Ankara University (Ankara Üniversitesi): Admission and Fees for International Students

Ankara University (Ankara Üniversitesi) is one of the oldest public universities of the Turkish Republic: a comprehensive university in the capital with medicine, law, veterinary science, engineering, languages and the well-known TÖMER language centre. International students are admitted through a quota. TR-YÖS is the main exam (440 out of 500 for medicine and computer engineering), and other programmes also accept the SAT, IB and several national exams. Russia's EGE and Kazakhstan's UNT are not on the list, but a school diploma averaging at least 80/100 can be considered for places left after the exam-based allocation. Tuition for 2026/27 ranges from $2,000 a year in Turkish-taught humanities to $14,850 for English-taught medicine.

Ankara University and similarly named universities

Searches for "Ankara University" often mix it up with other public universities in the capital. Each has its own admission, quotas and fees.

Check the web address: Ankara University uses ankara.edu.tr. See also our page on studying in Ankara and the full list of profiles on our Study in Turkey page.

Who Ankara University suits

Applicants with strong EGE results who want engineering should look at METU, which accepts EGE averages from 80%. For a comparison of public universities, see our guide to public universities in Turkey.

Accepted exams for 2026/27

The most competitive programmes accept TR-YÖS only:

Every other programme accepts any result from this list:

The last row matters for applicants from Russia and Kazakhstan: their national exams are not accepted, but a high diploma average gives a chance at leftover places on programmes without special requirements. The notice does not say how a five-point grading scale is converted to 100, and there may be no places left at all, so treat TR-YÖS as the main plan and the diploma as a back-up. The autumn TR-YÖS sitting takes place on 11 October 2026, and the university accepts results from the last two years of sittings. See our guides to the YÖS exam and to exams for Turkish universities.

A minimum score does not mean admission: placement and the admission decision rest entirely with the university, which need not fill every quota. Citizens of any one country may take no more than 10% of places.

Tuition in 2026/27

Fees are set in US dollars; for quota students they were converted into lira at the Central Bank of Turkey rate of 3 August 2026.

The admission rules list no discounts for international students. The government's Türkiye Scholarships (applications 10 January – 20 February) can cover tuition in full, but the scholarship agency, not the applicant, decides the university and programme; see our Türkiye Scholarships guide.

Turkish language and TÖMER

Most programmes are taught in Turkish. International students prove their Turkish with an Ankara University TÖMER diploma or a Yunus Emre Institute certificate. After placement, TÖMER tests every newcomer: those who pass start their programme, the rest study Turkish for up to two years, and anyone who still has not proved their level after two years is dismissed. The rule does not apply to programmes taught entirely in a foreign language or to graduates of Turkish Ministry of Education schools.

You can also earn a TÖMER diploma before applying by taking the centre's own courses, which are not included in bachelor's tuition; details are on tomer.ankara.edu.tr.

How to apply

Applications must be made by the applicant personally: the university states that applications from institutions or third parties are not considered.

1. At ugadmissions.ankara.edu.tr, enter your email and passport number to receive a password.
2. Complete the form in capital letters, select your exam type and list programmes in order of preference, checking the quota table.
3. Upload a certified copy of your diploma with a sworn Turkish translation (or a school letter on expected graduation), transcripts for all years with translations, your exam result and passport.
4. Wait for the preliminary check: your status changes to "approved" or "rejected" and you are notified by email.

2026 dates: main application from 22 May (09:30) to 26 June (17:00), then a supplementary round for vacant places (notice on 21 August, results on 22 September). There is no application fee. Applications with two exam results are not considered.

Registration documents

Once placed, you will need:

• the original apostilled diploma with a notarised Turkish translation;
• original transcripts with translations;
• a certificate of equivalence (denklik) from Turkey's Ministry of National Education or the education counsellor at a Turkish embassy; see our denklik guide;
• the original exam result;
• the placement letter from the ugadmissions system;
• a student visa in your passport, six biometric photos and the tuition receipt;
• proof of funds for the first year: a bank statement or a sponsor's undertaking to cover tuition, housing and books.

Living costs in Ankara

These are 2026 benchmarks from METU's international office; Ankara University's admission rules do not list dormitory prices for international students. See our pages on the cost of living and student accommodation; students paying from Russia can find legal options in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Visa and residence permit

The university requires admitted students to obtain a student visa from a Turkish embassy using the placement letter; without it you can neither enter to study nor register. This applies to Russian and Kazakh citizens too, even though both countries enjoy visa-free entry for short trips.

After registration you complete the residence permit application at e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr and bring the documents to the university's international student office the same day, without waiting for the appointment date. Students of the Open and Distance Education Faculty cannot obtain residence permits. The card cost TRY 964 (about $20) in 2026, and health insurance is required. A Turkish consulate issues the visa and the migration authority decides on the permit. See our student visa guide.

Degree recognition

Turkish universities are not on Russia's list of automatically recognised foreign degrees. Graduates go through recognition via the Glavexpertcentre and Rosobrnadzor decides; doctors, dentists, vets and lawyers also need a licence to practise. In Kazakhstan, recognition is handled by ENIC-Kazakhstan.

Common mistakes

• Confusing Ankara University with Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt, Hacı Bayram Veli or the Social Sciences University of Ankara.
• Applying to medicine with the SAT. Medicine and dentistry accept only TR-YÖS 440+.
• Handing your application to an agency. The university does not consider third-party applications.
• Relying only on your school diploma. It counts only for places left after exam-based placement.
• Not allowing time for Turkish. You have at most two years to reach the required level.
• Enrolling on a distance programme to get a residence permit. Its students are not eligible.

Timeline for autumn 2027 entry

1. Autumn 2026: choose a programme, register for the spring 2027 TR-YÖS, start Turkish.
2. Winter–spring 2027: sit TR-YÖS, prepare certified copies and translations of your diploma and transcripts.
3. May–June 2027: apply in the main window (22 May – 26 June in 2026).
4. Summer 2027: receive the placement letter, get the student visa, denklik and proof of funds.
5. September 2027: register, sit the TÖMER exam, file the residence permit the same day as the online application.

FAQ

Can I apply to Ankara University with the EGE?

The EGE is not on the exam list; the main routes are TR-YÖS and the SAT. A diploma averaging 80 or more on a 100-point scale is used only for places left vacant after exam-based placement, and medicine, dentistry and engineering cannot be entered on a diploma.

How much does medicine cost at Ankara University?

For 2026/27, medicine in Turkish costs $9,900 a year and in English $14,850. You pay in lira, at an amount fixed using the exchange rate of early August. Dentistry costs $6,750 and $10,150 respectively.

What TR-YÖS score do I need for medicine?

At least 440 out of 500, for both the Turkish and the English programme; the SAT and other exams are not accepted for medicine. This is only the eligibility threshold: the university decides on admission within the quota and the 10% per-country limit.

Do I need Turkish before applying?

Not to apply. After placement, TÖMER tests your level; without a pass you get a maximum of two years of language study, after which students who still fall short lose their place. Programmes taught entirely in English are exempt.

Can an agency apply on my behalf?

No. The admission notice states that the applicant applies personally and that applications from organisations or third parties are not considered. Anyone may help you prepare documents or the exam, but you fill in the ugadmissions form yourself.

How can StudyU help?

You submit the Ankara University application yourself: the university requires it, and StudyU does not handle applications to Turkish public universities. We can compare this route with METU, Hacettepe and private universities and plan your TR-YÖS. The university decides on admission.

Sources

• Ankara Üniversitesi: 2026/27 international admission notice (PDF, Turkish), accepted exams and scores 2026 (PDF), 2026/27 tuition (PDF)
• Ankara Üniversitesi: international student office (supplementary round and residence permit notices), international student coordination, application portal
• Law No. 7141, Resmî Gazete of 18 May 2018 (creation of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University), Hacettepe history
• METU: cost of living in Ankara 2026, residence card fee
• Turkish Embassy education counsellor in Moscow: TR-YÖS/2 on 11 October 2026
• Türkiye Scholarships calendar
• Turkish Foreign Ministry: visa information
• Times Higher Education: Ankara University
• Russian National Information Centre, ENIC-Kazakhstan

Lira amounts are converted at the ECB reference rates of 30 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355 = TRY 55.6596, so $1 ≈ TRY 49.02) and rounded to $10. Information checked on 1 October 2026. The International Baccalaureate Organization has been declared an undesirable organisation in Russia; the IB is listed only because the university accepts it.

If you want to know whether TR-YÖS can realistically get you into your chosen programme or whether other universities fit better, send a request: route comparison and exam planning are provided under an agreement with StudyU, you submit the university application yourself, and the university makes the admission decision.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.