Statistics

Turkish universities statistics 2026: the key numbers

Turkish universities statistics for 2026 in one place: how many universities Türkiye has, how many students study there, where international students come from, what programs cost and how the universities rank. Every chart uses official data as of October 2026.

Written byMilad Safaei

Updated

Reading time7 min read

Sources11

Students of different backgrounds walk along a wide tree-lined path between modern faculty buildings on a large university campus in Türkiye

Key takeaways

  • The 2026 YÖK placement guide lists programs at 223 universities and schools: 129 state, 74 foundation, 16 in Northern Cyprus and 4 vocational schools3.
  • Türkiye had 6,301,434 students in 2025-2026, but about 36% of them study in open education rather than on a campus1.
  • International students rose from 108,076 in 2016-2017 to 337,119 in 2024-2025. Syria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran send the most5.
  • 3,586 bachelor's program options are taught fully in English, most of them at foundation universities3.
  • THE 2027 ranks 128 universities from Türkiye and Northern Cyprus. METU and Koç share the best band, 326-3506.

Facts checked against official sources on 30 October 2026.

Türkiye's higher education at a glance

The 2026 placement guide of YÖK, Türkiye's Council of Higher Education, lists programs at 223 universities and schools: 129 state universities, 74 foundation universities, 16 universities in Northern Cyprus and 4 foundation vocational schools3. YÖK's own statistics count 208 higher education institutions in Türkiye for 2025-20262. Most of the gap is the Northern Cyprus universities, which place students through YÖK but sit outside Türkiye's statistics.

The system in four numbers
Universities and schools in the 2026 guide
223
Students in 2025-2026, all levels
6,301,434
International students in 2024-2025
337,119
Bachelor's program options taught fully in English
3,586

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri (2024-2025 - 2025-2026); YÖK, YÖK Atlas, 2026 YKS placement guide (all programs) (2026-10-30)

Growth came from the state sector. YÖK's statistics list 103 state universities in 2014-2015 and 127 in 2025-20261. Foundation universities and schools dipped to 66 in 2016-2017 and have stood at 78 since 2020-2021.

State universities grew from 103 to 127 in eleven years, while foundation universities stayed between 66 and 78
  • State universities
  • Foundation universities and schools
  1. 1037614/15
  2. 15/16
  3. 16/17
  4. 17/18
  5. 18/19
  6. 19/20
  7. 20/21
  8. 21/22
  9. 22/23
  10. 23/24
  11. 24/25
  12. 1277825/26

Institutions listed in YÖK's statistics tables for each academic year. 2013-2014 is left out because its table uses a different layout.

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri (2014-2015 - 2025-2026)

Show the numbers as a table
Academic yearState universitiesFoundation universities and schools
2014-201510376
2015-201610576
2016-201710866
2017-201810968
2018-201912571
2019-202012674
2020-202112678
2021-202212678
2022-202312778
2023-202412778
2024-202512778
2025-202612778

Where the 6.3 million students are

Türkiye had 6,301,434 students in 2025-2026: 2,532,769 in two-year associate programs, 3,348,536 in bachelor's programs, 330,464 in master's programs and 89,665 in doctorates2. More than a third of them never attend a campus. 2,248,392 students study in open education, and 99% of those are at three universities: Anadolu, Istanbul and Atatürk1.

About 64% of students study on campus and 36% in open education
  • On campus (formal, evening and distance programs)64.3%4,053,042
  • Open education35.7%2,248,392

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri 2025-2026 (2026-03-27)

Show the numbers as a table
ModeStudentsShare
On campus (formal, evening and distance programs)4,053,04264.3%
Open education2,248,39235.7%

Left out of the open-education count, the largest universities each teach 50,000-66,000 students on campus. All ten are state universities1.

Ankara and Istanbul universities each teach about 65,000 students on campus
  1. Ankara University65,838
  2. Istanbul University65,538
  3. Selçuk University61,783
  4. Atatürk University59,401
  5. Bursa Uludağ University58,341
  6. Dokuz Eylül University58,037
  7. Marmara University57,705
  8. Akdeniz University56,317
  9. Kocaeli University54,792
  10. Ege University50,283

Students in formal, evening and distance programs at all levels, 2025-2026. Open-education students are not counted.

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri 2025-2026 (2026-03-27)

Show the numbers as a table
UniversityStudents on campus
Ankara University65,838
Istanbul University65,538
Selçuk University61,783
Atatürk University59,401
Bursa Uludağ University58,341
Dokuz Eylül University58,037
Marmara University57,705
Akdeniz University56,317
Kocaeli University54,792
Ege University50,283

Foundation universities teach more students per academic staff member: 25.9, against 20.3 at state universities1. Women are 53.6% of associate and bachelor's students and 47.2% of academic staff.

Students per academic staff member, and the share of women
Students per staff member, state universities
20.3
Students per staff member, foundation universities
25.9
Women among associate and bachelor's students
53.6%
Women among academic staff
47.2%

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri 2025-2026 (2026-03-27)

International students in Turkey: three times more in eight years

Türkiye had 108,076 international students in 2016-2017 and 337,119 in 2024-20255. Growth was fast until 2023-2024 and then almost stopped: the last year added 753 students. Iran is fourth, with 31,486 students in 2024-20255.

International students tripled between 2016-2017 and 2024-2025, then levelled off
  1. 108,07616/17
  2. 18/19
  3. 19/20
  4. 20/21
  5. 21/22
  6. 22/23
  7. 23/24
  8. 337,11924/25

All levels, from YÖK's tables of international students by nationality. YÖK did not publish the table for 2017-2018 in the same form.

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri (2016-2017 - 2024-2025)

Show the numbers as a table
Academic yearInternational students
2016-2017108,076
2018-2019154,505
2019-2020185,047
2020-2021224,048
2021-2022260,289
2022-2023301,694
2023-2024336,366
2024-2025337,119
Syria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran send the most students
  1. Syria54,794
  2. Azerbaijan42,969
  3. Turkmenistan37,542
  4. Iran31,486
  5. Kazakhstan12,893
  6. Iraq11,556
  7. Egypt10,900
  8. Uzbekistan8,925
  9. Afghanistan8,309
  10. Somalia7,123
  11. Yemen6,682
  12. Jordan6,055

The twelve largest nationalities among 337,119 international students in 2024-2025.

Source: YÖK, Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri 2024-2025 (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
CountryStudents in 2024-2025
Syria54,794
Azerbaijan42,969
Turkmenistan37,542
Iran31,486
Kazakhstan12,893
Iraq11,556
Egypt10,900
Uzbekistan8,925
Afghanistan8,309
Somalia7,123
Yemen6,682
Jordan6,055

Students from each country cluster at a few universities. The table uses the figures universities report on Study in Türkiye, YÖK's portal for international students4. Those totals are lower than YÖK's statistics, because some universities report late or not at all.

Where students from six countries study most
CountryStudents reportedTop three universities (students)
Iran27,152
  1. Istanbul Medipol University (1,952)
  2. Istanbul Esenyurt University (1,641)
  3. Bahçeşehir University (1,190)
Syria55,870
  1. Anadolu University (10,488)
  2. Istanbul University (2,413)
  3. Gaziantep University (2,147)
Iraq12,888
  1. Karabük University (1,182)
  2. Altınbaş University (853)
  3. Istanbul Gelişim University (630)
Azerbaijan34,224
  1. Atatürk University (4,214)
  2. Istanbul University (2,333)
  3. Kütahya Dumlupınar University (1,087)
Russia4,068
  1. Anadolu University (211)
  2. Istanbul Medipol University (162)
  3. Dokuz Eylül University (147)
Egypt9,680
  1. Istanbul Gelişim University (568)
  2. Istanbul Esenyurt University (333)
  3. Kütahya Dumlupınar University (313)

Source: YÖK, Study in Türkiye university profiles (2026-10-30)

An international student and a university advisor look at a printed campus map and a laptop at a welcome desk for international students
International offices are the first stop on arrival: they register new students and help with the residence permit.
Anadolu University reports the most international students
  1. Anadolu University18,474
  2. Karabük University11,931
  3. Istanbul Medipol University11,613
  4. Istanbul University10,180
  5. Kütahya Dumlupınar University7,255
  6. Istanbul Esenyurt University6,757
  7. Atatürk University6,692
  8. Bahçeşehir University6,464
  9. Altınbaş University6,225
  10. Istanbul Nişantaşı University5,913

Anadolu runs Türkiye's largest open-education system, with 1,346,679 open-education students in 2025-20261, so its count is not comparable with campus universities.

Source: YÖK, Study in Türkiye university profiles (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
UniversityInternational students reported
Anadolu University18,474
Karabük University11,931
Istanbul Medipol University11,613
Istanbul University10,180
Kütahya Dumlupınar University7,255
Istanbul Esenyurt University6,757
Atatürk University6,692
Bahçeşehir University6,464
Altınbaş University6,225
Istanbul Nişantaşı University5,913

Programs taught in English

3,586 bachelor's program options in the 2026 guide are taught fully in English3. 2,150 of them are at foundation universities, 867 at state universities and 569 in Northern Cyprus. A program option is one line in the guide: the same program can appear several times, for example with a full scholarship and as a paid place.

Yeditepe and Eastern Mediterranean offer the most English-taught bachelor's programs
  1. Yeditepe University53
  2. Eastern Mediterranean University52
  3. Middle East Technical University43
  4. Bahçeşehir University41
  5. Girne American University36
  6. Near East University36
  7. Istanbul Bilgi University35
  8. Boğaziçi University33
  9. Istanbul Technical University33
  10. European University of Lefke32

Distinct bachelor's programs taught 100% in English in the 2026 guide. Programs taught 30% in English are not counted.

Source: YÖK, YÖK Atlas, 2026 YKS placement guide (all programs) (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
UniversityBachelor's programs fully in English
Yeditepe University53
Eastern Mediterranean University52
Middle East Technical University43
Bahçeşehir University41
Girne American University36
Near East University36
Istanbul Bilgi University35
Boğaziçi University33
Istanbul Technical University33
European University of Lefke32

To see which universities teach a given program in English, filter our university finder by program and tick the English option.

What studying costs

Private (foundation) universities in Türkiye publish a yearly fee for every program in the placement guide. For full-fee places, dentistry has the highest median at 1,625,000 TL a year and nursing the lowest of the programs below, at 850,000 TL3. These fees apply to students placed through Türkiye's national exam. International students pay what each university sets for them.

Dentistry and medicine are the most expensive programs at foundation universities
  1. Dentistry1,625,000 TL
  2. Medicine1,418,800 TL
  3. Pharmacy1,365,000 TL
  4. Psychology1,287,500 TL
  5. Architecture1,272,500 TL
  6. Computer Engineering1,263,000 TL
  7. Business Administration1,250,000 TL
  8. Law1,200,000 TL
  9. Nursing850,000 TL

Median fee of full-fee (paid) places at foundation universities, 2026-2027 placement guide.

Source: YÖK, YÖK Atlas, 2026 YKS placement guide (all programs) (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
ProgramMedian annual fee
Dentistry1,625,000 TL
Medicine1,418,800 TL
Pharmacy1,365,000 TL
Psychology1,287,500 TL
Architecture1,272,500 TL
Computer Engineering1,263,000 TL
Business Administration1,250,000 TL
Law1,200,000 TL
Nursing850,000 TL

For international students, the fees universities report on Study in Türkiye put the median bachelor's program at 3,250 USD a year at state universities and 4,000 USD at foundation universities4. Half of foundation programs fall between 3,000 and 7,000 USD. Our page on tuition fees at Turkish universities breaks these fees down program by program.

Half of foundation programs charge international students 3,000-7,000 USD a year
  1. State universities3,250 USD
  2. Foundation universities4,000 USD

Bachelor's fees listed in US dollars by universities on Study in Türkiye. The band shows the middle half of programs and the tick the median. State university semester fees are doubled to a year; foundation universities enter yearly fees, which are used as listed.

Source: YÖK, Study in Türkiye university profiles (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
Universities25th percentileMedian75th percentilePrograms
State universities1,200 USD3,250 USD4,000 USD380
Foundation universities3,000 USD4,000 USD7,000 USD2,263

Where the universities are

Istanbul has 59 of the 223 universities and schools, about a quarter, followed by Ankara with 22 and Izmir with 10311. In Northern Cyprus, Nicosia has 6 and Kyrenia 5. To compare the city's universities, see our page on universities in Istanbul.

Istanbul alone has 59 of the 223 universities
  1. Istanbul59
  2. Ankara22
  3. Izmir10
  4. Nicosia (North)6
  5. Antalya5
  6. Konya5
  7. Kyrenia5
  8. Gaziantep4
  9. Kayseri4
  10. Mersin4

Source: YÖK, YÖK Atlas, 2026 YKS placement guide (all programs) (2026-10-30); YÖK, Üniversitelerimiz (university list) (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
CityUniversities and schools
Istanbul59
Ankara22
Izmir10
Nicosia (North)6
Antalya5
Konya5
Kyrenia5
Gaziantep4
Kayseri4
Mersin4

How Turkish universities rank

Coverage depends on the ranking. THE 2027 ranks 128 universities from Türkiye and Northern Cyprus and lists 21 more as reporters without a rank6. CWUR 2026 ranks 499, QS 2027 ranks 287 and ARWU 2026 ranks 1410.

THE ranks 128 universities from Türkiye and Northern Cyprus, ARWU 14
  1. THE 2027128
  2. URAP 2025-2026128
  3. CWUR 202649
  4. QS 202728
  5. ARWU 202614

Source: ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026 (2026-08-15); Center for World University Rankings, CWUR Rankings 2026 (2026-06-01); QS Quacquarelli Symonds, QS World University Rankings 2027 (2026-06-18); Times Higher Education, THE World University Rankings 2027 (2026-09-30); URAP, METU, URAP Türkiye Ranking 2025-2026 (2025-10-28); URAP, METU, URAP World Ranking 2025-2026 (2026-06-17); Webometrics (CSIC), Ranking Web of Universities, July 2026 (2026-07-23)

Show the numbers as a table
RankingUniversities ranked
THE 2027128
URAP 2025-2026128
CWUR 202649
QS 202728
ARWU 202614

Middle East Technical University (METU) and Koç University share THE's best Turkish band, 326-3506. In QS 2027, Istanbul Technical University is highest at 2797. Koç is first in URAP's ranking of Turkish universities8. Our university finder shows the Turkish university rankings on every university card and can sort by rank.

The ten highest-placed universities in THE 2027, with their QS 2027 and URAP Türkiye ranks
UniversityTHE 2027QS 2027URAP Türkiye
Middle East Technical University326–3503053
Koç University326–350=3291
Sabancı University376–400=35710
Boğaziçi University401–450=34518
Near East University501–550791-800Not listed
European University of Lefke601–650901-950Not listed
Istanbul Technical University651–700=2794
Bilkent University651–700=45416
Cyprus International University651–700Not listedNot listed
Eastern Mediterranean University701–800=691Not listed

Source: Times Higher Education, THE World University Rankings 2027 (2026-09-30); QS Quacquarelli Symonds, QS World University Rankings 2027 (2026-06-18); URAP, METU, URAP Türkiye Ranking 2025-2026 (2025-10-28)

Which fields have the most programs

Health and engineering each have about 1,700 bachelor's program options in the 2026 guide, followed by business and economics3.

Health and engineering each have about 1,700 bachelor's program options
  1. Medicine and health1,708
  2. Engineering1,701
  3. Business and economics1,576
  4. Education and teaching1,077
  5. Social sciences1,041
  6. Languages and humanities1,040
  7. Computing and IT846
  8. Architecture, art and design837
  9. Natural sciences and maths552
  10. Communication and media482
  11. Agriculture and veterinary422
  12. Tourism, sport and services388
  13. Theology225
  14. Law166

We grouped YÖK's program names into fourteen broad fields.

Source: YÖK, YÖK Atlas, 2026 YKS placement guide (all programs) (2026-10-30)

Show the numbers as a table
FieldBachelor's program options
Medicine and health1,708
Engineering1,701
Business and economics1,576
Education and teaching1,077
Social sciences1,041
Languages and humanities1,040
Computing and IT846
Architecture, art and design837
Natural sciences and maths552
Communication and media482
Agriculture and veterinary422
Tourism, sport and services388
Theology225
Law166

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Turkey?

YÖK counts 208 higher education institutions in Türkiye for 2025-20262. The 2026 placement guide also covers 16 universities in Northern Cyprus, for 223 universities and schools in total3.

How many international students are there in Turkey?

337,119 in 2024-2025, the latest year YÖK has published by nationality. That is about three times the 108,076 of 2016-20175.

Which Turkish universities rank highest?

In THE 2027, METU and Koç University share the 326-350 band6. In QS 2027, Istanbul Technical University is highest at 2797.

Can I study in English in Türkiye?

Yes. 3,586 bachelor's program options in the 2026 guide are taught fully in English, most of them at foundation universities3.

Sources

Every number in this guide links to one of these sources. Rules and prices change, so check the latest version before you act.

  1. YÖK Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri 2025-2026 27 March 2026
  2. YÖK Yükseköğretim İstatistikleri Bülteni, Sayı 6 (2025-2026) 27 March 2026
  3. YÖK Atlas 2026 YKS Tercih Kılavuzu, all programs accessed 30 October 2026
  4. YÖK, Study in Türkiye Universities accessed 30 October 2026
  5. YÖK International students by nationality, 2016-2017 to 2024-2025 accessed 30 October 2026
  6. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 30 September 2026
  7. QS QS World University Rankings 2027 18 June 2026
  8. URAP URAP Türkiye Genel Sıralaması 2025-2026 28 October 2025
  9. CWUR World University Rankings 2026 1 June 2026
  10. ShanghaiRanking Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026 15 August 2026
  11. YÖK Üniversitelerimiz: state universities by city accessed 30 October 2026

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