University & program selection advice | Rafiq

Why does choosing the right university and major from the start matter?

Choosing a university and major is not a decision that can easily be corrected after applying. Every Turkish university, whether public or private, sets its own criteria for admitting international students, and these criteria differ in terms of accepted certificates, equivalency of the prior secondary or university certificate, language requirements, and the conditions of the major itself. Choosing a university or major that does not match the student's academic background or career goals can mean wasting an entire application season, or later having to transfer major or university after losing time and effort that could have been saved had the decision been built from the start on accurate and comprehensive information.

The question of certificate equivalency and the extent to which admission requirements match also varies noticeably between universities, and sometimes between different majors within the same university, which makes applying at random to multiple institutions without prior research a step riskier than it first appears.

What factors affect choosing the right university and major?

• Prior academic background and its equivalency status: the type of secondary or university certificate the student holds and how well it matches the admission requirements and Turkey's certificate equivalency system
• Long-term career goals: how closely the chosen major connects to the career path the student aspires to after graduation, and the job opportunities or further study linked to it
• Language of instruction in the program: some programs are taught entirely in Turkish, others in English or bilingually, which directly affects the language requirements and preparation the student needs
• Accreditation of the program and university: the extent of official recognition of the program and university within Turkey and abroad, a factor especially important for students planning to work or study in another country later

Frequently asked questions

Are admission requirements similar across all Turkish universities? No. Admission requirements vary significantly between public and private universities, and even between different programs within the same university, in terms of accepted certificates and their equivalency, language requirements, and application procedures.

Why isn't applying to as many universities as possible the safest option? Because each application requires time, effort, and meeting different requirements, and applying at random without matching the student's academic background and career goals to each institution's requirements can waste the chance at universities that were actually a better fit, rather than focusing on the most compatible options from the start.

Last updated: 2026-09-07