Turkish student residence permit 2026: steps, papers, fees

The student permit is a separate legal category under Law 6458

Türkiye's Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection lists six types of residence permit¹. The student permit is one of them, and it has its own article.

Article 38 says that foreigners who study at a Turkish higher education institution at associate, bachelor, master or doctorate level receive a student residence permit¹. Article 39 sets its conditions, and Article 40 sets the grounds for refusal or cancellation¹.

Article 19 makes a permit mandatory for anyone who stays longer than their visa or visa exemption allows, or longer than 90 days¹. So if you came for a full degree, you need this permit.

What the permit does and does not cover

• It does not give your parents or other relatives a right to a residence permit¹.
• If your programme lasts less than one year, the permit cannot be longer than the programme¹.
• Students who come through public bodies, for example on a government scholarship, may get a permit for the whole study period¹.
• Years on a student permit count only at half when you later apply for a long-term permit¹.

You qualify once you are enrolled in a formal degree programme

Under Article 39 you must meet three conditions¹. You submit the documents the law requires, you are not under an entry ban, and you give the address where you will live.

You can apply only after you have registered with your university². An acceptance letter alone is not enough. To get that far, follow our guide to applying to Turkish universities.

Who uses a different permit

• Special students, open-education students and distance-learning students cannot get a student residence permit².
• Erasmus and Mevlana exchange students and Turkish-language course students use a short-term permit¹.
• New graduates can apply once for a short-term permit of up to one year, within six months of graduation¹.

Apply as early as you can, and before your visa or visa-free stay ends

You will often read that students must apply "within 30 days of arrival". That rule is not written in Law 6458 or in its implementing regulation¹². It is practice, not law.

What the regulation does say is that you must apply before your legal stay ends². Applications up to 10 days after a visa, visa exemption or permit expires are still accepted². So the Turkish student visa you enter on, or your visa-free stay, sets your real deadline.

Your passport also sets a limit. It must be valid at least 60 days longer than the permit you request¹. A passport that expires soon means a shorter permit, or a refusal.

How to apply for the student residence permit on e-İkamet: 7 steps

The process below follows the official e-İkamet guidance and the instructions published by Turkish universities, as of October 2026³⁴⁵. Universities differ in the details, so check your own international office page too.

1. 1

   Register at your university

   Complete your enrolment first and get a student certificate (öğrenci belgesi), which universities require for the file⁵.

2. 2

   Fill in the online form

   Go to e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr, choose a first application and select the student residence permit. Enter your contact details carefully, since wrong data is a common reason for problems³.

3. 3

   Pay the card fee

   Use the payment reference number (Tahakkuk No) on your form to pay the 964 TL card fee online on the Revenue Administration's digital tax office, at a tax office or at a partner bank⁴⁵.

4. 4

   Print, sign and build the file

   Print the form, sign the first page and add the documents in the checklist below³.

5. 5

   Hand the file to your university

   At most universities the international office collects files and takes them to the migration office⁴. METU tells students not to book a migration appointment unless they are asked to⁴.

6. 6

   Give fingerprints if asked

   Biometric data is taken once⁴. The migration office may also ask for extra documents, so check your email and e-İkamet³.

7. 7

   Track the decision and receive your card

   Follow your status on e-İkamet. The law sets a maximum of 90 days for a decision¹, and the card is sent to your address by post⁴.

Documents for the Turkish student residence permit

This list combines the official e-İkamet list for student permits with what universities add³⁴⁵. Your university may ask for one or two extra items.

• The application form, first page signed by you or your legal representative³.
• A copy of your passport identity page, with the original passport on submission day³.
• The receipt for the card fee payment³.
• Biometric photos with a white background, taken within the last six months; universities ask for between one and four, so check yours⁴⁵.
• Your student certificate, wet-signed and sealed or downloaded from e-Devlet⁵.
• Proof of address (see the table below)³.
• Health insurance that covers the whole permit period; general or private insurance is checked in the system³.
• Under 18 only: parental consent and custody documents, apostilled and with a notarised Turkish translation where they are foreign³. See also studying in Türkiye under 18.

Health insurance: apply for GSS within three months or buy private cover

Health insurance is mandatory and must cover the whole period of the permit you request³. You have two options.

General Health Insurance (GSS)

International students can join Türkiye's General Health Insurance if they apply within three months of their first enrolment²⁷. You apply in writing at the provincial or district Social Security Institution (SGK) office, with a petition and a student certificate showing your first enrolment date⁷.

Cover starts the day after you apply and lasts one year⁷. The premium is calculated from one-third of the daily minimum wage⁷.

Private insurance and exceptions

Private insurance must cover the full permit period, and incomplete insurance details are a known cause of problems³. Citizens of countries with a bilateral social security agreement bring a document from the provincial SGK office instead³. Students on Türkiye Scholarships are covered by GSS while their scholarship lasts¹⁰. Read more about Türkiye Bursları and other scholarships in Türkiye.

You may read that students under 25 are exempt. We found no such rule for international students, so do not rely on it.

In 2026 the permit costs students 964 TL, and a decision takes up to 90 days

Residence permit card fee, 2026⁴

964 TL

Permit fee (harç) for students at Turkish universities⁶

0 TL

Maximum time for a decision¹

90 days

Extra passport validity needed beyond the permit¹

60 days

Fees in Türkiye are updated every January. Check the amount on your e-İkamet form before you pay. For the rest of your budget, see our student cost of living in Türkiye guide.

The legal maximum for a decision is 90 days¹. No official average delivery time is published, so plan for the full window and keep your university informed.

Renew from 60 days before expiry, and report changes on time

Under Article 24 of Law 6458 you can apply for an extension from 60 days before your permit expires, and always before it ends¹. You then receive a free document that lets you stay until the decision, even if your card expires¹. The new permit starts from the end date of the old one¹.

What changes at renewal

• You need a current residence certificate (yerleşim yeri belgesi) from e-Devlet and one utility bill, and your address must be registered³.
• Your university issues a new student certificate, and a graduation date letter if you have passed your normal study time³⁵.
• If you have not graduated on time, the permit is extended up to one year at a time, never beyond the maximum study period³.
• After approval, register your address within 20 working days³.

Changing university, faculty or address

Working rights, common mistakes and the risk of overstaying

Working while you study

Under Law 6735 Article 19, associate and bachelor students may work part-time with a work permit after completing their first year⁸. These limits do not apply to master and doctoral students in formal programmes⁸. A work permit does not end your student residence permit⁸. Read our guide to working while studying in Türkiye for the details.

Mistakes that lead to delays or refusal

• Wrong or incomplete contact details on the e-İkamet form³.
• Health insurance that does not cover the whole permit period³.
• A passport valid for less than the permit plus 60 days¹.
• Missing your university's file deadline⁴.
• An address proof the office does not accept, such as a short-term rental booking⁴.
• False statements, which bring sanctions³.
• Losing your student status: permits of withdrawn or dismissed students are cancelled¹⁴.

If your situation is unusual, such as a late application or a change of province, Turkademy's team can review your file before you submit.

Where the migration offices are in Istanbul and Ankara

Most students never visit the migration office, because the university delivers the file⁴. You may still be called in for fingerprints, extra documents or an exceptional case. The general call centre number is 157⁴.