Education System in Turkey

  Education School/Level Grades Age Years Notes

Ilköğretim
6–
Primary (Primary 1–8 8 Ilköğretim Diplomasi (Primary Education Diploma)
14
Education)

Lise
9– 14–
Secondary (Secondary 4 Certificate/diploma awarded: Lise Diplomasi
12 17
School)

Önlisans
13– 18–
Tertiary (Associate 2  
14 19
Degree)

Lisans 13– 18–

Tertiary 4  
(Licentiate) 16 22

Tertiary Yuksek 17– 22– 2 Courses last for five years in Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine and for six years in
Lisans 18 24 Medicine. In Veterinary Medicine, the professional qualification of Veteriner Hekim
(Master's Diplomasi is conferred. In Dentistry, the Dis Hekimligi Diplomasi is conferred upon the
degree) completion of five years' study. In Medicine, the professional qualification of Tip
Doktorlugu Diplomasi is conferred. The graduates of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine
  Education School/Level Grades Age Years Notes

and Dentistry can directly apply to PhD/Doctorate programmes in Turkey. The

qualifications in these three fields of study are considered to be the equivalent of a
Yuksek Lisans Diplomasi (Master's degree).

Tipta Uzmanlik Belgesi (specialist degree) in Medicine is conferred to recognize a

Doktora 18– 24– 3–
Tertiary physician's advanced skills and expertise. It is considered to be the equivalent of a
(Doctorate) 20 27 4
Doktora Diplomasi.

Primary Education
Education in Turkey is nationally controlled and aimed at producing a professional class of people for the nation. 8 years of primary
education are mandatory for children beginning at age 7 and enrolment stands at almost 100%.

Middle Education

Secondary Education
From age 14 onwards young people are required to attend secondary school for a further 4 years. There are three types of high schools
in Turkey. These are general (academic) schools, science schools, and vocational schools. The first two of these culminate with the
National University Entrance Examination, while the latter produce job-ready employees.

Vocational Education
Non-formal education in Turkey is available from a network of training centers under overall control of the ministry of education that sets
standards. These have several roles including adult literacy and numeracy, completing curtailed school education and helping workers
learn new skills.
Tertiary Education
Following completion of academic or technical high school, students may apply to enter any one of 118 universities in Turkey, some

of which are public and some of which are private. Fees at the former can be exceptionally low, while those of private institutions remain
out of reach of poor people without bursaries. 

The oldest university still in operation is Istanbul Technical University founded in 1773 as a Naval Engineer’s School. To this day its focus
remains technical – it has faculties in architecture, a wide range of engineering disciplines, mining, naval architecture. aeronautics and
astronautics.