Student Visas in Turkey
Studying there, and whether study leads to residency
Students accepted by a Turkish higher education institution enter on a student visa and then obtain a student residence permit for the duration of the programme. Tuition at state universities is low, scholarships are administered centrally through the Turkiye Burslari programme, and student time does not count toward long-term residence.
| Permit type | Student residence permit source |
| Duration | Commonly issued for the length of the programme, renewed annually in practice |
| Scholarship programme | Turkiye Burslari, covering tuition, stipend and accommodation source |
| Work rights | Limited, and available to undergraduates only after the first year |
| Counts toward long-term residence | No source |
From acceptance to permit
An acceptance letter from a recognised institution supports a student visa application at a Turkish mission. After arrival the student applies online to the Presidency of Migration Management for a student residence permit, attends an appointment with the documents, and receives a card by post.
The permit is tied to enrolment. Withdrawal, expulsion or a long interruption of studies ends the basis for it, and the institution reports enrolment status to the migration authority.
What it costs to study
- State university tuition for international students is commonly a few hundred to a few thousand US dollars a year, depending on the programme and institution.
- Private and foundation universities charge substantially more, frequently in the range of several thousand dollars a year, and often quote fees in foreign currency.
- Health insurance is compulsory; students may take private cover or, within a limited window after first registration, opt into the public scheme.
- Proof of sufficient means for the period of stay is part of the file, as is a residential address in an area open to foreign registration.
Working during and after study
Work rights are narrow. Undergraduate students may generally work only after completing the first year and within limited hours, and postgraduate students have somewhat wider scope, but in all cases a work permit application is still required and is made by the employer.
There is no automatic post-study work permit. A graduate who wishes to stay must find an employer willing to make a full work permit application, and the years spent studying do not count toward long-term residence.
Scholarships
Turkiye Burslari is the government's central scholarship programme for international students, covering tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation, health insurance and a year of Turkish language preparation. Applications open in an annual window and competition is considerable.
Free: the Turkey visa checklist
A one-page PDF listing every document each route asks for, so you can see what you are missing before you spend anything. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.
The list is not open yet, so nothing was sent and your address was not stored. The guides on this site are free and need no sign-up.
We email a short course on how the Turkey routes work, then the report offer. Your address is never sold.
Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.