Turkish Language Requirements for Universities in Turkey: C1, TYS, TÖMER

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Most university programmes in Turkey are taught in Turkish, so for most students the question is not whether they need Turkish but when. Some universities want a certificate before you start, others admit you without one and give you a preparatory year. This guide explains the system, based on the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the Yunus Emre Institute and Ankara Social Sciences University, as read in October 2026. If you plan to study in English, see bachelor's degrees in English in Turkey: English-taught programmes ask for English instead.

Where Turkish is needed

YÖK states that Turkish is the main language of instruction at most universities in Turkey, although some teach in English. Turkish proficiency is a condition of admission to many programmes, but you can also be admitted without knowing Turkish. Our catalogue of 7,726 programmes at 209 institutions marks the language of each programme; 2,003 of them are taught in English.

Two things are separate:

Applying. The TR-YÖS exam does not require Turkish. It can be taken in Turkish, German, English, French, Russian or Arabic. See how to get into a university in Turkey.
Starting your degree. For a Turkish-taught programme the university decides what level you need to start. Ankara Social Sciences University, for example, asks international students admitted to Turkish-taught programmes for at least level C1, which can be shown by a recognised Turkish exam such as TÖMER or DİLMER, if they want to begin their studies directly.

The preparatory year

Many universities offer international students Turkish preparatory courses after admission. According to YÖK, you usually get 4 to 6 hours of language lessons a day at different levels, for a reasonable fee or in some cases free. At the end of the preparatory school all students take an exam, and those who reach the required level start the programme they were admitted to. Check whether the university provides supporting Turkish courses separately from the preparatory school.

Students with a Türkiye Scholarship, which pays the contribution, the dormitory and the general health insurance, receive a free year of Turkish. At the end of it they are expected to hold a C1 certificate. Students who fail receive additional time and exams until the beginning of the next academic year. See scholarships and student jobs in Turkey.

The preparatory year adds a year to your studies and may add costs, so ask the university how long it lasts, what it costs and what happens if you do not pass. See how much it costs to study in Turkey.

The TYS exam of the Yunus Emre Institute

The Turkish Proficiency Exam, TYS, is a central exam run by the Yunus Emre Institute. YÖK describes it as valid for the admission of international students to universities in Turkey. Facts from YÖK's page:

it is held three times a year at Yunus Emre Institutes in Turkey and abroad, at the same time;
it is developed according to the Common European Framework and measures reading, listening, writing and speaking;
it is currently paper-based, and work on an online version is under way.

The exam schedule and registration are on the TYS website. Note that a university decides which certificates it accepts, so ask it before you register for an exam.

Where to learn Turkish

Yunus Emre Institute. You can apply to learn Turkish before you start your studies, and even before you arrive in Turkey. The institute works through 58 centres in 46 countries.
TÖMER. After you arrive, the Turkish and Foreign Languages Application and Research Center of Ankara University offers courses at basic, intermediate and advanced levels, for a reasonable fee. It has branches in Alanya, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, İstanbul and İzmir.
Your university. Ask its international office whether it runs Turkish courses of its own.

Even for an English-taught programme, YÖK advises learning at least a minimum of Turkish, because it makes daily life much easier. In practice this means shops, offices and the doctor.

Checklist

Check whether your programme is taught in Turkish, in English or partly in both.
Ask the university which Turkish certificate it accepts, at what level, and what it offers if you have none.
If you want a certificate before you go, look at the dates of the TYS exam and at Yunus Emre Institute courses in your country.
Plan the extra year and its costs.

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.