Graduate Admissions
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About graduate admissions
There are hundreds of Master's and Ph.D. programs in Turkey. From specialized degrees to unique programs geared toward international students, prospective students will just find an array of options suitable for any need.
Successful completion of coursework and fulfilling admission criteria do not guarantee an automatic admission into a graduate program. Students are obligated to follow the application dates and deadlines, submit an application to the intended program and take all required exams and interviews.
Graduate applications also have to be made directly to the university. Universities are increasingly encouraging online applications through their websites. Some, however, do insist upon a written application. Since graduate programs are administered by Graduate Schools, applications to graduate programs are processed by Graduate Schools.
Upon receiving the necessary documents from the applicant, the faculty boards evaluate the application status of each applicant. Interviews may be arranged with the candidate if necessary. Upon acceptance of the application, the applicant obtains the right to study at the university and to register for the upcoming semester.
Who can apply?
International applicants who have an undergraduate or graduate diploma equivalent to Turkish diplomas and who meet the application criteria stated below may apply for a Master's or doctorate (Ph.D.) program in Turkey. Applicants must complete their previous degree programs by the admission period at the latest.
Please keep in mind that enrolling more than one graduate program at the same time is not possible.
How to find the most suitable program?
Study in Turkey team recommends you to intensively search for a suitable program via the program search engine at www.studyinturkey.com You will learn more about the universities that interest you, and choose the right program for you by the help of this search engine. After you shortlist the programs you favour, you should investigate further the university, faculty and program at their official web pages. Please do not forget to mention that you learned about the school from Study in Turkey.
How to apply?
Prospective students should apply separately to each department with the required documents. Before applying to any program, it is strongly advised that you should contact the pertinent Graduate School to figure out the required documents.
Applicants can post or personally submit the documents. E-mailed application documents will not be taken into consideration in many universities. Not all, but some universities provide students with the amenities of online application and registration system. To ensure, please check out the university's official web page. Yet, most schools require students to submit applications in person. Moreover, almost all graduate schools may require a written exam and/or an interview for admission.
What are the requirements?
Most universities usually base their admissions decisions on a student’s academic record and applicable test scores, such as TOEFL, the GRE or GMAT. The following documents are to be submitted to the Graduate School:
• International student application form
• Bachelor's or Master's diploma
• A statement of purpose (Your essay should tell about who you are, what your values or interests are, why this study matters for you and how you are different from any other applicant. Write something about yourself that is not seen in your grades.)
• An updated resume (They often require a detailed resume showing the details of your extracurricular and volunteer activities undertaken during your previous studies.)
• Reference letters (Some universities require recommendation letters to be received from your professors about your qualities.)
• An official transcript (Your grade reports will be demanded from the institutions you attended previously. You should be in good academic standing if you expect to be admitted to a graduate program.)
• Graduate exam scores (Additionally, not all but some universities will ask for good scores on either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). The result or level required for admission depends on each university.)
• Language Proficiency Score (The required score from language exams will still depend on the school to which applicant applies. Students who are not able to take one of the international language tests (TOEFL, IELTS etc.) may take the university's proficiency test upon arrival. Those who fail the proficiency test must take the Language program of the university before beginning the academic study. This preparatory year is not included in the total number of years of study required for graduation. For further information on application procedures please contact the Admissions Office of the respective university.)
• Written exams and/or interviews (In addition to the graduate examinations, departments may require additional admission examinations or interviews that are periodically announced by the office of the pertinent graduate program.)
Application deadlines
Some universities usually accept applications by the end of May for Fall Semester. But some schools offer programs in the spring semester and receive applications by the end of December for Spring Semesters.
Most universities encourage international students to contact them at least one year before they plan to enter that school. Then they could have a plenty of time to fulfil the requirements on time.
Application results
Applications of candidates are evaluated according to their exam results, GPAs, and other documents relevant to the success of the student. Meeting the application criteria does not guarantee admission to the programs.
Successful applicants will receive their acceptance letters through email and regular post, usually in the mid-September. These students will use this acceptance letter to get a Student Visa from the nearest Turkish Embassy or Consulate. This visa is required for entering the country and registration to the university.
The dates of registration and the required documents for registration will be sent with their acceptance letters. Also, they will be announced in the university's official web page before registration period.
Please note that you should always contact the department or program to which you have applied for questions about application deadlines, your application, or its status.
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