Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ): How International Students Get In

Istanbul Technical University (İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, İTÜ) is a public technical university whose history goes back to 1773. International applicants enter through a separate quota with a SAT, Russian EGE, Kazakh ENT, A-level or TR-YÖS result; for Russian school-leavers the bar is a 70% EGE average, with mathematics as one of the three exams. Engineering tuition for 2026/27 is TL 94,500, roughly $1,930 a year. One detail matters more than any other: some programmes are taught fully in English, others only 30% in English, and the latter require Turkish at C1 within the first year.

Who İTÜ suits

İTÜ is the choice for engineering, architecture or design in Istanbul at a public-university price: under $2,000 a year, while private Yeditepe and Koç charge $16,000–38,000. In return you accept high exam thresholds, small quotas and, unless the programme is fully English-taught, the need to learn Turkish.

Alternatives. For fully English-taught degrees in Istanbul with no Turkish requirement, compare the private Koç, Sabancı, Özyeğin and Yeditepe. The public technical university that teaches only in English is METU in Ankara. See also universities in Istanbul, the Turkey hub and our Istanbul city guide.

"100% English" versus "30% English"

Every programme on the international list is labelled by language.

• 100% English: all courses in English. You need an English certificate at registration or you take a preparatory year.
• 30% English: about a third of courses in English and the rest in Turkish. Within one year of registration you must obtain a Turkish C1 certificate from İTÜ TÖMER or the Yunus Emre Institute; since 2023/24 İTÜ rejects certificates from other TÖMER centres.

Many engineering fields are offered in both versions, including civil engineering, architecture and electrical engineering. If you cannot reach C1 Turkish in a year, apply only to programmes marked 100% English.

Programmes and quotas

İTÜ runs 102 undergraduate programmes. International quotas are small and change every year. In the second round for 2026/27, for example:

There are also dual-degree programmes with partners such as SUNY Buffalo (civil engineering), SUNY Binghamton (industrial engineering), the New Jersey Institute of Technology (electronics) and the University of Strathclyde (naval architecture), with higher fees and their own English requirements.

Which exams can you apply with?

You apply with one result from İTÜ's official list. Meeting the minimum entitles you to apply; placement follows scores and priorities within quotas approved by Türkiye's Council of Higher Education (YÖK).

A note for applicants from Russia: the International Baccalaureate Organization is on Russia's list of undesirable organisations; this does not affect how İTÜ treats the IB Diploma.

SAT and ACT results are valid for two years. The list is subject to YÖK approval and can change, so recheck İTÜ's Valid Exam Results page before applying. The Conservatory has lower thresholds but adds talent exams.

Working out the EGE. Seventy per cent across three exams means 210 points in total; for example, Mathematics 78, Physics 68 and Computer Science 66 give 70.7%. If you fall short, SAT or TR-YÖS is the route; see our YÖS guide.

What English level do you need?

English certificates are submitted at registration, not with the application. To start a 100% English programme without the preparatory year, İTÜ requires one of:

• İTÜ Proficiency exam: 60 out of 100;
• TOEFL iBT: 72 out of 120 for tests taken before 21 January 2026, or 4 on the new scale;
• PTE Academic: 59 for students entering from fall 2026/27;
• Oxford Test of English Advanced 111 out of 170, or e-TEP 74.

Higher scores reduce your first-year English load: with İTÜ Proficiency 75, TOEFL 91 (5 on the new scale) or PTE 76 you skip the introductory English course ING 100.

TOEFL and PTE taken in Türkiye count only if sat at a state-university building, and TOEFL Home Edition is not accepted. IELTS does not appear in İTÜ's table.

How do you apply to İTÜ?

1. Choose up to three programmes in order of priority and check the language of each.
2. Submit the online pre-registration during the window (18 May – 17 July for 2026/27; second round 21–26 August).
3. Upload in PDF your school diploma or expected-graduation letter, transcripts for all upper-school years, exam result and passport page, with translations if not in English or Turkish.
4. Wait for the admitted list (27 July in 2026), pay the semester fee and complete final registration (10–12 August).
5. Bring originals; in 2026 new international students had to hand them in by 2 October.

Registration requires denklik, the Turkish equivalence certificate for your school diploma. İTÜ explicitly recommends getting it at a Turkish consulate in your home country, as the process in Türkiye can take long. See our denklik guide.

How much does İTÜ cost?

İTÜ publishes international-quota fees in Turkish lira. Rates for 2026/27 for students admitted in 2023/24 or later:

Fees are paid in two equal instalments, at registration and at the start of the spring semester, at a Vakıfbank branch using your student number rather than any IBAN sent by third parties. The English preparatory year costs the same as the programme. Dual-degree programmes cost more; for the New Jersey Institute of Technology track, for instance, İTÜ's fee table lists the equivalent of $5,000 for the years spent in the US.

Discounts. Under Presidential Decision No. 11625, a sibling discount applies when the student's family lives in Türkiye on residence permits and another family member studies at a Turkish university; fall 2026 requests closed on 2 October. Türkiye Bursları covers tuition; applications run 10 January – 20 February, see our Türkiye Scholarships guide. For legal payment routes from Russia, see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Dormitories and life in Istanbul

Student housing is run by the İTÜ Scholarships and Dormitories Coordinatorship across three campuses. Demand exceeds supply, so many students rent near their faculty's campus; because campuses are spread across the city, it pays to choose a district near your own faculty's campus. See student accommodation in Turkey and the cost of living guide.

Do you need a visa, and how does the residence permit work?

Ordinary Russian passport holders may enter Türkiye visa-free for tourism and business for up to 60 days; Kazakh citizens for up to 90 days in any 180. Students apply for a student residence permit:

1. Complete the application on e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr as a student residence permit.
2. Hand your documents to İTÜ's International Student Office within 7 days of the online application; ignore the migration office appointment the system offers.
3. Then give fingerprints.

Do not enter the university's address as your home address, or the application may be rejected. Türkiye's migration authority decides on the permit. See the Turkey student visa guide.

Master's and PhD

Graduate admission runs twice a year, for fall and spring. You need transcripts, ALES quantitative 55 (or GRE quantitative 149; GMAT 450 for some programmes), an English certificate, a statement of purpose, CV and two recommendation letters uploaded by the referees. PhD applicants coming straight from a bachelor's need a GPA of 3.0/4 and ALES 80. International tuition is TL 33,300 a year. See master's programmes in Turkey.

Is an İTÜ degree recognised in Russia and Kazakhstan?

İTÜ awards Turkish state degrees: lisans, yüksek lisans and doktora. In Russia, recognition goes through the National Information Center of Rosakkredagentstvo (nic.gov.ru); in Kazakhstan through ENIC-Kazakhstan. Practising as an engineer abroad may need separate professional licensing.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a "30% English" programme with no plan for Turkish: without C1 within a year you cannot start the main programme.
• Taking the EGE without profile mathematics.
• Getting Turkish C1 from a TÖMER centre other than İTÜ's own or the Yunus Emre Institute.
• Taking TOEFL at a private centre in Türkiye or at home online.
• Paying tuition to an IBAN from third parties instead of Vakıfbank with your student number.
• Entering the university's address on the residence permit form.

FAQ

How do I get into Istanbul Technical University from Russia?

Pick one qualifying result: the EGE (70% average, mathematics among the three subjects), SAT (1200 overall, 650 in Math) or TR-YÖS (400). Apply online between May and July, rank up to three programmes, then bring originals and denklik after admission.

How much does İTÜ cost?

Engineering and architecture cost TL 94,500 per year for international entrants since 2023/24, the Faculty of Science and Letters TL 79,000, and the maritime and textile faculties TL 119,000. Fees are paid in lira in two instalments at Vakıfbank.

Can I study at İTÜ entirely in English?

Yes, if you choose a programme labelled 100% English. The cheaper-looking alternative, a 30% English programme, teaches mostly in Turkish and expects a C1 Turkish certificate during your first year.

What English level do I need?

The certificate is due at registration. Scores such as TOEFL 72 on the old scale, PTE 59 or 60 on İTÜ's own test let you go straight into the degree. IELTS is not on the university's list, so prepare for TOEFL or PTE instead.

Where is Istanbul Technical University?

The main Ayazağa campus is in Sarıyer on Istanbul's European side, next to the Maslak business district. The historic Taşkışla and Gümüşsuyu buildings are in the centre near Taksim, and the maritime faculties are in Tuzla on the Asian side.

Are there dormitories and scholarships?

İTÜ has about 5,300 dormitory beds, but competition for them is high. There is no international entry scholarship on its website; Türkiye Bursları is the main option. A sibling discount exists when the family lives in Türkiye on residence permits.

How can StudyU help with İTÜ?

Choosing between 100% and 30% English programmes, planning exams, preparing documents and the application, and support through registration are provided under an agreement with StudyU. İTÜ's faculties decide admission within YÖK quotas, Türkiye's education ministry issues denklik and the migration authority issues the residence permit.

Sources

• İTÜ: application process for international students
• İTÜ: valid exam results and minimum scores
• İTÜ: pre-registration calendar 2026–2027
• İTÜ: international quotas and programme requirements
• İTÜ: 2026–2027 fees including international students (Turkish) and fee explanations and discounts
• İTÜ: dual-degree programme fees 2026–2027
• İTÜ: valid English tests and minimum scores
• İTÜ: registration and Turkish C1 rule
• İTÜ: student residence permit
• İTÜ: scholarships and dormitories
• Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visa information
• Türkiye Scholarships: dates
• Times Higher Education: Istanbul Technical University

Checked on 30 September 2026. ECB reference rate on 30 September 2026: €1 = $1.1355 and TRY 55.6596, so $1 ≈ TRY 49.02.

If you want to know which İTÜ programmes your EGE qualifies for and whether you will need Turkish, send us a request.

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