The Turkish government's flagship fully funded scholarship, run by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). It covers associate, bachelor's, master's and PhD study at Turkish universities — tuition, a monthly stipend, free accommodation, health insurance, a 1-year Turkish language course and a round-trip flight — and, uniquely, YTB handles your university placement for you from up to 12 programme preferences. Applications are submitted once a year through the single TBBS portal, with no application fee and no separate university application.
Why it is notable: YTB places you at the university — you never apply to a university yourself, which applicants from embassy-track scholarships often miss; the window is the same every year (10 January–20 February) but only ~40 days long, and the portal historically slows or crashes in the final days.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
University and department placement handled by YTB — no separate university application
Full tuition fee for the entire programme duration
Free 1-year Turkish language course (TÖMER) before degree studies
Free accommodation
Full health insurance
Once-off economy flight ticket at the beginning of studies and when graduating
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
High schoolfor Bachelor'sGraduationfor MastersMasters/MPhilfor PhD
"This scholarship is offered for associate, bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes. Graduate (master's/PhD) scholarships are not awarded in the field of health sciences."
Who can apply
citizens of all countries except Türkiye. Turkish citizens, and individuals who have lost Turkish citizenship, are not eligible
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
course-dependent. Programmes are taught in Turkish or English; recipients take a free 1-year Turkish language course if needed. Language certificates (TOEFL, IELTS, Turkish proficiency) strengthen the application where the chosen programme requires them
Other Certificates
academic transcripts and diplomas/certificates (final-year students may apply with current status); letters of recommendation; motivation letter; passport or national ID
Age Limit
undergraduate: under 21; master's: under 30; PhD: under 35
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
all nationalities EXCEPT Turkish citizens (and former Turkish citizens who lost citizenship) — the programme is funded to bring international students to…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
programmes taught in Turkish or English; a free 1-year Turkish course is included for those who need it; English-taught programmes may require TOEFL/IELTS
02
Qualification
70% minimum academic average for undergraduate, 75% for master's and PhD; final-year students may apply
03
Documents
passport/ID, transcripts and diplomas, recommendation letters, motivation letter, research proposal (PhD), language certificates where required
04
Preferences
up to 12 university/programme combinations ranked in order; YTB decides final placement
05
Age
under 21 (bachelor's), under 30 (master's), under 35 (PhD)
06
Fee
no application fee at any stage
Document checklist
01Valid passport or national ID
02Academic transcripts and diplomas/certificates (final-year students may apply with proof of current enrolment)
03Letters of recommendation
04Language proficiency certificates where the programme requires them (TOEFL/IELTS/Turkish)
05Motivation/personal statement letter
06Research proposal (PhD applicants)
07National/international exam results where available (SAT, GRE, ALES strengthen the file)
Application fee
No fee — completely free
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: Turkish student visa (single entry), obtained at the Turkish embassy/consulate in your country after the scholarship award — the e-visa is not valid for study purposes
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Search programmes on the official turkiyeburslari.gov.tr programme
search engine and shortlist up to 12 university/programme combinations.
→
02
Create an account on the official portal
TBBS (tbbs.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr) with a reliable email address.
→
03
Complete your profile
personal details, education history, language skills, work/research experience, extracurriculars, and the personal statement/motivation section.
↓
06
Review everything and submit before the deadline.
Do not wait for the final days — the portal historically slows or crashes near 20 February.
←
05
Rank up to 12 programme and university
combinations in order of preference.
←
04
Upload all required documents (passport/ID
transcripts and certificates, recommendation letters, language certificates where required, motivation letter).
↓
07
Wait for evaluation (March–May)
then interviews/tests for shortlisted candidates (April–June; undergraduate applicants also sit a 30-question quantitative test), with final results and placements typically announced around July–August.
→
08
Valid passport or national ID
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09
Academic transcripts and diplomas/certificates (final-year students may
apply with proof of current enrolment)
↓
10
Letters of recommendation
Application milestones
20 Feb 2027
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official any public or foundation university in… platform.
When is the application period for Türkiye Scholarships? A: Applications are received via TBBS between 10 January and 20 February, which the official programme page states is the application period evDo I need to apply to a Turkish university separately? A: No. YTB handles university and department placement from the up-to-12 preferences you list in the TBBS application.What is the monthly stipend? A: Undergraduate TL 6,500, master's TL 9,500, PhD TL 13,000 per month; Merit Scholarship awardees receive twice the regular amount.Are health-science programmes covered at graduate level? A: No — the official Graduate Scholarship Programme section states Türkiye Scholarships does not award scholarships in the field of health scieWho cannot apply? A: Turkish citizens, and individuals who have lost Turkish citizenship, are not eligible; the programme is open to citizens of all other countries.Is there an application fee? A: No — applying through TBBS is completely free.Do I need to know Turkish before applying? A: No. A free 1-year Turkish language course is part of the scholarship for recipients who need it.What is the Merit Scholarship Programme? A: A track for applicants with outstanding academic achievement (high GPA plus strong international exam scores) that pays double the regular monthly stipend.
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