What is the YÖS exam and do I need to take it?
General information, not legal advice. For high-stakes decisions, confirm with the official institution in the next-step below, or consult a qualified Turkish lawyer.
Pending expert review. This fact is sourced but has not yet been reviewed by an independent legal expert. Treat as a starting point.
The TR-YÖS (Türkiye Yurt Dışından Öğrenci Kabul Sınavı) is the centralised admissions exam for international students. As of 2023, individual university YÖS exams at state institutions have been largely phased out and replaced by a single national TR-YÖS administered by ÖSYM (the national Assessment, Selection and Placement Center).
The exam structure:
- 80 questions total, split evenly: 40 Quantitative Reasoning + 40 Basic Mathematics
- 100 minutes total duration
- Conducted in 6 languages: Turkish, English, Arabic, French, Russian, German
- Administered across 88 testing centres in 60 countries — you don't need to travel to Türkiye to take it
- Two testing windows per year (spring + autumn)
- Scores remain valid for 2 years from the issue date
Not every university requires it. Many foundation (private) universities accept SAT, ACT, IB, German Abitur, French Baccalauréat, or GCE A-Levels in lieu of TR-YÖS. Check your target university's "International Students" page.
Watch-outs
- TR-YÖS replaced most independent university exams, but a few institutions publish their own minimum cut-offs on top of TR-YÖS. Boğaziçi University, for example, requires a minimum TR-YÖS score of 450 before considering an undergraduate file.
- Türkiye Bursları (YTB) does not require TR-YÖS. YTB applicants are evaluated through a separate pathway — see ytb-01.
- Registration is online via the ÖSYM portal. Late or incomplete registrations are disqualified with no grace period.
- The exam is language-neutral by design — heavy on logic and mathematics, light on Turkish-language reading. This is an advantage if your English or Turkish is still developing.
Next step
Register on the ÖSYM portal (osym.gov.tr) for the next testing window. Then check the "International Students" page of every university on your shortlist to confirm whether they require TR-YÖS, an international equivalent, or both.
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