. The university’s candidate information places it approximately 15 kilometres from Samsun’s city centre. The official address is Kurupelit Campus, Atakum, Samsun 55139. Transport is a practical strength of the main campus. OMU states that Samsun’s tram line connects the city with and through Kurupelit Campus, while buses, minibuses, and internal university ring services provide additional options. This can make central Samsun and Atakum accessible without a private vehicle, although journey times depend on a student’s residence and faculty location. OMU is not confined to one site. Its information identifies a Fine Arts Campus and academic locations in districts including Çarşamba and Bafra, with vocational units in other parts of the province. Applicants should locate their specific faculty or programme before choosing housing. A residence advertised as convenient for central Kurupelit may be unsuitable for a district-based course, and the reverse may also be true.

Costs & Career Outcomes

OMU does not use one university-wide international tuition figure. For 2026–2027, tuition for students admitted through international quotas is set by the university within the framework of the annually issued national decision on higher-education contributions and tuition. The university notes that if the new national decision appears during or after registration, the fall charge may initially use the previous year’s decision, with a later adjustment applied to the spring semester. Applicants should therefore obtain the current programme-specific fee and clarify possible adjustments before paying. The 2026–2027 guide states that international candidates completing preliminary or final registration must pay tuition before registration and that fees are not refunded when a registered student voluntarily withdraws. Students should verify payment deadlines, refund conditions, currency, and bank instructions directly on the International Student Office pages. No verified universal housing price or total cost-of-attendance budget was available, so accommodation, meals, transport, insurance, residence procedures, books, and personal expenses need separate budgeting. Scholarships are offered by external bodies and university-linked sources, but availability and eligibility change. Applicants should treat an application as separate from an award and follow the provider’s current announcement. Career support includes a university Career Center that publishes internship and training opportunities. Its 2026 listings included national and employer-run programmes, while the 2026 Central Black Sea Career Fair brought institutions and employers to Kurupelit for interviews, workshops, panels, and career discussions. These services provide access to opportunities but do not guarantee placement, employment, or a particular salary.