The Denklik Application Step by Step: Timeline, Fees, SYBS and STS

Contents

1. What is a denklik application for a foreign diploma?

2. Who needs YÖK diploma equivalence for graduate study?

3. How do you apply for denklik step by step?

4. Which documents does a denklik application require?

5. How long does YÖK diploma equivalence take?

6. What happens if YÖK refers your file to SYBS?

7. Does the denklik fee also cover the STS exam?

8. What should you do next with your foreign diploma?

9. Real-World Examples

10. Frequently Asked Questions

11. References

12. Legal Notice

Introduction

A denklik application is the request you file with Turkey's Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to have a foreign university diploma declared equivalent to a Turkish associate, bachelor's or master's degree. As of October 2026, applicants complete an online pre-application, pay a service fee set for the calendar year, present original documents by appointment, and may be referred to the Level and Competency Determination System (SYBS) or the Level Determination Exam (STS).

Searches for "diploma equivalence in Turkey" and "YÖK recognition" often blur two different documents, and the difference matters for graduate admission. This guide separates them, then covers the application, file stages, fees, SYBS and the STS.

The sources are official: the Regulation on Recognition and Equivalence of Foreign Higher Education Diplomas published on 5 December 2017, the frequently asked questions and application pages of the YÖK Department of Recognition and Equivalence Services, the YÖK 2026 Level Determination Exam Guide, and the SYBS procedures revised by the Higher Education Executive Board on 24 October 2023. Exam calendars and fees change every year, so treat every date below as a 2026 reference point rather than a permanent rule.

What is a denklik application for a foreign diploma?

A denklik application asks the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to decide whether a diploma from a foreign university matches a Turkish degree in field and level. The Regulation on Recognition and Equivalence of Foreign Higher Education Diplomas, published in the Official Gazette on 5 December 2017 (No. 30261) and amended since, including on 30 July 2019, sets the procedure for associate, bachelor's and master's diplomas.

A Certificate of Equivalence is the Council of Higher Education's formal determination of which Turkish qualification, in which field and at which level, a diploma obtained abroad corresponds to. YÖK's pages use the word denklik for both the certificate and the procedure. The word also appears in school-level procedures in Turkey; this guide covers only university diplomas evaluated by YÖK.

The 2017 Regulation separates two questions. Recognition is YÖK's acceptance that a foreign institution and its program are authorized to award academic degrees. Equivalence compares the learning outcomes of a specific diploma with the matching Turkish program. Recognition looks at the institution; equivalence looks at your degree.

According to Study in Türkiye, the official portal for international students, YÖK has provided recognition and equivalence services since 1983, in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention and Turkey's Higher Education Law. The YÖK Department of Recognition and Equivalence Services runs the procedure, and the final decision rests with the Council after a commission review.

Doctoral degrees are not listed in Article 1, so holders of a foreign PhD should check with YÖK directly.

The YÖK FAQ, accessed October 2026, adds that YÖK can issue a diploma equivalence certificate, stating field and level, or a graduation equivalence certificate, stating level, and that the two serve the same function in practice.

Who needs YÖK diploma equivalence for graduate study?

Not every international applicant needs a Certificate of Equivalence to apply for a master's or PhD in Turkey. Study in Türkiye, accessed October 2026, lists two main groups that need diploma equivalence: people who want to practice a profession on the basis of a foreign diploma, and people who want to pursue a master's or doctorate in health fields in Turkey.

For most other graduate programs, the document graduate schools ask foreign nationals for is recognition. A Certificate of Recognition is a document confirming that a higher education institution abroad, and the specific program attended there, appear among the institutions recognised by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK); it does not mean the diploma has been declared equivalent to a Turkish qualification. The YÖK FAQ states that no appointment is needed to obtain it, and YÖK's English information page lists it without a fee.

A graduate school is the academic unit within a Turkish university that runs graduate education and manages application and enrolment procedures. Each one sets its own document rules. The Dokuz Eylül University Graduate School of Social Sciences 2024–2025 Fall guide for international quotas is one example: foreign nationals apply with the recognition certificate, while Turkish citizens who studied abroad submit the diploma equivalence certificate before graduating. One guide is not a national rule.

Table 1. Recognition and equivalence documents issued by YÖK, compared by purpose (sources: YÖK FAQ and English information pages; Study in Türkiye; accessed October 2026)

How do you apply for denklik step by step?

The YÖK FAQ, accessed October 2026, describes the denklik application in three steps. First, gather the documents listed on YÖK's website for your country and degree. Second, complete the online pre-application, upload the documents and get an appointment. Third, attend the appointment in person with the original documents so YÖK staff can check them.

The online entry point depends on citizenship. According to Study in Türkiye, Turkish citizens apply through the e-Government Gateway (e-Devlet), while foreign nationals use YÖK's own online pre-application form. YÖK's Turkish-language application page adds that the printed pre-application form must be signed and placed in the file alongside the documents and the fee receipt.

Someone must attend in person, though it can be a legal representative. The YÖK English FAQ puts it this way:

Applications for diploma equivalence certificates should be made directly by the applicant or the applicant's legal representative. Postal applications are not considered officially.

— YÖK Department of Recognition and Equivalence Services, Frequently Asked Questions (English), accessed October 2026

The appointment takes place at YÖK in Ankara. YÖK's Turkish application page notes that staff check documents on the appointment day and hand back files that are incomplete, so a missing original can cost you the slot. The YÖK FAQ defines "original" strictly: the document must carry the issuing institution's wet signature and official seal. Photocopies and unsigned printouts are refused.

Once accepted, the file moves through review. The YÖK FAQ explains that applicants can follow its status on e-Devlet using their identity number; Table 2 in Section 5 explains the status labels.

Delivery of the result changed in 2024. According to the YÖK FAQ, certificates issued from 2024 onward are electronic. The applicant receives a verification code by email and retrieves the certificate through the document verification service on e-Devlet. Postal delivery is not offered for these electronic certificates.

Which documents does a denklik application require?

YÖK's English application page, accessed October 2026, lists a core set for every equivalence file: the pre-application form, a signed declaration of consent, identity documents, the original diploma, a transcript showing all courses taken, and the receipt for the service fee. Graduates of EU countries add the diploma supplement, and country-specific extras apply on top.

Prepare before booking the appointment:

• Complete, print and sign the online pre-application form

• Fill in and sign YÖK's declaration of consent, and for UK degrees also the consent form accepted by your university

• Obtain the original diploma bearing a wet signature and official seal

• Request a full transcript listing every course, its credits or hours, and the grade

• Add the diploma supplement if you graduated in an EU country

• Copy every passport page with entry and exit stamps and obtain an official entry-exit record

• Have Turkish translations approved by a Turkish notary or a Turkish diplomatic mission

• Keep the bank receipt for the service fee, with your name and the purpose written in the description

Digital documents need particular care. YÖK's Turkish application page states that diplomas, transcripts and supplements printed in color from a digital file, without a wet signature, seal, hologram or watermark, are not accepted. All photocopies submitted must be in color.

Passport records matter because, according to the YÖK FAQ, the preliminary review calculates time spent in the country of study from entry-exit records. Applicants are expected to have been present there during teaching periods for a duration comparable to the formal education period in Turkey.

Language can also enter the file. YÖK's Turkish application page asks for a language exam result of at least 60 points where the language of the program differs from the applicant's native language, from ÖSYM or an exam ÖSYM accepts as equivalent.

Some countries carry extra steps. YÖK's Turkish application page lists an apostille for Bulgarian and Ukrainian documents. An apostille is a certification attached to an official document that makes it valid in another country that is party to the Hague Convention. The same page lists extra verification steps for Iran and China. Applicants who completed a bachelor's degree abroad and are seeking master's equivalence must first obtain equivalence for that bachelor's degree, according to the same page.

How long does YÖK diploma equivalence take?

YÖK does not publish a fixed processing time for a denklik application. Its Turkish application page, accessed October 2026, states that the duration depends on the country of graduation, the type of program, correspondence with other institutions, and reviews by the Science Field Advisory Commission. Planning around stages works better than planning around one number.

The clock that applicants can control is the missing-documents window. Article 6 of the 2017 Regulation gives 30 days to complete missing documents, and the YÖK FAQ confirms that the file is returned if they do not arrive. The same FAQ says an extension may be granted when the applicant explains the delay in writing.

The status labels on e-Devlet appear in Turkish; the table gives their meaning in English.

Table 2. Denklik file status stages and what each means for the applicant (source: YÖK FAQ, accessed October 2026)

A referral to SYBS ties the timeline to fixed exam calendars. The YÖK 2026 Level Determination Exam Guide set the application period for Anadolu University's 2026 STS from 22 April to 4 May 2026, with late applications on 18–19 May, the exam on 14 June and results on 22 June 2026. An applicant who misses a window waits for the next administration. Health and teaching fields follow ÖSYM's calendar, which changes each year.

What happens if YÖK refers your file to SYBS?

A referral to SYBS means YÖK has found gaps, or has doubts, about how a foreign program compares with its Turkish equivalent. Under the 2017 Regulation and the SYBS procedures revised by the Higher Education Executive Board on 24 October 2023, YÖK can then require additional work or assessment before deciding on equivalence. The referral is a further step, not a final refusal.

According to Article 4 of the SYBS procedures, the methods available are:

• completing missing courses

• completing an internship

• carrying out a project

• doing clinical practice

• sitting an exam, most often the STS

The method depends on the field and on what the commission found missing. Course completion is time-limited under the SYBS procedures.

The exams are run by several institutions, which is where the general rule and institutional practice divide. YÖK's SYBS page, accessed October 2026, assigns them as follows. ÖSYM runs exams in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and teaching profession knowledge. Anadolu University runs exams in engineering fields, law, Turkish language and literature, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, occupational therapy, nursing, midwifery, veterinary medicine, nutrition and dietetics, and social work. Ankara University runs proficiency exams in nine languages that ÖSYM does not cover. YÖK itself carries out a scientific identity determination for candidates from countries affected by war, annexation or occupation.

Pass marks differ by assessment. The YÖK FAQ gives at least 40 out of 100 for the STS and 80 out of 100 for the language proficiency exam. The SYBS procedures set 50 out of 100 for scientific identity determination.

Two points help with planning. First, the STS can be taken voluntarily. Section 1.2 of the YÖK 2026 Level Determination Exam Guide allows candidates who have applied for equivalence but have no exam decision to apply on request, and the YÖK FAQ confirms this. Second, medical graduates referred to the clinical sciences STS have alternatives: the YÖK FAQ lists structured clinical exams, USMLE Step 3, PLAB Part 2, the AMC exam, MCCQE Part 2 and the German state examination. Anadolu University's STS sessions take place in Eskişehir, according to the 2026 guide.

Does the denklik fee also cover the STS exam?

No. The denklik service fee paid to YÖK and the STS exam fee are separate payments to separate institutions. YÖK sets its service fees each calendar year, and the 2026 STS guide sets a separate exam fee paid to Anadolu University. Keeping the two apart avoids paying one and assuming the other is covered.

YÖK's announcement of 25 December 2025 stated that the Higher Education Executive Board had approved the diploma equivalence application fees for 2026, valid from 1 January to 31 December 2026. The amounts appear on YÖK's application page and vary by year and type of request, so this guide does not quote them.

How you pay matters as much as what you pay. The YÖK FAQ asks applicants to transfer the fee to YÖK's bank account and write their name, surname and the purpose of the payment in the description field. YÖK's Turkish application page repeats that the description must show which request the fee is for.

Fees paid to YÖK are not refunded. The YÖK FAQ lists withdrawn applications, rejected applications and duplicate payments among the cases where no refund is made. A request for re-assessment carries its own fee, and so does a document confirming that a process is in progress, according to YÖK's English information page. A recognition certificate is listed without a fee.

Exam fees follow the exam operator's rules. The YÖK 2026 Level Determination Exam Guide states that candidates apply and pay through Anadolu University's online application system. Exams run by ÖSYM follow ÖSYM's own announcements and payment procedure. An applicant referred to the STS should therefore budget for two separate payments and two separate deadlines.

Paying for an equivalence application also does not produce a Certificate of Recognition, which is a separate document obtained through a separate route. Check which document your graduate school asks for before paying anything.

What should you do next with your foreign diploma?

The next step depends on why you need the document. If your graduate school asks foreign nationals only for a Certificate of Recognition, start there, since YÖK lists it without a fee or appointment. If you plan a health-field master's or PhD, intend to practice a profession, or are a Turkish citizen with a foreign degree, plan for full denklik.

A practical order of work:

1. Read the international admissions guide of every graduate school on your list and note whether it asks for recognition, equivalence, or both, and by which date.

2. Request the Certificate of Recognition where it is enough. The YÖK FAQ states that most countries' certificates come through e-Devlet, while graduates from TRNC, the USA, the Netherlands and Ukraine submit a petition.

3. If you need equivalence, collect originals, transcripts and entry-exit records first, because these take longest to obtain from abroad.

4. Arrange translations through a Turkish notary or a Turkish diplomatic mission, and apostilles where your country requires them.

5. Pay the YÖK service fee for the current calendar year, with the correct description, and keep the receipt.

6. Complete the pre-application, book the appointment and attend with every original.

7. Check the file status on e-Devlet and answer any missing-document notice within 30 days.

8. If your file is referred to SYBS, find the next STS application window at ÖSYM or the relevant university at once.

Timing matters most where exam calendars are involved. The Anadolu University STS took 2026 applications between 22 April and 4 May, so a referral arriving later can push the exam into the following year.

Rules and calendars change. Fees are approved for one calendar year at a time, and STS dates are set yearly by ÖSYM and the universities. Before each step, confirm the current version of the YÖK application page, the year's STS guide and your graduate school's admission guide. Nothing in this roadmap guarantees a particular decision; the outcome of each file rests with YÖK.

Real-World Examples

The examples in this section are illustrative scenarios created to explain situations applicants may encounter.

Amina: a recognition certificate was enough

Amina holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from a university in Kenya and wants a thesis-based master's in Turkey. She assumed she needed full denklik and began collecting entry-exit records. Reading the international admissions guide of her chosen graduate school, she found that foreign nationals apply with the Certificate of Recognition. She requested the certificate, which involved no appointment, and submitted her graduate application before the deadline. She kept her originals in order in case a later step, such as professional registration, ever calls for full equivalence.

Can: a Turkish citizen with a German degree

Can is a Turkish citizen who completed his bachelor's degree in Germany and was admitted to a master's program in Turkey. His graduate school's guide said Turkish citizens must submit a Diploma Equivalence Certificate before graduating. He applied through e-Devlet in his first semester, attached his diploma supplement as an EU graduate, and had translations approved by a Turkish notary. Starting early meant the equivalence review ran in parallel with his coursework and seminars rather than holding up his graduation at the end of the program.

Farid: referred to the STS after a medical degree

Farid studied medicine abroad and his denklik file showed the SYBS stage. His file required the clinical sciences STS. He checked the ÖSYM calendar and saw two medicine sessions a year, then reviewed the YÖK FAQ and found that a passed USMLE Step 3 or PLAB Part 2 could also be considered. He chose the next ÖSYM session, budgeted separately for the exam fee, and used the months before it to prepare with the sample questions that ÖSYM publishes on its website.

Elena: a missing transcript and a written extension

Elena's file moved to the missing-documents stage because her transcript lacked course hours. Her former university needed several weeks to issue a corrected original with a wet signature. Knowing about the 30-day window in the regulation, she wrote to YÖK straight away, explained the delay and attached the university's confirmation that a new transcript was on the way. She was given an extension, sent the corrected transcript as soon as it arrived, and her file moved on to commission review.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Mezun Kampüsü
Mezun Kampüsü is a platform that brings together the graduate programs, application calendars and academic announcements of universities in Turkey. Applicants with foreign diplomas can compare programs through Atlas, check what each graduate school asks for, follow application periods alongside their recognition or equivalence process, track current announcements from universities, and start a free application through the Universities section when they are ready.

Legal Notice

This article provides general information about the diploma equivalence (denklik) procedure of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and is not personal academic, legal or financial advice. The procedure is governed by the Regulation on Recognition and Equivalence of Foreign Higher Education Diplomas of 5 December 2017 and by procedures YÖK sets and updates over time. Fees are approved for each calendar year, exam calendars are set yearly by ÖSYM and the universities, and graduate admission conditions vary between universities and academic periods. Before applying, confirm current requirements with YÖK, the exam operator and your graduate school.