Education in Türkiye: school stages, national exams, and university admission

In short

Türkiye operates a centralized national education system administered by the Ministry of National Education (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı, MEB) for primary and secondary schooling, and by the Council of Higher Education (Yükseköğretim Kurulu, YÖK) alongside the Student Selection and Placement Center (Ölçme, Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi, ÖSYM) for tertiary admissions. Compulsory basic education follows the '4+4+4' structure established in 2012, comprising four years of primary school (ilkokul), four years of lower secondary school (ortaokul), and four years of upper secondary education (lise), totaling twelve years of mandatory schooling.

Transition between key educational phases is governed by competitive national examinations. Admission to designated project and selective secondary schools is determined by the High School Transition System examination (Liselere Geçiş Sistemi, LGS) at the conclusion of Grade 8. Admission to undergraduate higher education is determined by the Higher Education Institutions Examination (Yükseköğretim Kurumları Sınavı, YKS), taken at the end of Grade 12. Beyond secondary graduation, national examinations administered by ÖSYM regulate public sector recruitment (KPSS), medical specialization (TUS), and foreign language certification (YDS).

Structure of primary and secondary schooling

General education in Türkiye spans ages 6 to 18 and is structured into three four-year stages:

1. Primary school (İlkokul, Grades 1–4): Children begin Grade 1 in the autumn of the year they reach 69 months of age. The curriculum prioritizes foundational Turkish literacy, basic mathematics, science and social studies (Hayat Bilgisi and Fen Bilimleri), art, physical education, and foreign language instruction beginning in Grade 2.
2. Lower secondary school (Ortaokul, Grades 5–8): Students study core academic subjects including Turkish language and literature, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign languages, and elective courses. At the conclusion of Grade 8, students complete basic compulsory education and either sit the voluntary centralized LGS examination to qualify for selective secondary schools or gain automatic placement in local high schools based on residential zones (adrese dayalı yerleştirme).
3. Upper secondary school (Lise, Grades 9–12): Upper secondary education encompasses distinct institutional tracks:
   • Science High Schools (Fen Liseleri): Highly selective institutions focusing on advanced mathematics, natural sciences, and research methodologies, requiring top percentile scores in LGS.
   • Anatolian High Schools (Anadolu Liseleri): Selective general academic high schools preparing students for university degree programs across scientific, equal-weight, and verbal disciplines.
   • Social Sciences High Schools (Sosyal Bilimler Liseleri): Specialized academic schools focusing on humanities, literature, philosophy, and social disciplines.
   • Vocational and Technical High Schools (Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Liseleri): Institutions combining academic curricula with specialized technical and vocational training across industrial, commercial, and healthcare sectors.
   • Anatolian Imam Hatip High Schools (Anadolu İmam Hatip Liseleri): Academic institutions integrating standard secondary curricula with religious studies and Arabic language instruction.

The High School Transition System (LGS)

The Liselere Geçiş Sistemi (LGS) is a central multiple-choice examination administered annually by MEB in June for Grade 8 students seeking admission to designated 'project schools' (proje okulları) and selective science and Anatolian high schools. The examination consists of two sessions held on the same day:

• Verbal Session (Sözel Bölüm): 50 questions administered over 75 minutes, comprising Turkish (20 questions), History of the Turkish Republic and Kemalism (T.C. İnkılap Tarihi ve Atatürkçülük, 10 questions), Religious Culture and Ethics (Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi, 10 questions), and Foreign Language (10 questions).
• Numerical Session (Sayısal Bölüm): 40 questions administered over 80 minutes, comprising Mathematics (20 questions) and Science (Fen Bilimleri, 20 questions).

Scoring applies a penalty formula where three incorrect answers negate one correct answer within each subject sub-test. Raw scores are standardized, weighted, and converted into a central placement score on a 100–500 scale. Students who do not sit the LGS or whose scores fall below school cutoffs are placed into neighborhood high schools through the local address-based placement system.

Higher education and the YKS examination

Undergraduate admissions across all state and foundation (private non-profit) universities in Türkiye are administered centrally by ÖSYM through the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS). The YKS is organized into three separate sessions held over a single weekend in June:

1. Basic Proficiency Test (TYT - Temel Yeterlilik Testi): Compulsory for all candidates seeking university entry. Administered on Saturday morning, TYT contains 120 multiple-choice questions over 165 minutes: Turkish (40), Social Sciences (History 5, Geography 5, Philosophy 5, Religious Culture 5; total 20), Basic Mathematics (40), and Natural Sciences (Physics 7, Chemistry 7, Biology 6; total 20). TYT evaluates reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and basic quantitative competence. A minimum score threshold was historically required, but admissions now operate on relative percentile rankings.
2. Field Qualification Test (AYT - Alan Yeterlilik Testi): Administered on Sunday morning for candidates seeking four-year undergraduate (Lisans) degree programs. AYT comprises 160 questions over 180 minutes divided into four 40-question sections: Mathematics (including advanced calculus and geometry), Natural Sciences (Physics 14, Chemistry 13, Biology 13), Turkish Language & Literature and Social Sciences-1 (Literature 24, History-1 10, Geography-1 6), and Social Sciences-2 (History-2 11, Geography-2 11, Philosophy Group 12, Religion/Philosophy 6). Candidates answer sections corresponding to their target university track: Sayısal (Numerical: Math + Science), Eşit Ağırlık (Equal Weight: Math + Literature/Social-1), or Sözel (Verbal: Literature/Social-1 + Social-2).
3. Foreign Language Test (YDT - Yabancı Dil Testi): Administered on Sunday afternoon for candidates applying to foreign language, translation, and linguistics faculties. YDT consists of 80 questions over 120 minutes in English, German, French, Arabic, or Russian.

Candidate placement is calculated using a composite score combining the TYT result with the AYT or YDT result, alongside an added institutional increment based on high school graduation grade point average known as Secondary Education Success Score (Ortaöğretim Başarı Puanı, OBP).

Public sector, professional, and language examinations

Beyond secondary education, ÖSYM administers standardized national assessments regulating state employment and postgraduate professional licensing:

• KPSS (Kamu Personel Seçme Sınavı): Central competitive civil service entrance examination evaluating General Ability (Genel Yetenek: Turkish and mathematics) and General Culture (Genel Kültür: history, geography, constitutional law, and current affairs). Specialty variants (KPSS Alan Bilgisi and ÖABT for teachers) test domain knowledge for educational, legal, and bureaucratic appointments.
• TUS (Tıpta Uzmanlık Eğitimi Giriş Sınavı): Highly competitive biannual medical specialization entrance examination for medical doctors, evaluating Basic Medical Sciences (100 questions covering anatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology) and Clinical Medical Sciences (100 questions covering internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology).
• YDS (Yabancı Dil Bilgisi Seviye Tespit Sınavı): Standardized foreign language proficiency test evaluating academic reading, vocabulary, grammar, cloze tests, and translation competence for postgraduate university admissions, academic title promotions (Doçentlik), and civil service foreign language salary increments.

International qualifications and diploma equivalency (Denklik)

Students holding international credentials who wish to enter Turkish schools or universities must obtain official diploma equivalency (Denklik):

• School-level equivalency: Administered by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) through Provincial Directorates of Education or Turkish Educational Attachés abroad. Holders of International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge IGCSE / A-Levels, French Baccalauréat, or American High School Diplomas must present authenticated transcripts, diplomas, and notarized translations to receive a certificate equating their credential to a Turkish secondary diploma (Lise Diploması).
• University admission for international students: Foreign nationals applying for undergraduate study participate in the TR-YÖS (Türkiye Yurt Dışından Öğrenci Kabul Sınavı) administered centrally by ÖSYM, or submit accepted international qualifications such as SAT, ACT, IB Diploma, or GCE A-Levels directly to university international offices in accordance with YÖK institutional quota guidelines.
• Higher education degree equivalency: Administered by YÖK for university degrees obtained abroad, evaluating curriculum compatibility, institution accreditation, and clinical practice requirements for professional recognition.