Free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels

The free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels are scholarships offered by the Turkish government to international students from around the world. They are among the most popular scholarship programs worldwide, due to their coverage of nearly all majors and all academic levels: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral. The Turkish government also offers no fewer than 4,000 scholarships annually.

If you are interested in studying in Turkey, you should ask about scholarships and how to decrease your expenses so we will provide you with a guide to free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels in this article. Keep reading.

About the Turkish Scholarship

The Turkiye Scholarship is a competitive scholarship program funded by the Turkish government that provides outstanding students with the opportunity to pursue full-time or part-time programs at top universities in Turkey. The Turkiye Scholarship aims to build a network of future leaders committed to promoting cooperation between countries and mutual understanding between societies. Turkish government provides free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels.

Benefits of the Free Turkish Scholarships for all academic levels

• Free private housing for students if university housing is required.

• Benefit from some of the services provided to students through the scholarship.

• Health insurance, medical benefits, and free or reduced hospital admission.

• Free Turkish language study for a full year.

• Free airline tickets are provided to the student, or as specified by the scholarship.

• Discounted transportation cards are provided: Scholarship recipients receive a special card granting them the right to travel at a nominal price, subsidized by the Turkish government.

• Tourist and entertainment cards are provided to students, allowing them to enjoy access to archaeological and tourist sites.

• Students who receive student scholarships are exempt from annual tuition fees.

Read also: Advantages of studying in Turkey

Monthly stipends allocated to students on the Turkish Scholarship

• Bachelor's degree: 1,000 Turkish liras

• Master's degree: 1,400 Turkish liras

• PhD degree: 1,800 Turkish liras

• Research Scholarship Programs (3-10 months): The student is granted a monthly stipend of 4,000 Turkish liras

Turkish Scholarship Program Application Requirements

Application requirements for free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels vary according to the level of study as the following:

First: Undergraduate Level:

• The student must be no older than 21 years old.

• The student must not be enrolled in a Turkish university with the same degree as the one they are applying for.

• Proof that the student is enrolled in high school.

• The student's high school GPA must not be less than 70% for all majors, and 90% for medical group majors (human medicine, dentistry, pharmacy).

• Must have graduated from high school or be about to graduate.

• Submit a document from the school where the student is studying high school, proving that the student's GPA in the second year of high school or the first semester of high school is no less than 70%.

Documents Required for Students Wishing to Apply for a Bachelor's Degree in the Turkish Scholarship Program:

• A recent personal photo with a white background.

• A copy of a valid passport.

• A copy of a certified and translated transcript.

• A certified and translated copy of the high school diploma.

• A transcript of the student's grades from the second year of high school or the first semester of high school, with a minimum grade of 70%.

Second: Master's Degree

• Applicants for the Turkish scholarship must be no older than 30 years old

• Bachelor's degree GPA must be no less than 75%
  

Documents required for students wishing to apply for a master's degree in the Turkish Free Scholarship Program:

• A copy of the bachelor's degree certificate with a certified, translated transcript

• A copy of the high school diploma with a certified, translated transcript

• A letter of motivation for studying for a master's degree in Turkey

• A copy of a valid passport

• A copy of a certified, translated transcript

• A copy of the high school diploma with a certified, translated transcript

• A recent personal photo with a blue or white background

• A letter of recommendation from the university from which the student graduated.

• If the student is in the final year of undergraduate studies and wishes to enroll in the Turkish Scholarship Program, they can apply by attaching a certified, translated, and notarized transcript of grades for the last semester they studied.

Third: Conditions for applying for a doctoral degree:

• Applicants for the Turkish scholarship must be no older than 35 years of age.

• Master's degree GPA must be no less than 75%.

Documents Required for Students Wishing to Apply for a PhD in the Free Turkish Scholarship Program:

• A copy of the master's degree certificate with a certified, translated, and certified transcript.

• A copy of excerpts from the master's thesis.

• A copy of the master's degree certificate with a certified, translated, and certified transcript.

• A copy of the high school diploma with a certified, translated, and certified transcript.

• A letter of recommendation from professors at the university from which the student graduated.

• If the student is in the final year of a master's degree and wishes to enroll in the Turkish Free Scholarship Program, they can apply by attaching a transcript of grades for the last semester they studied.

• Two letters of recommendation from the university from which the student graduated.

Read also: Advantages of studying a master's degree in Türkiye

Duration of free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels

• Students receiving a Turkish scholarship are entitled to one free preparatory year of language study.

• The scholarship covers the duration of undergraduate studies (4 years).

• The scholarship covers the duration of undergraduate studies in specializations requiring 5 years of study, such as pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and dentistry.

• The scholarship covers the duration of undergraduate studies in specializations requiring 6 years of study, such as human medicine.

• The scholarship covers the duration of a master's degree (3) years.

• The Turkish scholarships include financial support for the winners, while also providing university placements for the recipients at all levels of teaching at Turkish universities.

• The Turkish Scholarship Program offers the best academic programs at the top 50 Turkish universities. 

• A portion of the scholarship also allows the student to enjoy language learning and cultural and social integration into the student environment and life in Turkiye.

Facilities and privileges provided to students through the free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels

The Turkish government, through public universities, provides assistance to students in general and to those who receive a Turkish scholarship in particular. These facilities and privileges include:

• Housing (free housing for the entire duration of the study period, with full housing expenses covered)

• Health insurance (covering all health expenses for the student throughout the free scholarship period)

• A bank account for students

• Travel alternatives for students

• Residence permits for students (the location of residence is determined and specified by the scholarship administration)

• Free participation in academic programs, especially conferences, workshops, and local training.

Nature of Questions and Duration of the Turkish Scholarship Interview

The interview lasts only 15 to 30 minutes.

The interview includes:

• Welcoming the applicant and briefly explaining its benefits.

• Reviewing all the applicant's documents and ensuring their integrity.

• Understanding the applicant's motivations for applying for the scholarship.

• Putting on some academic and general questions to assess the applicant's suitability for the scholarship. This is not considered a basis for initial acceptance or rejection.

• Learn from the applicant about his or her general knowledge of Turkey. Learn about the student's ideas for the future, especially after graduation (foreseeing future ambitions).

University majors supported by the Turkish Scholarship

There are 282 majors offered by the free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels, and these majors are available for study in English. The most important majors announced in the scholarship programs are:

1. Bachelor's Degree

• Economics

• Business Administration

• Medicine

• Architecture

• Archaeology

• Art History

• Mechanical Engineering

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering

• Computer Engineering

• Industrial Engineering

• Physics

• Molecular Biology and Genetics

• Mathematics

• Sociology

• Psychology

• History

• Maritime Business Administration

• Chemistry

• International Relations

2. Master's Degree

There are 77 majors available through the Turkish Scholarship, taught in English. The most important of these majors are:

• International Relations

• Economics

• Green Transformation

• Business Administration

• African Studies

• International Relations

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering

• Cartography Engineering

• International Trade

• Financial Management

• Civil Engineering

• Computer Engineering

• Molecular Biology and Genetics

• Energy Systems Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering Specialization

3. Doctoral Degree

The duration of doctoral studies is two years. This level requires a minimum of 16 years of educational record, with special conditions. The most important Turkish scholarships for doctoral studies are the following:

• Social Sciences

• Engineering

• Humanities

• Fine Arts

Read more: Study majors in Türkiye

Turkish universities that offer scholarships to students and researchers

• Abant İzzet Baysal University

• Abdullah Gül University

• Abant İzzet Baysal University

• Abdullah Gül University

• Adana Science and Technology University

• Adıyaman University

• Adnan Menderes University

• Afyon Kocatepe University

• Ağrı İbrahim Cesen University

• Ahi Evran University

• Akdeniz University

• Aksaray University

• Amasya University

• Anadolu University

• Ankara University

• Erdogan University

• Artvin Koru University

• Ataturk University

• Atılım University

• Başkent University

• Balikesir University

• Bartin University

• Batman University

• Bayburt University

• Bilecik Şihedebali University

• Bingöl University

• Bitlis Eren University

• Bogazici University

• Bozok University

• Bursa Technical University

• Bulent Ecevit University

• Manisa Celal Bayar University

• Cumhuriyet University

• Çanakkale 18 Mart University

• Çankırı Karatkin University

• Çukurova University

• Dicle University

• Dokuz Eylul University

• Dumlupınar University

• Düzce University

• Ege University

• Erciyes University

• Erzincan University

• Erzurum Technical University

• Eski Sehir Osmangazi University

• Fatih Sultan Mehmet Private University

• Fırat University

• Galatasaray University

• Gazi University

• Gaziantep University

• Gaziosmanpaşa University

• Gebze Institute of Technology

• Giresun University

• Gümüşhane University

• Hacıtepe University

• Hakkâri University

• Harran University

• Hittit University

• Ağdır University

• Istanbul Aydın University

• Istanbul Medipol University

• İnönü University

• Istanbul Commerce University

• Istanbul University

• Izmir Katip Çelebi University

• Izmir Institute of Technology

• Kafkas University

• Kahramanmaraş University

• Karabük University

• Karadeniz Technical University

• Kastamonu University

• Kırıkkale University

• Kırklareli University

• Kilsi University

• Kocaeli University

• Koç University

• Konya Necmettin Erbakan University

• Mardin Artuklu University

• Marmara University

• Mehmet Akif Ersoy University

• Mersin University

• Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University

• Mugla Sitki Koçman University

• Mustafa Kemal University

• Mus University

• Barsan University

• Namık Kemal University

• Nevşehir University

• Necde University

• Ondokuz Mayıs University

• Middle East Technical University

• Osman University in Korkutat

• Pamukkale University

• Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University

• Sakarya University

• Selcuk University

• Siirt University

• Sinop University

• Süleyman Demirel University

• Şırnak University

• Tunceli University

• Trakya University

• Uludag University

• Usak University

• Yalova University

• Yeditepe University

• Yildirim Beyazıt University

• Yıldız Technical University

• Yüzüncü Yıli University

Ibn Khaldun Scholarship for Graduates in Social Sciences

Ibn Khaldun Scholarship for Graduates in Social Sciences is the most important one of free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels.

Students can study for a master's degree, particularly in the fields of finance and banking, economics, international relations, law, and political science. This scholarship includes several different universities, including:

• Istanbul Bilgi University

• Bilkent University

• Hacitepe University

• Yaşar University

• Koc University

• Özyeğin University

Conditions and Benefits of the Ibn Khaldun Turkish Scholarship

• The student must be a foreign national, not a Turkish citizen.

• The student must have graduated with a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 80% or higher.

• The student receiving the scholarship will be exempt from tuition fees for the duration of their studies.

• The student will be granted free Turkish language proficiency.

• The student will enjoy free health insurance and healthcare.

• The student will be granted a monthly stipend.

• The student is provided with free housing within the university student housing.

• The student is also provided with a free round-trip ticket to and from his or her home country.

• The scholarship is only for graduate students (master's and doctoral degrees) and is not offered to undergraduate students.

• Master's students are provided with a stipend of approximately $450 per month.

• PhD students are provided with a stipend of approximately $570 per month.

• The scholarship requires the student to achieve a minimum master's grade point average of 75%.

• The applicant for a master's scholarship must not be older than 30 years old.

• The applicant for a doctoral scholarship must not be older than 35 years old.

Ali Kuşcu Scholarship for Graduates in Social Sciences

The scholarship covers studies in science and technology at Turkish universities. Eligibility:

• The student must be a foreign national, not a Turkish citizen.

• The student must have graduated with a GPA of 80% or higher in their bachelor's degree.

Ibn Sina Scholarship Program for Medical Sciences

This scholarship is for medical specialties, including dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. Among the most important universities that graduates wish to enroll in are Bilkent University in Ankara and Hacettepe University.

Ibn Sina Scholarship Requirements:

• A minimum GPA of 90% or higher to study medicine in Turkey.

• The applicant must be no older than 21 years of age.

• The applicant must not be registered at any Turkish university.

• The applicant for the scholarship must not have received any previous or current study scholarship in Turkiye.

Yunus Emre Turkish Language Program

This scholarship is for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies at Turkish universities, particularly Sabancı University and Boğaziçi University, which are among the most important Turkish universities, particularly in research, science, and graduate studies. To qualify for this important scholarship, students must be willing to study in Turkish (the language is taught free of charge). The following conditions must be met to qualify:

• The student must be a foreign national, not a Turkish citizen.

• The student must have graduated with a grade of 70% or higher in the bachelor’s degree.

Islamic Studies Scholarship Program

This scholarship is offered to students wishing to study religious studies and pursue master's and doctoral degrees in these Islamic fields. Çukurova University is one of the most prominent universities offering the scholarship.

Islamic Studies Scholarship Requirements

• The candidate must have a GPA of 70% or higher in their bachelor's degree.

• The scholarship is intended for Islamic studies.

Supporting Scholarship Program

This scholarship program is unique in that it is designed for students already studying at a Turkish university at their own expense (a condition that other scholarships reject). It is also designed for students in need. Students can access and register for the program through the turkiye burslari website.

Sabancı University Graduate Scholarship

Sabancı University offers scholarship benefits to those accepted into its master's and doctoral programs. Students enjoy the following benefits:

• Free university student housing.

• A monthly stipend of 1,050 Turkish liras for 10 months.

• A monthly stipend of 500 Turkish liras is available for students not seeking university housing.

Islamic Studies Scholarship Program

An advanced scholarship program for all levels of undergraduate study (bachelor's, master's, doctoral). The scholarship focuses on teaching Islamic studies. This program requires students to have a basic background in Islamic studies and the Arabic language. It is open to all nationalities.

Tubitak International Graduate Scholarship Program

The Tubitak Scholarship is offered by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.

The scholarship is intended for international students seeking to pursue advanced degrees (master's and doctoral degrees) at Turkish universities.

The Tubitak Scholarship is available for students in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, technological sciences, agricultural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and medical sciences.

The scholarship covers students with 2,000 Turkish liras (TL) in tuition fees. A monthly stipend of 1,500 Turkish liras is also provided for master's students and 1,800 Turkish liras for doctoral students.

A monthly health insurance allowance is provided.

Students who complete their master's studies within two years are eligible to renew their scholarship for doctoral studies in Turkiye.

One of the best scholarships in the program is the Istanbul University Graduate Scholarship in Social Sciences.

Read also: Accredited Turkish private universities in Arab countries 2025

Conclusion

The free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels provides beneficiaries with extensive educational opportunities at Turkey's most prestigious universities, helping students gain new perspectives and experience a unique learning experience during their studies in Turkey.

Frequently asked questions about free Turkish scholarships for all academic levels

What is the required cumulative GPA to qualify for a scholarship in Turkiye?

70% for bachelor's degrees, 75% for master's and doctoral degrees, and 90% for health sciences applicants.

How can I study in Turkey for free?

Turkish scholarships are one of the best and most popular ways to study in Turkey for free, as all Turkish scholarship programs are government-funded scholarship programs that offer fully-funded scholarships to international students at all levels of study.

I want to apply to Turkish universities regardless of the scholarship. Can I do that?

Yes, of course. You can apply to the universities you want. Our team will register you at private universities without registration fees and secure scholarships at these universities of up to 75%.

What are the steps for applying for a Turkish scholarship online?

You must create an account on the scholarship's official website, fill out your personal and academic information, upload the required documents, select your preferred majors and universities, and answer all questions accurately before submitting your application.