To Choose Private or Government University in Turkey- That is the Big Question
Students applying for studying abroad anywhere around the world have either two options, to go for private or government university. Although this is a very valid question, many students are not able to draw the correct differentiation between the two. So how do you choose what kind of university is best for you?
We have laid down some metrics to help you with your decision:
- The Cost
If you are planning to apply to a government university in Turkey, you will most likely pay a lower tuition fee than you would pay for a private university. The cost of tuition fee varies from university to university and depending on the department you choose to study. The annual tuition fee for an bachelors’ program in government university can cost you anywhere between 300$ and 1000$.
For private universities the cost of bachelor studies starts at an annual 6000$ for engineering and social science programs to 20000$ per year for medicine degree. However, private universities do offer scholarships and ApplyRobin can help students to get high scholarships. For more information, contact us
- Ease of Acceptance
Turkish government universities are older and better established in terms of ranking in the region and thus have more strict conditions than private universities to accept new students. Government universities adopt a system of University Candidacy Applications. With this system, they determine a select quota for international students for each department. This quota may change every year and many universities also deploy select quota for students from specific countries. Additionally, international applicants also must enter an aptitude test based on maths and IQ called the YOS. Most government universities conduct their own YOS exam to accept students. Hence competition among students wanting to enter government universities is very strong as more and more international students are flocking to Turkey for higher education.
Turkish Private Universities are much relaxed with their acceptance criteria and generally accept international students that have completed their higher secondary education. Private universities in Turkey do not require students to enter for an aptitude entrance exam but only to enter a test of English to determine whether they can study in English. Students having relevant IELTS or TOEFL scores do not need to enter the English test as well. Private universities also offer more scholarships to international students and options to also study double major. Hence private universities are more easier to get accepted in and also offer scholarships.
- Language
The language of instruction is mostly Turkish in government universities that have more than 6.5 million students and most of them are Turkish citizens. International applicants getting accepted to study in any of the Turkish taught programs must enter a Turkish language test and get a C1 level or study Turkish language for a year in the university before starting their program. Few government universities however do have programs that are taught in English like Middle East Technical University, Istanbul Technical University and Bogazici University among others.
Private Universities in Turkey offer most of their programs in English language. Most international students prefer to study in English and hence private universities break this language barrier for applying students.
- Diversity
Diversity here reflects diversity in students on campus and academic staff of a university. Government universities consist of mostly local academic staff. Government universities mostly are comprised of Turkish students and few international students. Limited quota for international students is one factor that account for lesser international diversity.
Private universities however are more diverse in both their academic staff and on campus students. Many private institutions have recruited top academicians from around the world to provide high class education to incoming students. Private universities also rely on their international student diversity to attract students from various regions.
- Class Size
Turkish government universities host tens of thousands of students at a time. For example, Akdeniz University in Antalya hosts more than 65,000 students. Naturally class sizes are also larger than private universities. However, students can visit professors in their office times to get more attention or schedule appointments.
Private Universities run in a boutique manner and host relatively less students than government universities to uphold high education standards. For example, Koc University hosts only over 6000 students. Therefore, the student to professor ratio in private universities is much lower than in government universities. This allows for better learning for students. Students can also visit their professors in office times.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to deciding between private and government universities in Turkey, there’s a lot to consider. Let’s look at a quick summary of Part1:
Government Universities:
- Significantly more affordable
- Highly competitive- difficult to get accepted- need to pass entrance exams (YOS)
- Few programs offered in English
- Less Diverse
- Larger class sizes
Private Universities:
- Less affordable -Private universities do offer scholarships to some extent.
- Easy Acceptance- Only high school diploma enough for bachelor’s programs and university degree for master programs.
- Most programs offered in English
- More diverse in students and academic staff
- Smaller class sizes
The final decision comes down to your personal preferences. Whether you choose to study in a private university or government university in Turkey, we believe that is upto you. To help you with your decision the comparisons between Turkish private and government universities is broken down in two parts. For more information you can also read Private vs Government Universities in Turkey Comparison Part 2.