Turkish Universities and Their Local and Global Rankings
In this article, we explore the best Turkish universities both locally and globally, covering both private and public institutions, their educational standards, and their locations.
Turkey stands out with a strategic geographical and cultural position, historically serving as a bridge between East and West.
Today, Turkey ranks among the world’s top educational destinations, thanks to the major resources its universities and educational institutions offer.
There are over 200 universities in Turkey, including 129 public universities and more than 70 private ones. Turkish universities are known for encompassing a wide range of academic fields, along with a high level of teaching staff expertise, and Turkish degrees are recognized globally.
The Strength of Turkish Universities in Education
Turkish universities rank highly in global standings due to their strict scientific standards, strong infrastructure that facilitates education, and significant investment from the Turkish budget in education.
The strength of these universities can be summarized by the quality of education, evidenced by graduates who have received international awards and honors. This includes the expertise of faculty members, with consideration given to those who have won international awards. Additionally, the high number of highly cited researchers across more than twenty scientific fields is a key factor.
Academic achievement and research output are strong indicators as well, reflected in articles published in leading global scientific journals and other specialized academic publications.
Top 10 Turkish Universities Globally
There are several global university rankings, with some of the most prominent being the QS Times Ranking from the UK, as well as the Australian, Spanish, and Chinese rankings. These rankings consider various factors, including global reputation, graduate employability, student-to-faculty ratio, research citations, quality of educational materials, and more, each relying on specific criteria. Here, we will use the Australian ranking.
Top 10 Turkish Universities Globally:
Anadolu University (Anadolu Üniversitesi)
One of the most important public universities in Turkey, located in Eskisehir. Founded in 1958, it offers a wide range of programs and has quickly become a leader locally and globally, according to the Spanish ranking, as well as achieving high positions in other rankings.
Istanbul University (Istanbul Üniversitesi)
One of the world’s most prestigious and oldest universities, located in Istanbul. It is a public university in Turkey, with over sixty thousand students, offering a comprehensive range of disciplines across all levels of education, from undergraduate to postgraduate. It continues to attract students both locally and internationally.
Known in Arabic as Bogazici University, which means Bosphorus in Turkish, this public university is also located in Istanbul. Established in 1863, it officially became a university in 1971. Its library is one of the largest in Turkish universities, and it includes a variety of faculties and disciplines, such as engineering, arts, economics, languages, and institutes.
Ankara University (Ankara Üniversitesi)
A public university located in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, renowned for the quality of its research, programs, and faculty. It has over one thousand professors and more than sixty-five thousand students. The university offers a wide range of disciplines, including faculties of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, various Engineering fields, Communications, Political Science, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Educational Sciences.
Middle East Technical University (Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi)
A public university founded in 1956, located in Ankara, with an additional campus in Cyprus. It offers a variety of engineering programs, as well as faculties of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Humanities, and Education. The university is known for its strong infrastructure and expansive campus.
Atatürk University (Atatürk Üniversitesi)
A public university located in Erzurum in northeastern Turkey, founded in 1951. It has more than ninety thousand students and the second-largest campus in Turkey. The university offers a full range of disciplines, including Medicine, Dentistry, Humanities, and an Arabic language department, along with faculties of Law, Nursing, Economics, and Administrative Sciences.
Hacettepe University (Hacettepe Üniversitesi)
A public university located in Ankara, established in 1967. It has two large campuses and includes fifteen faculties with over one hundred and ten disciplines, accommodating more than thirty thousand students. The university offers courses in various languages, including English, French, and Turkish.
Dokuz Eylul University (Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi)
A public university founded in 1982, located in Izmir, western Turkey. It comprises more than thirteen faculties, in addition to institutes and graduate schools. The university teaches in both English and Turkish.
- Marmara University (Marmara Üniversitesi)
One of the largest and most prestigious public universities, established in 1982, located in the Asian part of Istanbul. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs in four languages: Turkish, French, English, and German. The university has over sixty thousand students and encompasses a wide range of disciplines.
Koç University (Koç Üniversitesi)
Koç University in Istanbul was established in 1993 as a private university by the world-renowned Vehbi Koç Foundation. It features over sixty buildings and has more than six faculties, offering over twenty undergraduate programs and more than thirty master’s programs.
Ranking of the Top 10 Turkish Universities Locally
We will rely on the ranking of universities based on academic performance, which has been developed by the Informatics Institute of the Middle East Technical University since 2010. This evaluation is based on scientific metrics,
particularly research performance indicators, including the number of articles, citations, total documents, total citation impact, and international collaboration.
Hacettepe University (Hacettepe Üniversitesi)
A public university located in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, established in 1967. It has two expansive campuses and includes fifteen faculties with over one hundred and ten disciplines, accommodating more than thirty thousand students. The university offers courses in various languages, including English, French, and Turkish.
Middle East Technical University (Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi)
A public university established in 1956, located in the Turkish capital, Ankara. It has an additional campus in Cyprus and offers a variety of engineering disciplines, as well as faculties of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Humanities, and Education. The university is known for its high-quality infrastructure and extensive campus.
Istanbul Technical University (İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi)
One of the oldest public universities in Turkey, it comprises thirteen faculties offering over forty undergraduate programs, along with six research institutes. The university features a large library with various books that support students in their respective fields, and it is located in Istanbul.
Istanbul University (Istanbul Üniversitesi)
One of the most prestigious and oldest universities globally, located in Istanbul. It is a public university in Turkey with over sixty thousand students, covering a wide range of disciplines at all educational levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate. It continues to attract students both locally and internationally
Koç University (Koç Üniversitesi)
Founded in 1993 in Istanbul as a private university by the world-renowned Vehbi Koç Foundation, it features more than sixty buildings and has over six faculties, offering more than twenty undergraduate programs and more than thirty master’s programs.
Ankara University (Ankara Üniversitesi)
Located in the Turkish capital, Ankara, this public university is known for the quality of its research, programs, and teaching staff. It boasts over one thousand professors and more than sixty-five thousand students, offering a variety of disciplines, including faculties of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, various Engineering fields, Communications, Political Science, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Educational Sciences.
Bogazici University (Bogaziçi Üniversitesi)
Known in Arabic as “جامعة بوغازجي,” meaning Bosphorus in Turkish, this public university is located in Istanbul. It was established in 1863 and officially designated as a university in 1971. Its library is one of the largest in Turkish universities, and it includes various faculties and disciplines, such as Engineering, Arts, Economics, Languages, and Institutes.
Ege University (Ege Üniversitesi)
Founded in 1956, this public university is located in Izmir and is considered one of Turkey’s leading universities. It comprises more than seventeen faculties offering various programs, including Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering, Education, Sports Sciences, Communications, and other disciplines.
Bilkent University (Bilkent Üniversitesi)
Bilkent University is one of the most prestigious and strongest private universities in Turkey, established in 1984 through a collaborative effort between the Dogramaci Educational Institutions for Science and Research. Located in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Bilkent University has a diverse faculty representing nearly forty countries from Europe, America, and Korea. It offers many faculties, including Business Administration, Arts, Design and Architecture, Economics and Administrative and Social Sciences, Engineering, and Applied Technology and Management, among others.
Gebze Technical University (Gebze Teknik Üniversitesi)
This is a public Turkish university located in Kocaeli, established in 1992. It has over six thousand students, and the language of instruction is Turkish and English. The university offers programs in Engineering and Management, Computer Science, Mathematics, Electronics Engineering, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the difficulties of studying in Turkey?
Studying in Turkish universities is not difficult in itself compared to studying in other universities, despite the scientific and methodological progress offered by these universities in the world.
Some Arab students find it difficult to reside in a country other than their country of origin, especially if they do not master the Turkish language and are studying in the preparatory year, so they need some time before integrating into Turkish society.
It is a somewhat difficult issue for a student to live alone and bear full responsibility, but over time students get used to student life and find it an opportunity to build their strong personalities and expand their cultural horizons.
Are certificates issued by Turkish universities recognized?
Yes, the certificates issued by Turkish universities are among the most powerful certificates in the world, and they provide their holders with opportunities to work and complete their studies in all European countries and other countries of the world.
What is the language of study in Turkish universities?
Students can choose the language of study in all private Turkish universities between English and Turkish.
Most Turkish universities offer educational courses to strengthen the English or Turkish language to strengthen the students’ linguistic level if the student’s English or Turkish language is weak.
How much does it cost to study medicine in Türkiye?
The cost of study is one of the most important issues that students care about before taking the step to study at any university. The cost of studying medicine in Turkey varies according to the university in which the student is accepted and according to the language in which he wishes to study, whether it is Turkish or English. However, university fees for medical colleges generally range. Between 16 thousand dollars as in Atlim University in the English language and 25 thousand dollars as in the University of Bahçeşehir in the English language. We also mention, for example:
The university fees for studying medicine at Altinbas University in the English language are about 20 thousand dollars.
The university fees for studying medicine at Istanbul Aydin University in English are about 22 thousand dollars.
The university fees for studying medicine at Astinya University in English are about $21,600.
The university fees for studying medicine at Istanbul Okan University in English are about $20,500.
Is it possible to study in Turkey without a high school diploma?
After the circumstances that the region went through, many students left their country for Turkey without obtaining a high school diploma, or that they had obtained it and could not prove it, so they look with interest to obtain the answer to this question:
But the correct answer, unfortunately, is no. The student wishing to study in Turkey, regardless of his nationality, must first obtain a high school diploma as a translated and certified secondary school certificate is one of the first documents required for admission to all Turkish universities.
