Sabancı University
Sabancı Üniversitesi
Türkiye's first university without departments: students join a faculty and pick a major after exploring.
- Tuition
- TRY 2.2M
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1994
- QS World Ranking
- #357
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Suburban
- About 1.26 million m2 (126 ha)
About SU
Sabancı University was set up in 1994 by the Sabancı Group under the Sabancı Foundation and took its first students in 1999. Before it opened, a 1995 search conference brought together 50 academics from 22 countries, students and business leaders to design a new kind of university rather than copy an existing one. Its campus sits on about 1.26 million square metres in Tuzla, roughly 40 km from central Istanbul on the Asian side.
The defining feature is the absence of academic departments. Students are admitted to one of three faculties (Engineering and Natural Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, and the Sabancı Business School), take a common core of University Courses, and declare one of 12 undergraduate majors at the end of the first or second year without further exams. Students who need to improve their English first spend a Foundations Development Year at the School of Languages.
Sabancı is research-intensive for its size: it reports more than 9,950 papers and 390 patents over its first 25 years, and in 2025 more than 700 papers, 73% of them in Q1 journals. It suits students who want to try several disciplines before committing, and who like a self-contained campus with the highest student-housing capacity in Türkiye relative to enrolment.
Birlikte Yaratmak ve Geliştirmek
“Creating and Developing Together” — university motto
Why students choose SU
Freedom to choose your major: you apply to a faculty programme group and pick from 12 majors after one or two years of cross-disciplinary study.
The university reports the highest dormitory capacity in Türkiye relative to its student numbers, with single, studio, two-, three- and four-person rooms on the Tuzla campus.
Top YKS scorers can receive the Sakıp Sabancı Outstanding Achievement Scholarship: full tuition, a monthly stipend of up to TRY 30,000 for nine months and a free double dorm room.
International applicants are automatically considered for tuition waivers of 25% to 75%, and some also receive dormitory scholarships.
Admissions
2027-28 academic year (international applications expected to open in winter 2026-27; YKS placement summer 2027)
Selectivity
Sabancı does not publish an acceptance rate. Turkish students are placed by ÖSYM on YKS results into faculty programme groups. International places are capped by quota (for 2026-27: 160 in Engineering and Natural Sciences, 120 in Arts and Social Sciences, 120 in Management), and the university says applying to programme groups in different faculties increases the chance of admission.
Typical entry requirements
| SAT | Minimum 1100 out of 1600 (SAT code 7100); superscores and results older than 2 years not accepted |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Minimum 28 out of 45 |
| A-levels (GCE) | Minimum two C passes at A Level |
| ACT / AP | ACT composite 23; or AP score of 3 in at least two subjects |
| TR-YÖS and other diplomas | TR-YÖS 350/500; Abitur 1-3; French Baccalaureate 12/20; American high school diploma 70% or 2.8/4; Olympiad medallists also eligible |
| YKS (Turkish students) | Central placement by ÖSYM into a faculty programme group (full scholarship, 50% scholarship or fee-paying quotas) |
| English language | TOEFL iBT 85 Scores needed to skip the Foundations Development Year: TOEFL iBT 85 (MyBest not accepted), PTE Academic 71 with 67 in each part, Cambridge CAE or CPE grade C, YDS 90, or Sabancı's own ELAE Stage 2 at 70. IELTS is not on the list. Tests taken in Türkiye must be sat in a state-university building. Admitted students without a score can take the ELAE during registration week. |
Deadlines
- Early application deadline (2026-27 intake, past) Non-binding Passed14 March 2026
Applications opened 1 January 2026 (the requirements page gives 15 December 2025). Early applicants get priority for scholarships. Shown for reference; 2027-28 dates not yet published.
- Final application deadline (2026-27 intake, past) Non-binding Passed28 August 2026, 16:00 Turkish time
Rolling review, with decisions by email within 2-3 weeks.
These are the 2026-27 international deadlines, shown for reference; the 2027-28 calendar had not been published as of September 2026. Expect applications to open around the turn of the year, and apply early for the best scholarship chances. Turkish students follow the ÖSYM YKS calendar.
How to apply
Turkish students: take the YKS and list Sabancı programme groups in the ÖSYM preferences. International students: apply online at apply.sabanciuniv.edu, choose up to three programme groups, upload an accepted exam or diploma result and a signed and stamped transcript, and optionally an English score, motivation letter, recommendation letter and certificates such as Olympiad medals; pay a USD 30 application fee. Decisions come by email within 2-3 weeks. Admitted students pay a non-refundable USD 2,000 deposit to secure their place.
What admissions looks for
- At least one accepted exam or diploma result at or above Sabancı's minimum score.
- A complete high school record, shown on an official transcript signed and stamped by the school.
- For scholarships: academic background, exam results, reference letters, interview results and evidence of achievement such as competition prizes or Olympiad certificates.
- Openness to interdisciplinary study, since all students take common University Courses before choosing a major.
Tips for applying to SU
- 1 Apply before the early deadline in March: Sabancı says early applicants get priority from the Scholarship Committee.
- 2 Upload every supporting document, including Olympiad or competition certificates and recommendation letters, because the scholarship offer depends on them.
- 3 Choose programme groups in more than one faculty if you are flexible; Sabancı says this raises your chance of admission within the quotas.
- 4 Pay the USD 2,000 deposit by the deadline in your offer email, or a scholarship may pass to another applicant.
- 5 If you want to skip the preparatory year, bring TOEFL iBT 85, PTE 71 or a Cambridge C grade; IELTS is not listed.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in TRY
YKS places come as full-scholarship, 50%-scholarship or fee-paying quotas. Full-scholarship students in the top 100 of their YKS score type receive the Sakıp Sabancı Outstanding Achievement Scholarship (full tuition, TRY 30,000 a month for 9 months, free double dorm room; TRY 21,500 a month for ranks 101-1,000); other full-scholarship students receive the Honour Scholarship with a free 4-person room. International applicants are automatically considered for tuition waivers of 25%, 40%, 50%, 60% or 75% and for accommodation scholarships; government scholarships from Azerbaijan, Iraq, Oman, Libya and Qatar can also be used.
- USD 36,500 a year (English and Turkish tuition pages). The English page also keeps an older line of USD 24,500 a year for new international students without a scholarship, unchanged since 2024-25 and absent from the Turkish page; confirm the figure with the admissions office.
- International tuition, 2026-27 (charged in USD, so not shown in the TRY fields above)
- 25%, 40%, 50%, 60% or 75% of tuition, kept for the regular study period
- International tuition waivers
- Full tuition + TRY 30,000 per month for 9 months + free double dorm room
- Sakıp Sabancı Outstanding Achievement Scholarship (YKS top 100)
- Extra 10% tuition waiver for YKS top-20,000 entrants with IB 34+, SAT 1410+, Abitur 2 or better, French Bac 16+ or A-levels AAB
- Diploma Contribution Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (Fall and Spring)
Computer Science and Engineering (BSc)
One of seven majors in the Engineering and Natural Sciences group, which had the largest international quota (160 places) for 2026-27.
Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering (BSc)
An interdisciplinary engineering and life-sciences major that students can declare after the common first year.
Data Science and Analytics (BSc)
One of Sabancı's newer majors in Engineering and Natural Sciences, open to students who enter the faculty's programme group.
Economics (BA)
Taught in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with 120 international places in the faculty's programme group for 2026-27.
Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design (BA)
A design major inside a research university, where students share the interdisciplinary core with engineers and social scientists.
Management (BSc)
Taught at Sabancı Business School, which had its own quota of 120 international places for 2026-27.
Research
- In 2025 faculty published more than 700 papers, 73% in Q1 journals, and obtained 37 new patents; the university reports more than 390 patents in total.
- At the end of November 2025 Sabancı managed 233 active externally funded projects worth USD 52 million, 69% from international funds.
- Sabancı researchers are taking part in developing quantum sensor technologies for CERN.
- Sabancı joined the Venice International University consortium and launched a seed-funding partnership with Imperial College London.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- Sabancı Business School
- School of Languages
Sabancı's international office cites a 95% employment rate for its graduates, without stating the year or method.
Student life
Sabancı's Tuzla campus is designed to be self-contained: the international office describes it as a city within the city. It has a performing arts centre (SGM) seating 912, a sports centre with a 1,200-seat main hall, squash courts and a climbing wall, a health centre with a 24/7 emergency team, a 900-seat main cafeteria serving three meals a day, cafés, a market and a cinema. Dorm rooms, from singles and studios to four-person rooms, each come with a shower and toilet. All degree students receive free private health insurance.
- Sabancı University Performing Arts Center (SGM), 912 seats
- Sports Center with a 1,200-seat hall, three squash courts and a climbing wall; member of FISU, TÜSF and ÜNİLİG
- Campus lake, green spaces and dormitories with study and TV rooms on every floor
- Free private health insurance for all degree students
Housing. The international office advertises guaranteed on-campus accommodation for international students; 2026-27 dorm fees run from TRY 267,500 (three-person room) to TRY 380,950 (double room) for nine months.
Location
The campus is in Tuzla, on the Asian side of Istanbul about 40 km from the city centre. It is quieter than central Istanbul, and university shuttles and city buses link it to the rest of the city. Sabancı also has a digital campus in Altunizade and a city venue at Minerva Han in Karaköy.
Nearest airport: Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)
Notable alumni
- CD Canan DağdevirenMaterials scientist and associate professor at the MIT Media Lab; MSc from Sabancı
- CM C. M. KösemenArtist and author on speculative biology and palaeoart; BA in Visual Arts and Communication Design (2007)
- BM Bilal MacitPolitician elected to the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 2011; graduated in 2008 in international relations
- AS Aleksandar ShopovOttoman historian (PhD Harvard); MA from Sabancı (2007)
- CS Claudius SchulzeGerman photographer and artist; master's in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Sabancı
Frequently asked questions
Is the SAT required for Sabancı University?
No. SAT is one option (minimum 1100); you can also apply with IB (28), A-levels (two C passes), ACT (23), TR-YÖS (350/500) or an accepted national diploma.
How much is Sabancı University tuition for international students?
Sabancı lists annual tuition of USD 36,500 for international undergraduates in 2026-27. Its English page also still shows an older USD 24,500 a year rate for new students without a scholarship, so confirm with admissions. Scholarships waive 25% to 75% of tuition.
What is the Sabancı University application deadline?
For the 2026-27 intake the early deadline was 14 March 2026 and the final deadline 28 August 2026. The 2027-28 dates were not yet published as of September 2026.
Can I choose my major later at Sabancı?
Yes. You apply to a faculty programme group, take common University Courses, and declare one of 12 majors by the end of your first or second year without an additional exam.
Does Sabancı accept IELTS?
IELTS is not on Sabancı's list for skipping the Foundations Development Year; the accepted tests are TOEFL iBT (85), PTE Academic (71), Cambridge CAE/CPE (C), YDS (90) and the university's own ELAE.
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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