Pilot Training in Turkey
Pilot Training connects aviation theory, navigation, meteorology and safety with practical flight training. Before choosing a course, confirm the flight training included, any separate costs, and the medical and licensing requirements for your intended route.
About the program
Compare the academic curriculum with the exact flight-training package: included hours, aircraft and simulator work, assessments and additional costs. Verify medical eligibility and the separate licensing route before making financial commitments.
Use the curriculum and university options below to build a shortlist. Confirm the exact degree level, teaching language, course sequence and practical requirements with each university; similar programme names do not make the courses interchangeable.
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A personal strategy, requirement checks, selection of agreed options, document preparation, applications, and support are provided under an agreement with StudyU.
Study to Become a Pilot in Turkey
In Turkey, civil pilots train at universities (Pilotage bachelor's degrees) and at approved flight schools. You need a high-school diploma, a medical clearance and a language certificate; training includes flight hours. Duration and cost depend on the program. StudyU helps you choose a school, understand the requirements and prepare documents.
Study plan
Duration depends on the programme and the flight-training package. The list below shows a typical sequence from aviation theory to flight training; compare it with the published curriculum and flight-hour breakdown of each programme you shortlist.
- Mathematics and physics for aviation
- Principles of flight
- Aviation meteorology
- Aviation English and radiotelephony
- Air navigation and flight planning
- Aircraft systems
- Air law and operational procedures
- Basic simulator training
- Instrument flight procedures
- Human performance and limitations
- Flight operations
- Flight phases with the approved training organisation (ATO)
- Multi-engine and advanced procedures, where offered
- Crew resource management (CRM) and safety management
- Graduation project
- Remaining licence checks and skill tests
Career directions to investigate
Flying commercially requires a pilot licence and a valid Class 1 medical certificate; in Turkey, licences are issued under the rules of the civil aviation authority (SHGM). To fly in another country, the licence usually has to be converted under that country’s aviation authority. Roles graduates commonly move into:
Airline second or first officer: after meeting the airline’s own requirements, usually including a type rating for its aircraft.
Charter or cargo pilot: flying within the privileges of a commercial licence and the operator’s ratings.
Flight instructor: after a separate instructor rating; many new pilots build their hours this way.
Flight safety or flight operations specialist: a ground role in an airline or operator, with additional training.
A degree does not bring an airline job, a type rating or a licence valid in every country: you still need the medical, the exams, logged flight hours and aviation English at the required level.
Should you choose Pilot Training?
Choose it if you…
- are consistently strong in maths, physics and English;
- are comfortable with strict procedures, checklists and regular checks of your flying;
- have a realistic budget for tuition and for any flight hours it does not cover;
- want a bachelor’s degree alongside the licence route, not flight-school training alone.
Slow down if you…
- have not checked your Class 1 medical eligibility before paying a deposit;
- assume the annual fee covers the whole flight-training package;
- are not ready for irregular hours and responsibility for safety;
- plan to fly in another country without checking how it converts a licence issued in Turkey.
Life beyond classes
What happens outside lectures depends on the university, so ask the department what it actually runs: simulator sessions, aviation clubs and visits to airports or maintenance centres.
Ask how many flight and simulator hours the programme includes, which licence they lead to and what extra flight training costs. For a semester abroad, ask which Erasmus+ partner universities the department has and whether international degree students can apply; a visa for the host country is a separate step.
Demand and earning potential
The Turkish market. In Turkey, pilots are hired by airlines such as Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, by charter and cargo operators and by flight schools. Compare pay for the exact airline, role, experience and date; an individual employer’s salary is not determined by a universal minimum-wage index.
What raises income: flight hours and ratings, ICAO aviation English, type ratings. A personalised comparison of current salary ranges by city and employer is provided under an agreement with StudyU.
Additional guide to programme language
For pilot training, programme language is especially important because of aviation terminology, simulators and communication. Bahcesehir lists Pilotage — Pilot Training as an English-taught bachelor's programme.
Examples to check with StudyU: Bahcesehir University: Pilotage — Pilot Training (Bachelor, English).
Universities offering Pilot Training
Compare academic tuition separately from flight-school charges. BAU lists $9,000 plus about $24,590 (€22,000) per year for Pilotage in 2026–27. Okan’s flight-school page lists about $25,710 (€23,000) per year including VAT, payable in each of four years; it does not state an academic cycle. Özyeğin’s 2026–27 page lists a separate Ayjet fee of about $94,670 (€84,700) including 10% VAT, without stating the payment period. Confirm the included hours, period, currency, extra charges and refund terms for your intake in writing.
| University | Degree | Language | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okan University | Bachelor | English | $8,000/year academic tuition · 2026–27; flight-school fee separate |
| Bahcesehir University | Bachelor | English | $9,000/year academic tuition · 2026–27; flight-school fee separate |
| Nisantasi University | Bachelor | English | $10 000/yr |
| Antalya Bilim University | Bachelor | English | $10 200/yr |
| Ozyegin University | Bachelor | English | $16,500 academic tuition · 2026–27; Ayjet fee separate; confirm billing period |
Ready to study pilot training in Turkey?
During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.
Get a consultationCommon questions
For a university Pilotage degree, prepare school documents and meet the university’s language requirements; its own proficiency test or preparation route may be available. The professional licence is a separate outcome. SHGM requires a valid Class 1 medical certificate, approved training, theory exams, a skill test and the required experience for a commercial pilot licence. Confirm the full flight package and medical eligibility before paying. Under an agreement with StudyU, a consultant can compare programmes and prepare applications; the university decides admission.
The university Pilotage options on this page are taught in English. Each university sets its exemption, proficiency-test and preparatory-year rules. Aviation English and radiotelephony requirements for the licence are separate from academic English.
Compare current vacancies or published pay scales for the exact role, seniority and location you are considering. Check the required language, work authorisation and professional registration alongside compensation. A degree alone does not establish a salary or job offer. Personalised salary research is provided under an agreement with StudyU.