YÖS Exam (Foreign Student Exam)

What is YÖS Exam?

YÖS is the abbreviation of Foreign Student Examination. It is an exam that foreign students who want to study at universities in Turkey must take. This exam is important for international students applying to undergraduate programs of Turkish universities. YÖS generally measures Turkish language skills and basic academic knowledge. Exam results are used to determine which universities and departments students will be accepted to.

How is YÖS Exam Taken?

YÖS exam is an exam held for foreign students applying to undergraduate programs of universities in Turkey. The general format of the YÖS exam includes the following steps:

Application: Students can apply online at https://tryos.osym.gov.tr. You can get detailed information from the application guide or from ÖSYM phone number 444 67 96.

Exam Subjects: YÖS exam generally measures Turkish language skills and basic academic knowledge. The exam may generally include subjects such as mathematics, science, social sciences and Turkish. However, the exam format of each university may be different.

Exam Date and Place: After the applications are completed, students are provided with information about the exam date, place and exam rules. The exam is usually held in a specific center in Turkey. YÖS applications usually start in February and March, and universities generally accept YÖS applications until May and June.

Results: The results are announced within a certain period of time after the exam. The results are usually announced on the university’s official website.

During the preparation process for the YÖS exam, candidates usually attend Turkish language courses or study by solving various reference books and tests. Each university’s specific rules and content regarding the YÖS exam may be different, so applying students should pay attention to the official information of the relevant university.

What are the YÖS Application Requirements?

Foreign Student Examination (YÖS) application requirements are as follows.

Candidates who apply for the Foreign Student Examination (YÖS) must be in their final year of high school or have graduated, and candidates who meet the following criteria are deemed to have fulfilled the YÖS Requirements and can participate in the YÖS Exam:

• Foreign Nationality
• Those who are Turkish Citizens by birth and who later have permission to renounce Turkish citizenship (Blue Card – Law No. 5901)
• Those who became citizens of the Republic of Turkey (T.R.) while being foreign nationals
• Dual Nationals
• Those who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey and completed their education in a foreign country (It is mandatory to have studied the last three years of their education abroad!)
• Students who completed their education and training in Turkish schools in a foreign country (For example: Western European Open High School Program)
• Those who have GCE AL exam
• Foreign students receiving high school education in Turkey

Candidates within this scope are deemed to have met the YÖS Requirements and have the right to participate in the YÖS Exam.

Who Cannot Apply?

• Students who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey and graduated from high school in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Students who are both citizens of the Republic of Turkey and citizens of another foreign country and have completed high school in Turkey
• Dual citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Students with dual nationality studying in Foreign High Schools within the borders of Türkiye

Cannot apply to YÖS!

Is Language Proficiency Required?

Knowing Turkish is not one of the YÖS Requirements. Students who enroll in universities based on YÖS exam results are subjected to Turkish Proficiency Exams for Foreign Students, which are organized to determine their Turkish language level.

According to the exam results, students are divided into 3 groups

• Group A: Does not encounter any obstacles related to Turkish in higher education life.
• Group B: Turkish Lesson for Foreign Students is added to the Curriculum as an additional course.
• Group C: The student must study Turkish Preparatory School or obtain a Turkish certificate from TÖMER.

What should be the diploma grade?

The most critical requirement for YÖS candidates is to graduate from a school equivalent to high schools in Turkey. These students must obtain an Equivalence Certificate and declare that their diploma is equivalent to high schools in Turkey.

Some universities require a minimum GPA of 40-60. In departments such as the Faculty of Medicine, there may be a diploma grade criterion. These conditions may differ from university to university.

YÖS 2024 Exam Dates

YÖS 2024 Exam will be held twice this year. The first YÖS Exam will be held on May 18, 2024. The second YÖS Exam will be held on October 27, 2024.

Applications for the first YÖS Exam must be made between March 1, 2024 and March 18, 2024.

The application dates for the second YÖS Exam will be between 16 August and 2 September 2024.

First YÖS Exam results will be announced on June 14, 2024. The results of the Second YÖS Exam will be announced on 22 November 2024.

YÖS Exam results will be accepted by all state universities and universities will not organize their own YÖS – Foreign Student exams in 2024.

You can review the YÖS calendar in the table below.

If you liked our article on the subject, you may also be interested in our article “International Schools in Turkey”.