Trkiye Scholarships

Holders Guide

1. Before Arriving in Turkey

1.1. Signing Scholarship Agreement
1.2. Visa Procedures
1.3. Getting Documents Approved
1.4 Travel Planning
1.5. Travel Rules to Observe
2. After Arriving in Turkey
2.1. Transfer from Airport
2.2. Communication with your Country
2.3. Settling into Dormitories and Registration
2.4. Enrolment to University
2.4.1. Documents Required for Enrolment
2.5. Enrolment to Turkish Preparation Course
2.6. Residence Permit
2.7. YU Number
2.8. Health Insurance
2.9. Bank Account
2.10. Cultural Adaptation Process
2.10.1. Orientation Programs
2.11. Important Notes

1.Trkiyeye
1.
Before Arriving
Gelmeden
in Turkey
nce
1.1. Signing Scholarship
Agreement
When you receive the acceptance letter for Trkiye Scho-

Before signing the scholarship commitment letter, the of-

larship, first thing to do is to visit the nearest Embassy/

ficials of Embassy/Consulate will check the originals of

Consulate of the Republic of Turkey between the dates

your documents which are:

specified in the acceptance letter together with the acceptance letter sent to your electronic mail address and
with the originals of your documents (diploma, transcript,
passport, health report, language certificate and international examination certificates required by the university

Passport or identity,
Diploma,
Transcript,

and program you are placed to) and to sign the scholars-

Health report,

hip commitment letter arranged to your name.

Language certificate required by the university and

Scholarship commitment letter includes your individual liabilities and requirements for scholarship. Before signing

program you are placed to [TOEFL, IELTS, DELF

vb.] and

the commitment letter, you can access to the English

International examination certificates required by

copy from the following link and review the text of the

the university and program you are placed to [SAT,

commitment letter. The text is written in Turkish and Eng-

GRE, GMAT etc.].

lish languages. It will be signed in 2 copies and you will

You can call the Embassy/Consulate of the Turkish Re-

keep 1 copy.

public to find out from which health organizations in your

If you are in Turkey, you can sign the commitment letter by

visiting the government office in Mevlana Bulvar No: 145
Balgat / ANKARA.
You can get a sample of the scholarship commitment let-

country you can obtain a health report. Your health report needs to be issued by an official health organization
within the last 3 months and indicate that you are not
infected by an contagious disease or by a disease that
requires continued treatment.

ter from: http://www.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/index.php/tr/

agreement.

1. Before Arriving in Turkey

1.2. Visa Procedures
International students who wish to study in Turkey need to
obtain student visa before arriving in Turkey.
Student visa can be obtained from the nearest Consulate
Branches of the Embassies of the Republic of Turkey.
For those who present in Turkey with other than student
visa, obliged to apply for student visa to the Consulate
Branches of the Embassies of the Republic of Turkey in
their countries or in the nearest country.
For student visa applications, required documents are a
valid passport, acceptance letter, visa application form to
be obtained from consulates, photograph and visa fee if
needed. Consulates may request other documents as well.
You can consult to the nearest Embassy/Consulate of the
Republic of Turkey for the list of all required documents.
After obtaining these documents, you can report to the
Consulate department for visa application.
Student visa procedures may take some time, therefore
you are recommended to apply for visa immediately
after you receive your acceptance letter and sign the
scholarship commitment letter.

1. Before Arriving in Turkey

1.3. Getting Documents
Approved

You can find out the addresses and telephone numbers

You need to get the documents to be used for the

of the nearest foreign mission of the Republic of Turkey

scholarship and university registration procedures in

from the following url: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkish-

Turkey, have them translated to Turkish and get these

representations.en.mfa.

documents approved by the Embassy/Consulate of the

Republic of Turkey.

Apart from these documents to be approved, you also

need to keep the following documents with you that may

These documents are:

be required for the scholarship and university registration

Acceptance letter (2 copies)

procedures in Turkey:

Passport (original and Turkish translation)

Diploma from the last graduated education institution
(original and Turkish translation)
Transcript from the last graduated education
institution (original and Turkish translation)
Health report (obtained from an official health
institution in the last 3 months indicated that you
are not infected by an contagious disease or by a
disease that requires continued treatment).
You can call the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of
Turkey to find out which health institutions in your country
can issue health report and which translation offices can

If the medium of instruction of the university and

program that you are placed to is a language other
than Turkish, language certificate required by that
program or university [TOEFL, IELTS, DELF etc.],
International examination documents if required by
the university and program that you are placed to
[SAT, GRE, GMAT etc.],
Turkish proficiency certificate, if any, at the level of
C1,
ALES result certificate if you studied bachelors or
master degree in Turkey,
Passport photo

provide Turkish translations of the passport, diploma,

transcript and health report.

1. Before Arriving in Turkey

1.4 Travel Planning
High School Certificate of Equivalence for the

After obtaining your visa, prepare your documents and

candidates of Two-year and Four-year degrees

pack to come to Turkey on the date that will be notified

Candidates to study two-year or four degree in Turkey

need to obtain high school certificate of equivalence.
If there is an Education Consultancy in your country,
you can obtain the high school certificate of equivalence
before departing to Turkey. If not, you can get it by

to you.
Check the communication addresses of the university
you are placed to, the city, the dormitory and the Turkish
preparation centre as listed in the mail sent to you and
keep this information with you.

applying to the Provincial National Education Directorates

Your flight ticket for your first departure from your country

in the province that you will stay in Turkey. Please ask to

to Turkey will be purchased by the Turkey Scholarships

the officials of the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic

Office from the Turkish Airlines. You will be contacted via

of Turkey whether there is an Education Consultancy in

e-mail for the flight date that suits you.

your country.
Required documents for equivalence:
a)

Transcript or certificate education for the last

education year obtained from the educational
institution abroad

b)

diploma or certificate indicating that you are

entitled to obtain diploma

c)

passport

1. Before Arriving in Turkey

1.5. Travel Rules to Observe
You are recommended to arrive at the airport 2 hours

You may be required to turn on your laptop computer,

before the departure time of your flight together with

if any, at control points; therefore make sure that it has

the documents required for university registration and

sufficient battery.

scholarship, passport with student visa and other

documents on the date notified to you.

It is recommended to keep at least 100$ with you when

you come to Turkey just for precaution. Convert some

You are recommended to pack a cabin luggage taking

of your money in USD or Euro to Turkish lira when your

into consideration the possibility of delay during transit.

arrive at the airport.

Please find out the free of charge luggage right granted

You can convert further monies you will need in the

by the concerned airline company.

foreign exchange offices in the province you will stay.

Keep your fragile goods and official documents in your

Dont forget to bring clothes like jacket, coat etc since

hand luggage or with you against the possibility of losing

your arrival dates would be a season when rain and cold

important documents.

start in Turkey.

Online check-in will speed up the procedures you may

See the passport control desk when you land in Turkey.

face at the airport.

After passport control, follow the directions to find the

Please write your address in Turkey clearly on your

luggage. In addition, having in each of your luggage an
A4 size paper with your address written may be useful in

counter where your luggage is and get your luggage

from the counter. In the event that your luggage is lost,
report to the Airport Lost and Found Office.

the event of external damage to your luggage.

You are recommended not to wear clothes with metal and
not to use metal accessories to avoid X-ray problems.

2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.1. Transfer from Airport
If you will land in Istanbul Atatrk Airport;
Find the Turkey Scholarship International Students
Consultancy Desk after getting your luggage. The
desk is located in the customs free area (at the exit
of the passport control point).
Provide the officers at the desk with your personal
and contact information.
You can get information from the officers about the
province you will stay and other procedures.
If you will take a bus after landing in Istanbul:
Go to the coach station from the airport by the
vehicles provided by the meeting personnel or by
yourself.
Buy the ticket of the coach company of your province
in the coach station.
When buying the coach ticket, please try to arrange
your arrival time before 16:30

2.2. Communication with

your Country

You can use the payphones at the airports to contact

your family after arriving in Turkey. The phone cards are
sold at the airports. Dont hesitate to ask the airport personnel for more information.
Dont forget that using the sim cards of the mobile phones you bring from your country in Turkey would be very
expensive.
When you arrive in Turkey, you can use the phone cards
sold in the PTT branches at the airport like YURTKART,
Alo PLUS CARD, IPC, TTM and VIP CARD.

If you will take another flight after landing in Istanbul:

Make your flight using the facilities offered to transit
passengers.

2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.3. Settling into Dormitories and
Registration
When you arrive in the province of your study, go to the dormitory
address as given in the Turkey Scholarship result page.
You can use city buses or taxi to go to the dormitory.
When you go to the dormitory, introduce yourself to the officers
in the dormitory and settle in your room as specified in the Turkey
Scholarships result document.
Enrol to the directorate of the dormitory which is run by the
Credits and Dormitories Agency.
If you have a problem with the dormitory or if you want to change
it, see the dormitory directorate.
You will be provided with free accommodation within the scope
of Trkiye Scholarships.
Students wishing to stay in the dormitories under the scope of
Turkey Scholarship will have a right for a leave period of 60 days
subject to the permission of the dormitory administration in any
case.
Observe the entrance hour limits to the dormitories (latest 22:00
hrs).
No accommodation assistance is provided to students who
dont want to stay in the dormitories. Please notify Trkiye
Scholarships Office about your alternative residence addresses
and related changes.

2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.4. Enrolment to University
After settling into your dormitory, visit the university

high school equivalence certificate will be issued in 2

you are placed to during working hours (09:00-17:00).

days depending on the work schedule. (for associate

Report to the registrars office and start your registration

and undergraduate degrees)

procedures. You can get assistance for your procedures

if an international students office is available.

c) Approved transcript of the student indicating the

Go to the international office and submit your contact

Turkish translation certified by notary public or Turkish

details. After completing your enrolment, obtain 4 student

foreign missions.

certificates from the University.

courses, scores and general score average and its

d) Copy of the pages of the passport with student visa

showing the identity information and expiry date and

2.4.1. Documents Required for

Enrolment
Original of high school diploma or temporary graduation
certificate and its Turkish translation certified by notary
public or Turkish foreign missions.
b) Original of the high school diploma obtained from
the Provincial Directorates of the Ministry of National
Education of the Republic of Turkey or Turkish foreign
missions. (for associate and undergraduate degrees)
If you have not completed equivalence works of your high
school diploma in your country, please visit the Provincial

Turkish translation, where both the copy and translation

are certified by notary public or Turkish foreign missions.
e) If any, internationally recognized foreign language
certificate and Turkish proficiency certificate certified by
notary public or Turkish foreign missions.
f) Certificate of residence (to be submitted to the relevant
registrars office to the within one month after the
enrolment date.
g) 8 photos of 4,5 x 6,0 cm (taken in the last six
months from front and allowing easy identification of the
candidate)

Directorate of National Education in your province. Your

2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.5. Enrolment to Turkish
Preparation Course
Within the scope of Turkey Scholarships, each student

We particularly recommend you to refrain from speaking

has to document command of Turkish (including those

your native language in order to ensure rapid and better

to study at departments where the medium of instruction

learning of Turkish.

is English).

During your Turkish preparation study, your regular

If you have a Turkish proficiency document in C1 degree,

attendance to the courses and observance of the

you can directly start your university education.

education program offered to you would significantly

If you dont have Turkish proficiency certificate although

increase your success.

you speak Turkish, you can take the Turkish preparation

Before the beginning of the next academic year after

course exemption examination and if you pass, you

the Turkish preparation course, you are expected to

can directly start university education as exempted

have successfully completed your Turkish preparation

from the Turkish preparation education. You can take

education and to start your main education.

the examination in the Turkish teaching centre you are

placed to. Please follow the e-mails to be sent to you
with respect to Turkish exemption examinations.
If you dont speak Turkish, you need to get your
registration done by reporting to the Turkish preparation
centre notified to you in your system page of Turkey
Scholarships.
Turkish courses combine students from various nations
and offer a unique opportunity where students can
experience very different cultures. Your adaptation
process in a new country will be shortened with your
friends having similar experiences.

In the end of the academic year, you need to obtain a

certificate of achievement at C1 level and submit it to the
relevant organizations.
To accomplish Turkish education, you should try to
speak Turkish with your friends, join the programs, and
obtain information about the cultural and social life of our
country.
You should start reading books in Turkish (especially
children books will be helpful in the beginner level, later
on you can follow newspapers and magazines) and have
speaking practice by communicating with the people
around you.

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2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.6. Residence Permit
Student residence permit is issued to students with

In the event that the residence permits or passports

scholarships for bachelors degree, master degree, phD

are lost, please immediately report to the relevant

and specialism, and research residence permit is issued

authorities to renew your documents in 15 days.

to students with research scholarship.

Students who will change education institutions or

After completing your enrolment to the university, report

residence addresses should notify both the new and

to the foreigners branch of the provincial security

old local security authorities about these changes in

directorate in your province with the required documents

48 hours.

to obtain residence permit.

Residence permits issued during education period

Foreign students who enter Turkey with student visa to

should be extended by reporting to the local security

study at any education institution need to submit their

offices latest in 15 days after the expiry of the time

residence permit requests to the Provincial Security

period stated in the permission document.

Directorates within 30 days after their entry to the country.

Student residence permits are issued with an expiry
period of 2 years for 2-year degrees, 4 years for
bachelors degree and 4 years for post graduate and
specialism. For the students to study at universities with
obligatory preparation class, the residence permit of one
year is issued first which is extended later on in parallel
with the duration of further education.
Students to get residence permit in Istanbul should visit
the internet site http://e-randevu.iem.gov.tr/yabancilar/
to have an appointment and start procedures by visiting
the Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate (Fatih/
Istanbul).

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2. After Arriving in Turkey

Residence Permit Documents

Residence Permit Request Form (fill in your

information)

4 passport photos

Original of the valid passport with long term validity

(in parallel to the education periods)

Photocopy of passport (picture page, last entry

page, validity page)

Enrolment/acceptance document, recent student

certificate from the university or an equivalent
document.

Research visa to be obtained from foreign missions

for students with student visa/research visa

Valuable paper cost for the residence permit as

published every year in the official gazette (198 TL
for 2013) will be deposited to your bank account for
one time only together with the scholarship amount.

If residence permit is obtained previously, its original

and photocopy of the processed pages.

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2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.7. Foreign ID Number (YU)

2.8. Health Insurance

Foreign ID Number is a unique number of eleven digits issued

All international students to study in Turkey are able to

by the General Directorate of Birth and Citizenship Affairs to

get General Health Insurance to benefit from the equal,

the foreigners who obtained foreigners residence permit in

comprehensive and quality health services provided by

Turkey for minimum six (6) months for any purpose. You can

the state.

present this number and benefit from health services during

your study, register to the examinations held by SYM and
open bank accounts. Your unique YU number is designated
after your residence permit is issued and you can find out
your YU number from the Foreign ID No Inquiry Section
in

the

website

https://tckimlik.nvi.gov.tr/YabanciKimlikNo/

DogumYiliveIkametTezkereNoSorguModul.asx latest in one

month.

The premiums for general health insurance of the

students under Turkey Scholarships are paid within
this program during the duration of their scholarship.
Students with General Health Insurance can benefit from
private hospitals against contribution fees and from state
hospitals free of charge by presenting their YU number.
They

can

get

the

medicines

and

prescriptions

recommended by doctors from any pharmacy against

the payment of contribution fee only. Pharmacies are
open until 19.00 in the evening and after that night
pharmacies are open.

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2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.9. Bank Account

2.10. Cultural Adaptation Process

Your

your

We can assure you that you will have easy communication with the Turkish

be

people who are famous with hospitality. Try to enjoy a new culture and social

deposited is opened in your name

environment during your study in Turkey. Please remember that all students

by the Trkiye Scholarships Office.

starting to live in a different country may experience a kind of cultural shock

Scholarships of the students are

and dont forget that this adaptation period will soon pass and you will feel at

deposited to the Vakfbank accounts

home in this country.

bank

scholarship

account
payment

that
will

in the names of the students on

the 25th of each month. When you
arrive in Turkey, please visit the
nearest Vakfbank branch with your
passport and activate the account
opened to your name so that you
can

withdraw

your

scholarship

Some level of longing is possible in the first periods of your stay in Turkey as
you are away from your family and habitual environment and you may have
some problems to understand and express yourself in Turkish. This short time
may be exhaustive but you can make this period enjoyable by trying to know a
new culture. Dont forget that cultural shock is a temporary reaction to a new
life which will pass soon.

money. You are recommended to

request a Bankomat card (ATM)
from the nearest Vakfbank branch
to your residence place which you
can find out from the cashier. With
the bank card, you can withdraw
your scholarship from all Vakfbank
ATMs any time of the day and from
all Vakfbank branches during the
working hours.

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2. After Arriving in Turkey

The most frequent physical signs of cultural shock are irregular sleep, head ache,
stomach ache and nervousness. Emotional signs are homesickness, feeling of lo-

Visit the international student office in your university.

Dont hesitate to contact your advisor.

neliness, causeless anxiety and crying, antisocial behaviour, tendency to stay alone,
loss of self confidence, anger and hostility against new culture.
To overcome this period easily, you may do to the followings:

2.10.1. Orientation Programs

Different orientation programs are organized throughout

Try to observe and understand the behaviour, belief systems, and ways of
thinking and behaviour of the people around you.

Establish communication with people as much as possible. Dont hesitate to

share your problems with the people around you.

Try to express yourself and insist on speaking in Turkish even if people dont
understand you at first.

Dont be prejudiced against people. Avoid classifying the new ways of thinking
and living as good and bad and accept that these are only different from your
culture. Try to bring different points of views.
Remain curious and open minded against the new culture. Dont hesitate to try
new things. Dont forget that you will discover many novelties in Turkey.

Dont be afraid of making mistakes but be at peace with yourself. You will
discover a new country and inevitably have a period of inexperience. Just
accept this and make it funnier.

Establish friendship with people from different countries as many as possible.

Dont forget that friendships will be among the greatest gains of your life in
Turkey after you complete your study.

Dont shut out yourself in the dormitory. Join the events organized for you,
subscribe to student clubs and participate in sport and arts activities.

the year to minimize the problems that the new students

will face during their study and to facilitate their adaptation
process to Turkey.
The orientation programs organized by universities
allow students to participate in various social, cultural
and sportive events, to obtain basic information about
academic programs, to meet lecturers, campus staff and
new friends.
Students participation in these events is important for
them to obtain necessary information and to establish
new friendships.

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2. After Arriving in Turkey

2.11. Important Notes

Keep your passport or residence permit licence with
you.
Inform the Turkey Scholarship Call Centre about your
problems and requests about your education and social life.
Telephone: 0850 455 0982
In addition, you can follow the current changes and
announcements by logging into the facebook and
twitter accounts of Turkey Scholarships.
We would like to express that you are our guest in our
country and wish you that you will successfully complete your study benefitting from all possibilities offered
to you.

facebook.com/turkiyeburslari
twitter.com/turkiyeburslari

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