Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Turkey for 2027

Contents

• What counts as a fully funded master’s scholarship in Turkey?

• Which fully funded options exist, and how do they compare?

• Who is eligible for Türkiye Scholarships at master’s level?

• How do you prepare a Türkiye Scholarships application?

• What does each funding route actually cover?

• Which funding route suits which applicant?

• Which Turkish scholarship programs are closed to international students?

• How should you plan for the 2027 application cycle?

• Real-World Examples

• Frequently Asked Questions

• References

• Legal Notice

Introduction

Fully funded master’s scholarships in Turkey for 2027 are offered mainly by Türkiye Scholarships and by individual universities. Türkiye Scholarships, run by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), lists tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation, health insurance, a one-time flight ticket and Turkish language instruction among its benefits. University packages vary, and applications for the government program have opened each year on January 10.

This article answers the questions international applicants ask most often: which fully funded options exist, what each covers, who qualifies, and when to apply. It draws on official sources only — YTB announcements, the Türkiye Scholarships website, the Türkiye Scholarships Regulation, Council of Higher Education (YÖK) statistics, and the published graduate scholarship pages of universities such as Sabancı University.

Demand is high. YTB reported on February 26, 2026 that the 2026 cycle drew nearly 200,000 applications, while the program awards about 5,000 new scholarships a year, according to YTB. Calendars, quotas and benefit packages can change from one cycle to the next, so dates in this article reflect official information as of October 2026. Mezun Kampüsü tracks graduate programs and university announcements in Turkey, which makes it easier to follow those changes as the 2027 cycle approaches.

What counts as a fully funded master’s scholarship in Turkey?

A fully funded master’s scholarship in Turkey is a funding award that covers tuition and the main costs of living for the normal length of a master’s program, rather than tuition alone. In Turkey, the term is used most often for Türkiye Scholarships and for university packages that combine a tuition waiver with a monthly stipend, housing and health insurance.

A fully funded scholarship is a funding award that covers a student’s tuition together with the main costs of living, such as a monthly stipend, accommodation and health insurance, for the standard duration of the program.

The phrase “fully funded” is not a legal category in Turkish regulation. The Türkiye Scholarships Regulation, published in the Official Gazette on June 17, 2014 and amended on July 30, 2021, does not use it. Instead, Article 4 of the regulation lists the payment types the program may provide: a monthly stipend, accommodation support, tuition contribution payments, Turkish language instruction payments, health insurance payments and transport costs, plus academic, social and cultural support set by YTB.

Universities use the term more loosely. A package described as “full” by one graduate school may include a dormitory place, while another may cover tuition and a stipend but leave housing to the student. For that reason, the useful question is not whether a scholarship is labeled fully funded, but which of the following items it includes:

• Full exemption from tuition fees for the standard program length

• A monthly stipend paid for a defined number of months

• Accommodation, either a dormitory place or housing support

• Health insurance for the duration of study

• Travel to Turkey, usually a one-time flight ticket

• Turkish language instruction, where the program is taught in Turkish

Amounts are not given in this guide. Stipend levels and fees vary by program, university and academic year, and they are set by each funder.

A master’s degree in Turkey is delivered through a graduate school. A graduate school is the academic unit within a Turkish university that runs graduate education and manages application and enrolment procedures. Funding offered directly by a university is decided by its graduate school, usually during the admission evaluation itself.

Which fully funded options exist, and how do they compare?

International applicants seeking a fully funded master’s in Turkey for 2027 have two main routes: Türkiye Scholarships, the national government program, and merit-based packages offered by individual universities. A third, narrower route is a stipend attached to a funded research project. Each route has a different application channel and timetable.

Türkiye Scholarships is described by YTB as “a public higher education scholarship program administered by the Republic of Türkiye.” The program was branded under its current name in 2012 and is coordinated by YTB. One feature sets it apart from most national scholarships: YTB states that “it provides university and department placements.” In practice, applicants list program preferences on one platform, and admission and funding are decided together.

University packages work differently. Applicants apply to a graduate school’s master’s program, and funding is decided as part of admission. Sabancı University’s graduate scholarship page, for the 2026–2027 academic year, states that admission and scholarship decisions are “based on academic merit” and are made during the evaluation process.

Project-funded stipends come from research grants held by faculty members. Sabancı University lists external funders such as the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), industry partners and non-governmental organizations as possible sources. Availability depends on whether a supervisor has an active project.

Table 1. Fully funded master’s routes in Turkey compared by applicant-facing criteria (official sources, accessed October 2026)

Sources: Türkiye Scholarships website (criteria and calendar pages), YTB International Students page, Sabancı University graduate scholarships page.

Who is eligible for Türkiye Scholarships at master’s level?

To apply for a Türkiye Scholarships master’s award, candidates must be under 30 and have a minimum academic achievement of 75%, according to the Türkiye Scholarships criteria page accessed in October 2026. Citizens of all countries may apply. Turkish citizens and people who have lost Turkish citizenship are excluded, and so are students already enrolled at a Turkish university at the level they are applying for.

The 75% threshold is an academic achievement percentage, not an exam score. It applies to graduate candidates as a group, so the same minimum is listed for master’s and doctoral applicants. For comparison, the criteria page sets the age limit for doctoral candidates at under 35 and for research scholarships at under 50.

Final-year students can apply. The criteria page includes candidates who “will graduate at the end of the current academic year (before August),” and the Türkiye Scholarships brochure notes that a diploma or temporary graduation certificate is not required at application for candidates in their final year.

Meeting the minimums does not mean an applicant is likely to receive an award. YTB reported nearly 200,000 applications for the 2026 cycle and lists about 5,000 new scholarships a year. Dividing those two YTB figures gives roughly 2.5 awards per 100 applications. This is a derived figure, and it combines all study levels, so the ratio for master’s applicants alone is not published.

YTB’s own account of the 2026 cycle shows the scale of the evaluation process:

By receiving over 200,000 applications, we have achieved a massive record in the history of Türkiye Scholarships.
— Abdulhadi Turus, President of YTB, February 26, 2026

In the same YTB announcement, the president described the steps that follow the deadline: desk-based review of all files, then interviews held in candidates’ home countries. The Türkiye Scholarships calendar places evaluation in March and April and interviews between April and June. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed in more than 100 countries, according to YTB.

Eligibility can be narrower for some programs. Certain master’s programs ask for international tests such as the GRE or GMAT, or for a language certificate, and the Türkiye Scholarships brochure lists these as documents required “if the program requires them.”

How do you prepare a Türkiye Scholarships application?

A Türkiye Scholarships application is prepared online on the program’s own platform and submitted free of charge during the annual window, which the official calendar publishes as January 10 to February 20. Preparation is mostly document work: identity, academic records, test results and a statement explaining the applicant’s plans. Most items can be gathered before the platform opens.

The Türkiye Scholarships brochure lists the documents below. Requirements tied to a specific program, such as the GRE or a language score, apply only when that program asks for them.

• Check that your passport or national identity card will remain valid through the application period

• Take a recent passport-style photograph that meets the platform’s upload rules

• Request your diploma, or a temporary graduation certificate if you have already graduated

• Request official transcripts showing your academic achievement percentage or grade point average

• Gather any national exam results you hold from your home country

• Book international tests such as the GRE or GMAT only if a chosen program requires them

• Book a language test early enough for results to arrive before February 20

• Shortlist master’s programs in Atlas and confirm each program’s language of instruction

Program choices matter as much as documents. Because Türkiye Scholarships places successful candidates at a university and department, the preferences listed on the platform decide where an award holder may study. The brochure does not state how many preferences are allowed, so applicants should confirm the limit on the platform when it opens.

Language of instruction is the second point to plan. Under Article 15 of the Türkiye Scholarships Regulation, award holders receive Turkish language instruction in their first year. Applicants who prove the required level of Turkish with a valid document are exempt, and those placed in programs taught in a foreign language may, if YTB approves, start their program directly and present a Turkish proficiency document before completing their studies.

The Turkish language year has practical consequences for timing. A master’s program that normally lasts two years may take three years from arrival when the language year is included. The brochure itself is inconsistent here, listing a one-year course in one place and an eight-month course ending in June in another, so the regulation is the safer reference.

What does each funding route actually cover?

Coverage differs by funding route. Türkiye Scholarships lists a monthly stipend, tuition, accommodation, health insurance, a one-time flight ticket, a Turkish language course, and cultural and academic programs. Sabancı University’s graduate packages for 2026–2027 list tuition exemption, a monthly stipend, dormitory housing and private health insurance for most tiers. Other universities publish their own packages.

The Türkiye Scholarships brochure presents its benefits as one bundle. University placement is also listed as a benefit, because YTB arranges admission on the award holder’s behalf. The regulation gives YTB discretion over which benefits apply: Article 8 states that YTB decides which facilities are provided, naming education, accommodation, transport, health costs and the monthly stipend as examples.

University packages are often tiered. Sabancı University states that “almost all students admitted to Sabancı University’s academic graduate programs (except professional graduate programs) receive full exemption from annual tuition fees.” Its page also distinguishes master’s and doctoral stipend rates, offers a shared dormitory room to master’s students in most tiers, and lists a transportation allowance for students who do not live in the dormitory.

Table 2. What each funding route lists as covered (official sources, accessed October 2026)

Sources: Türkiye Scholarships brochure; Türkiye Scholarships Regulation, Articles 4 and 8; Sabancı University graduate scholarships page.

Duties are the column worth checking most carefully. Some university packages may attach teaching or research assistance to the stipend, while others may carry no duties. The Sabancı University page does not mention assistantship duties, so applicants to any university should ask the graduate school directly what is expected in return for funding.

Which funding route suits which applicant?

The right funding route depends on four factors: how flexible you are about the university, whether you want to study in Turkish or English, whether you can spare a language year, and how far you are from graduation. Türkiye Scholarships suits applicants open to placement anywhere in Turkey. University packages suit applicants who have already chosen a specific program or supervisor.

Türkiye Scholarships fits an applicant who values the full bundle, including housing and a Turkish language year, and who can accept that YTB decides the final placement from the listed preferences. Final-year undergraduates also fit well, because the annual window falls in the winter before graduation and results are announced in early August, according to the Türkiye Scholarships calendar.

A university package fits an applicant with a clear academic target. If a specific research group or English-taught program matters most, applying directly gives more control over where you study. The trade-off is that benefits, timelines and duties differ from one graduate school to another, and applicants must compare offers themselves.

A research project stipend fits applicants in science and engineering fields who have already contacted a potential supervisor. Availability depends on active grants, so this route is less predictable from year to year.

Applicants can pursue both main routes in the same year. Whether a university offer can be combined with a Türkiye Scholarships application is a separate question, and the rules on holding more than one scholarship are set by each funder.

Applicants who are already living and studying in Turkey face a different picture. Students enrolled at a Turkish university at the level they want to apply for are excluded from Türkiye Scholarships at that level, according to the criteria page, so this group should look at university-based funding first.

Which Turkish scholarship programs are closed to international students?

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) 2215 Graduate Scholarship Programme for International Students was repealed, according to a TÜBİTAK announcement dated October 16, 2015. TÜBİTAK stated that the program will not be open to applications and directed international students to Türkiye Scholarships. As of October 2026, program 2215 could still be found on third-party scholarship listings.

The confusion is understandable. TÜBİTAK’s earlier announcement for program 2215, dated January 10, 2014, described a scholarship for international students seeking a graduate degree in Turkey, with a monthly stipend, a health insurance allowance and tuition support. That page is still online, which helps explain why the program continues to appear in scholarship lists. The 2015 announcement repealed program 2215 together with program 2235, the Graduate Scholarship Programme for Least Developed Countries.

TÜBİTAK continues to run domestic graduate scholarships under its Science Fellowships and Grant Programmes Department (BİDEB), but these generally target Turkish citizens. The call for program 2211-A, published for the second period of 2026, sets the condition of being a Turkish citizen or a holder of the Blue Card defined in Law No. 5901 on Turkish Citizenship. Applicants who hold neither status cannot apply to program 2211-A directly.

International students can still benefit from TÜBİTAK funding in an indirect way. When a faculty member holds a TÜBİTAK-funded research project, the project budget may support graduate students, and Sabancı University lists TÜBİTAK among the external sources of its project-funded scholarships. Whether an international student can join a specific project depends on the project’s terms and the university.

Two other points are often confused:

The first is the difference between Türkiye Scholarships and the Success Scholarship. The Success Scholarship is a separate YTB program for international students who have already completed at least one academic year in Turkey, according to an archived Türkiye Scholarships announcement from November 2020, and the Türkiye Scholarships calendar gives it a separate application window in October and November. The Success Scholarship is not a route into a first master’s program from abroad.

The second is the meaning of “full.” A full tuition waiver is not the same as full funding. Sabancı University’s graduate scholarship page, for example, separates tuition exemption from the stipend, housing and insurance items, and notes that some awards cover partial rather than full tuition. Table 2 shows the items worth checking in any offer.

How should you plan for the 2027 application cycle?

Planning for a 2027 start begins well before the platform opens. The Türkiye Scholarships calendar publishes an annual window of January 10 to February 20, evaluation in March and April, interviews from April to June, results in early August and arrival in Turkey in September. As of October 2026, YTB had not published a separate 2027 calendar.

The sequence below follows the published annual calendar. The months are planning estimates for a 2027–2028 start and should be checked against YTB announcements once the 2027 cycle is confirmed.

1. October to December 2026: shortlist master’s programs, confirm their language of instruction and request transcripts and diploma documents.

2. October to December 2026: book any required language test or international test such as the GRE, so results arrive before the deadline.

3. From January 10, 2027, if the published calendar is followed: complete the Türkiye Scholarships application and list program preferences.

4. In parallel: check the graduate school pages of chosen universities for spring application periods and university funding.

5. By February 20, 2027, if the published calendar is followed: submit the Türkiye Scholarships application.

6. April to June 2027: prepare for an interview if shortlisted.

7. Early August 2027: check results, then compare any university offers before accepting.

8. September 2027: arrival for award holders, according to the published calendar.

University calendars do not follow one national schedule. Each graduate school sets its own application periods and announces them on its own pages. The quota for international applicants is set separately: an international student quota is the application quota reserved for international students in higher education programs, separate from the general quota.

The steps after results are short. The Türkiye Scholarships calendar places initial procedures for award holders in August and their transfer to Turkey in September, which leaves about one month between results and arrival. Applicants holding a university offer at the same time should plan to decide within that window.

Rules can change between cycles, and the Türkiye Scholarships Regulation itself was amended on July 30, 2021, seven years after its 2014 publication. Applicants should treat this plan as a starting point and confirm each step against YTB and university announcements before acting on it.

Real-World Examples

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

Amina, a final-year engineering student

Amina is in the last year of a civil engineering degree and will graduate in June. She wants a fully funded master’s in Turkey but does not yet hold her diploma. She learns that the Türkiye Scholarships criteria include candidates who will graduate before August, and that a temporary graduation certificate is not required at application for final-year students. She applies in the January to February window with her transcripts, lists English-taught programs as her preferences, and also prepares a direct application to two university graduate schools in spring. Having both routes in progress gives her a choice in August instead of a single result.

Daniel, interested in one research group

Daniel has read papers by a materials science group at a private university in Istanbul and wants to work with that team specifically. A Türkiye Scholarships placement could send him to a different university, so he contacts the professor first. The professor explains that the graduate school decides funding at admission and that one active project may support a student. Daniel applies directly, asks the graduate school in writing whether the package includes housing and what research duties are attached, and keeps Türkiye Scholarships as a second application in case the project position is filled.

Leila, applying to a Turkish-taught program

Leila wants a master’s in Turkish literature and does not speak Turkish yet. She is concerned that the language requirement will rule her out. Reading the Türkiye Scholarships Regulation, she learns that award holders receive Turkish language instruction in their first year, with exemptions only for those who already prove the required level. She plans for a three-year timeline rather than two, shares this with her employer at home, and starts an online beginner course in the fall so the language year builds on some foundation.

Tomas, who saw program 2215 listed online

Tomas finds a scholarship website listing the TÜBİTAK 2215 program with a spring deadline. Before preparing documents, he checks TÜBİTAK’s own site and finds the 2015 announcement repealing the program. He redirects his effort to Türkiye Scholarships and to the graduate scholarship pages of three universities. He also notes that program 2211-A requires Turkish citizenship or the Blue Card, so he does not spend time on it. Checking the official source first saved him several weeks of work, and he keeps a short list of funder websites to verify any new listing he finds.

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 comparing fully funded master’s options can explore programs and their languages of instruction through Atlas, follow university application periods alongside scholarship deadlines, track announcements from graduate schools, and start a free application through the Universities section. Program pages show the language of instruction and the graduate school responsible, which helps when preparing scholarship preferences.

Legal Notice

This article provides general information about fully funded master’s scholarships for international students in Turkey. It is not personal academic, legal or financial advice. Scholarship rules, application calendars, eligibility criteria and benefit packages can change between cycles, and university and program conditions vary by academic year. The Türkiye Scholarships program operates under the Türkiye Scholarships Regulation, published in the Official Gazette on June 17, 2014 and amended on July 30, 2021. Before applying or accepting an award, confirm all details with YTB, the Türkiye Scholarships website and the graduate school of the university concerned.