Marmara University: Admission and Fees for International Students

Marmara University (Marmara Üniversitesi) is a public university in Istanbul offering programmes in Turkish, English, German, French and Arabic. For 2026/27 it admitted international students on TR-YÖS results only: 300 out of 500 to apply and, for most programmes, 400 or 450. The SAT, national school-leaving exams and diploma grades were not considered in that intake. No 2026/27 amounts have been published yet: the quota table gives 2025/26 fees, from TRY 58,376 (about $1,190) a year in the humanities to TRY 355,430 (about $7,250) for English-taught medicine, and the university has set new rates under the presidential decision on 2026/27 tuition.

Who Marmara suits

SAT takers should look at Istanbul University, which accepts both the SAT and TR-YÖS, or Boğaziçi. Applicants with only Russia's EGE have better odds at METU and İTÜ. See our guide to public universities in Turkey and the full list of profiles on our Study in Turkey page.

Marmara has two relevant offices. The international office at international.marmara.edu.tr handles Erasmus and exchange agreements. Full degree admission for international students is run by the international admissions unit (muyos.marmara.edu.tr), with applications at basvuru.marmara.edu.tr.

Requirements: TR-YÖS only

You need a TR-YÖS score of at least 300 out of 500 from the 2024/2, 2025/1, 2025/2 or 2026/1 sitting; results are valid for two years. No other national or international certificates or diploma grades were accepted for 2026/27. Each programme also has its own minimum, usually 400 or 450, and 300 for two-year vocational programmes.

Places are limited, and citizens of one country may take no more than 20% of a faculty's places. Ties go first to the better position in the overall ranking of your TR-YÖS sitting, then to the younger applicant. The university is not obliged to fill its quotas and makes the admission decision.

For most applicants from Russia and Kazakhstan, there is no way into Marmara without TR-YÖS. The autumn sitting takes place on 11 October 2026 (registration closed on 3 August); for 2027 entry you can use it or the spring 2027 sitting. See our guides to the YÖS exam and to exams for Turkish universities.

Programmes and 2026 quotas

The 2026 table lists 62 TR-YÖS programmes. Examples:

Nursing, pharmacy and Turkish-taught medicine were not in the 2026 international quota. Sports programmes require a talent exam in addition to TR-YÖS 300 (15 June in 2026).

Dates and application steps

You apply at basvuru.marmara.edu.tr, logging in with the same passport number you used to register for TR-YÖS. You enter personal, school and exam details, upload documents and choose up to four programmes. Foreign nationals upload a passport copy, a diploma or letter of expected graduation and a transcript; Turkish translations are requested at registration. The university sends no confirmation that your file has been accepted. Results appear only in the application system, and the placement document with a QR code and YÖK ID replaces an admission letter.

Anyone placed in the main round cannot join the supplementary round, even if they did not register. At registration you need originals with translations and a certificate of equivalence (denklik); see our denklik guide.

Tuition: 2025/26 rates and what is known about 2026/27

The quota table published in May 2026 quotes fees in lira per semester, and its footnote states that these are the 2025/26 rates. International fees for 2026/27 were set under Presidential Decision No. 11625 of 15 August 2026 and confirmed by the university's board. The student affairs office lists 2026/27 fee tables on its fees page, but on 1 October 2026 those entries did not link to any file. Admitted students see their amount in the university's information system (BYS). The 2025/26 rates show the order of magnitude:

Fees are paid each semester by card at harc.marmara.edu.tr or through Halkbank ATMs and online banking; IBAN transfers are not accepted. In 2026 the autumn payment window ran from 14 to 27 September. Without payment you cannot enrol in courses, and fees are not refunded if you withdraw. The admission rules list no discounts for international students. Türkiye Scholarships (applications 10 January – 20 February) can cover tuition in full; see our Türkiye Scholarships guide.

The 2026/27 rates may differ from these, and the lira has been weakening, so leave a margin in your budget. Add housing, food and transport: see our pages on the cost of living, student accommodation and studying in Istanbul. Students paying from Russia can find legal options in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Language of instruction and preparatory year

Programmes taught fully or partly in Turkish require B2 Turkish before you start. Marmara TÖMER checks your level with its own exam or accepts certificates from recognised centres. Programmes in English, German, French or Arabic require a certificate recognised by Turkey's Inter-University Council at registration; otherwise you sit the School of Foreign Languages exam (the Faculty of Theology for Arabic).

If you do not pass, you spend a year in a preparatory class, and if you cannot complete preparation within two years you are dismissed. The preparatory year does not count towards your degree, but you must still register and pay tuition for it.

Medicine and dentistry

International students can study medicine at Marmara only in English: 5 places in 2026, TR-YÖS 450 and about $7,250 a year at the 2025/26 rate. For comparison, 2026/27 medicine costs about $9,710 a year at Istanbul University and $14,850 in English at Ankara University. With five places the odds are slim. English-taught dentistry has 4 places at about $4,030 a year at the 2025/26 rate. Applying to other universities in parallel is sensible; our page on medicine in Turkey compares the routes.

Visa and residence permit

Russia's Foreign Ministry says the 60-day visa-free regime does not cover study, and Turkey's Foreign Ministry limits it to tourist and business trips, so Russian citizens take the placement document to a Turkish consulate and request a student visa. Kazakh citizens enter visa-free for 90 days in any 180; ask the consulate about study documents. Other nationalities should check Turkey's visa list.

After registration you apply for a residence permit at e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr and submit documents following the instructions published by the university's student affairs office. The card cost TRY 964 (about $20) in 2026, and health insurance is required. The consulate decides on the visa and the migration authority 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 and lawyers also need a licence to practise. In Kazakhstan recognition is handled by ENIC-Kazakhstan.

Common mistakes

• Applying with the SAT or a school diploma. In 2026 Marmara accepted TR-YÖS only.
• Using a passport number different from your TR-YÖS registration. The system finds your score by that number.
• Choosing a programme whose minimum is above your score. The system will not count that choice.
• Declaring two nationalities or the wrong country. Because of the 20% per-country limit, the placement is cancelled.
• Missing the July registration. You lose the place and cannot join the supplementary round.
• Confusing Erasmus exchange with a full degree. They are different offices and different applications.

Timeline for autumn 2027 entry

1. Autumn 2026: pick programmes from the quota table and register for the spring 2027 TR-YÖS.
2. Spring 2027: sit TR-YÖS with a margin above your programme's minimum; prepare your diploma, transcript and passport.
3. May–June 2027: apply in the window the university announces (20 May – 5 June in 2026).
4. June–July 2027: receive the result, get the student visa, denklik and translations, register.
5. September 2027: pay the semester fee, sit the language exams, apply for the residence permit.

FAQ

Can I apply to Marmara with the EGE or the SAT?

Not for 2026/27. The only accepted result was TR-YÖS, the Turkish exam for foreign applicants: 300 to apply and 400 or 450 for specific programmes. Neither the SAT, national exams nor school grades were taken into account.

How much does medicine at Marmara cost?

According to the quota table, TRY 177,715 per semester, or TRY 355,430 (about $7,250) a year. That is the 2025/26 rate; the 2026/27 amount was set under the new decision and is shown to admitted students in the BYS system. Medicine is offered to international students only in English, and there were five places. Housing and Istanbul living costs are extra.

What TR-YÖS score do I need?

At least 300 to apply. In 2026 medicine, dentistry and engineering required 450, most other programmes 400 and vocational programmes 300. The university places applicants by score and choice of programme, with a limit of 20% per country.

How many programmes can I choose?

Up to four, in order of preference, and you are placed in one. You may only choose programmes whose minimum you meet. Anyone placed in the main round cannot take part in the supplementary round.

Do I need Turkish?

Not to apply. To start a Turkish-taught programme you need B2 Turkish, checked by Marmara TÖMER. Without it you spend a year on Turkish, and you are dismissed if you do not complete preparation within two years.

How can StudyU help with Marmara?

You submit the Marmara application yourself at basvuru.marmara.edu.tr: StudyU does not handle applications to Turkish public universities. We can compare Marmara with Istanbul University, METU and private universities and plan your TR-YÖS. The university decides on admission, and a Turkish consulate on the visa.

Sources

• Marmara Üniversitesi: 2026/27 international admission notice, 2026 application and registration guide (PDF, Turkish), calendar (PDF), quotas, minimum scores and fees (PDF), supplementary round
• Marmara Üniversitesi: autumn 2026/27 fee payment and international fees, student affairs fees page, international office (exchanges)
• Presidential Decision No. 11625 on 2026/27 tuition (PDF)
• Turkish Embassy education counsellor in Moscow: TR-YÖS/2 on 11 October 2026
• For comparison: Istanbul University 2026/27 fees (PDF), Ankara University 2026/27 fees (PDF)
• Türkiye Scholarships calendar
• Russian Foreign Ministry: Turkey, Turkish Foreign Ministry: visa information
• METU: 2026 residence card fee
• Times Higher Education: Marmara 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.

If you want to know whether your TR-YÖS score is enough for your programme and which universities to apply to in parallel, 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.