Hacettepe University Master’s Programs in English: Fees and Admission

Contents

1. Which Hacettepe master’s programs are taught in English?

2. Who can apply to an English-taught Hacettepe master’s?

3. How do you apply to a Hacettepe graduate school?

4. Which documents does a Hacettepe application need?

5. How do Hacettepe’s graduate schools differ for international applicants?

6. How are tuition fees set for international master’s students?

7. Do English-taught programs still need a Turkish certificate?

8. What should you do next, and when?

9. Real-World Examples

10. Frequently Asked Questions

11. References

12. Legal Notice

Introduction

Hacettepe University in Ankara offers a small number of master’s programs in English alongside a much larger Turkish-medium catalog. Admission runs through separate graduate schools, each with its own rules on exams, English scores, Turkish certificates and diploma recognition. Tuition for international graduate students is charged each semester and is calculated from each program’s current service cost. Always check the specific program page before applying.

This guide is for international applicants weighing a master’s in English at Hacettepe, whether a master’s with thesis or a non-thesis program. It answers six practical questions: which programs are English-medium, who is eligible, how the application runs, which documents are needed, how the graduate schools differ, and how fees work. The information comes from Hacettepe University’s official graduate school pages, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Regulation on Graduate Education and Training of 20 April 2016, and the Presidential Decision on 2026–2027 fees published in the Official Gazette on 15 August 2026.

As of October 2026, the Graduate School of Social Sciences lists 64 master’s program entries, and the Graduate School of Science and Engineering lists 39 graduate program entries. Application calendars, quotas and fee tables are reissued every semester, so dates in this guide describe the 2026–2027 Fall admission round. Mezun Kampüsü tracks these announcements, but the graduate school’s own page always has the final word.

Which Hacettepe master’s programs are taught in English?

Hacettepe University does not publish one combined list of English-taught master’s programs. The language of instruction is shown program by program. On the Graduate School of Social Sciences catalog, Economics (Eng.) is the only one of 64 master’s entries labeled English as of October 2026. Some departments in other graduate schools, such as Civil Engineering, state on their own pages that the master’s is taught in English.

A graduate school is the academic unit within a Turkish university that runs graduate education and manages application and enrolment procedures. Hacettepe has several. The three most relevant for international master’s applicants are the Graduate School of Social Sciences, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering and the Graduate School of Health Sciences.

The Department of Civil Engineering states on its Master of Science page, accessed 27 October 2026, that its master’s program is taught in English. The Graduate School of Science and Engineering catalog lists 26 departments and 13 specializations, but the catalog itself does not mark a language for any of them. That means a program’s language has to be checked on the department page or in the course catalog, not on the graduate school list.

The Graduate School of Health Sciences page for international students says that “graduate courses and research programs are offered in English”. That page does not say every health sciences program is fully English-medium, and the separate Health Sciences requirements page still asks for a Turkish certificate in most cases. Treat the statement as a sign that English-language study is possible, then confirm the language with the department.

Two program types exist at master’s level. A master’s with thesis is a graduate program completed through coursework and the preparation of a thesis. A master’s without thesis is a coursework-focused graduate program completed with a term project instead of a thesis. At Hacettepe, the Social Sciences catalog lists 21 non-thesis entries out of 64, so most of its master’s options carry a thesis.

In practice, the safest route is to shortlist by field first, then confirm the language of instruction in two places: the department’s master’s page and Hacettepe’s Bologna course catalog. If the two disagree, ask the graduate school’s student affairs office before applying.

Who can apply to an English-taught Hacettepe master’s?

An international student is a person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Turkey and who is admitted to a higher education institution under international student status. At Hacettepe, international applicants to a master’s generally need a completed bachelor’s degree in a field approved by the department, a graduate exam score, an English score and, in many programs, a Turkish certificate. Exact minimum scores are set by each department.

The bachelor’s degree is the starting point. The Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Graduate School of Health Sciences both state that the degree must come from a program recommended by the departmental academic board and approved by the graduate school board. Applicants still finishing their degree can usually apply with a letter confirming expected graduation, according to the Health Sciences application page of the 2026–2027 Fall round.

ALES is the centralised examination administered by the Student Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM) and used in applications to graduate programs and in academic staff recruitment in Turkey. Hacettepe’s graduate schools accept GRE or GMAT scores in place of ALES, converted through published tables. The Science and Engineering page states that ALES scores remain valid for five years.

The YÖK Regulation on Graduate Education and Training of 20 April 2016 allows each university senate to set its own admission procedures for foreign nationals and for applicants who completed their whole bachelor’s degree abroad. That is why rules differ between Hacettepe’s graduate schools.

Sources for the table: Graduate School of Social Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Engineering and Graduate School of Health Sciences application pages, all accessed 27 October 2026.

How do you apply to a Hacettepe graduate school?

Hacettepe graduate applications are made online through BİLSİS, the university’s student information system, during a short window announced in each graduate school’s academic calendar. After the online form, shortlisted applicants sit an entrance assessment such as an interview or written test, results are posted on the graduate school website, and successful candidates complete final registration on the dates the graduate school announces.

BİLSİS is Hacettepe University’s online student information system, used for graduate applications, course registration and fee payments. The Graduate School of Social Sciences states the rule plainly.

Applications to all Hacettepe University Graduate School programmes must be submitted online.
— Hacettepe University Graduate School of Social Sciences, Application Requirements and Necessary Documents, accessed 27 October 2026

The window is short. For the 2026–2027 Fall second admission, the Graduate School of Health Sciences accepted applications from 1 September 2026 at 09:00 to 3 September 2026 at 17:00. The same page limited each applicant to a maximum of three programs and asked for the grade point average to be entered on a 100-point scale.

The entrance stage follows within days or weeks. For the 2026–2027 Fall first admission, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering announced on 2 July 2026 that graduate admission interviews would take place on 14, 16 and 17 July 2026. Results were posted on its application system from 21 July 2026, according to a graduate school notice of 20 July 2026.

Final registration closes the process. The Graduate School of Social Sciences reported that final registration for the second admission period took place on 14–15 September 2026 and that all main-list candidates registered, so no waiting-list registration was held.

Hacettepe usually runs more than one admission round. The Health Sciences and Social Sciences pages for 2026–2027 both refer to a first and a second admission period, and spring-semester rounds also appear in graduate school archives. Each round has its own quota table, so a program missing from one round may reappear in the next.

Which documents does a Hacettepe application need?

A Hacettepe master’s application generally needs a bachelor’s diploma or proof of expected graduation, an original transcript, an ALES, GRE or GMAT result, an English score report, a passport copy, a photograph and, where required, a Turkish certificate and a YÖK recognition or equivalence document. The Graduate School of Science and Engineering also asks for a signed registration and exam entry form printed after the online application.

Document format matters as much as content. The Graduate School of Social Sciences accepts transcripts in English or Turkish, asks for the issuer’s name or seal, and accepts only PDF uploads. The Graduate School of Science and Engineering states that uploaded documents “must either be the originals or certified copies” and must be readable, clear and complete.

For applicants who studied outside Turkey, two YÖK documents come up. 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. 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.

Hacettepe pages call the first one the “YÖK Recognition Document”. Which of the two is needed depends on the graduate school, as Section 5 of this guide explains.

• Download your official transcript as a PDF showing the issuer’s name or seal

• Convert a 4-point average with the YÖK conversion table, not your own calculation

• Check that your ALES, GRE or GMAT score falls within its five-year validity

• Book an English exam early enough for results to arrive before the window opens

• Confirm with the department whether two reference letters are required

• Apply to YÖK for recognition or equivalence before final registration

• Scan your passport on A4 and prepare a JPG photograph

• Print and sign the registration and exam entry form after submitting online

Reference letters are not universal. The Social Sciences and Science and Engineering pages both say only certain departments ask for two letters and that no fixed template exists. Contacting the department before the window opens avoids a late scramble.

How do Hacettepe’s graduate schools differ for international applicants?

Hacettepe’s graduate schools differ mainly on three points: whether an English-taught program removes the Turkish certificate requirement, whether a YÖK recognition document is enough or a full equivalence certificate is needed, and how flexible the graduate exam rule is for non-thesis programs. The YÖK graduate regulation of 20 April 2016 leaves admission procedures for international applicants to each university senate.

The Turkish certificate rule shows the clearest split. As of October 2026, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering exempts programs taught in a foreign language. The Graduate School of Social Sciences names exemptions only for International Relations and Economics (English) at thesis master’s and doctoral level. The Graduate School of Health Sciences waives the certificate only when the program is taught in the applicant’s native language.

Diploma recognition also varies. The Social Sciences page lets applicants apply with a YÖK Recognition Document, and asks for an equivalence certificate only from Clinical Psychology applicants who studied abroad. The Health Sciences requirements page asks international applicants for a diploma equivalency certificate approved by YÖK. The Science and Engineering page accepts a recognition document while equivalence is pending, but warns that registration becomes invalid if YÖK does not approve the equivalence.

Sources for the table: application requirement pages of the three graduate schools, accessed 27 October 2026.

A fourth unit shows how strict a Turkish-medium program can be. The 2026–2027 Fall second-admission conditions of the Atatürk İlkeleri ve İnkılâp Tarihi Enstitüsü, Hacettepe’s institute for modern Turkish history, require a C1 Turkish certificate from every international applicant and count 20% of the bachelor’s grade point average in the evaluation.

How are tuition fees set for international master’s students?

International master’s students at Hacettepe pay a tuition fee every semester as part of registration renewal. According to the Graduate School of Health Sciences fee page, the fee is calculated from each program’s current service cost, a benchmark set nationally by Presidential Decision, and English-taught programs have their own line in the fee table. Amounts change every academic year, so the graduate school’s current table is the only reliable figure.

The national framework for 2026–2027 is the Presidential Decision No. 11625 on contribution fees and tuition fees in higher education institutions, published in the Official Gazette No. 33341 on 15 August 2026. The Decision states that tuition for students enrolling within quotas for admission from abroad is determined by the higher education institutions themselves. It also allows a university’s executive board to charge less, within a limit tied to its international student numbers.

Hacettepe applies that framework through its own board decisions. The International Student Office announced a fee update adopted by the Hacettepe University Executive Board under decision number 2024-1211, effective from 8 August 2024. Each graduate school then publishes the semester’s fee table on its own site.

Payment works the same way across the graduate schools. The Health Sciences page states that wire transfers and EFT are not accepted and recommends card payment through BİLSİS. It adds that “Students whose program registration is not approved are considered unregistered”, which makes timely payment part of keeping student status.

Some nationalities are covered by special provisions in the Presidential Decision, such as students from countries with which YÖK has signed a protocol. Whether a provision applies to a specific Hacettepe master’s should be confirmed with the graduate school before registration, not assumed from a news report.

Do English-taught programs still need a Turkish certificate?

Often, yes. An English-taught Hacettepe master’s does not automatically remove the Turkish certificate requirement. The Graduate School of Science and Engineering exempts foreign-language programs, but the Graduate School of Social Sciences names only two exempt programs, and the Graduate School of Health Sciences exempts only programs taught in the applicant’s native language. The rule depends on the graduate school, not on the language of the program.

TÖMER is the common name for the Turkish language teaching centres attached to Turkish universities, which provide Turkish courses and issue certificates of Turkish proficiency. Hacettepe’s graduate schools ask for a TÖMER certificate at C1 level, which is an advanced level on the common European scale.

The confusion is understandable. Program portals and some graduate school pages describe courses as being in English, and the Graduate School of Health Sciences page for international students states that graduate courses and research programs are offered in English. Yet the Health Sciences requirements page says the C1 requirement “is not sought for programs taught in the applicant’s native language”. For a native English speaker applying to an English-taught health program, the exemption may apply. For an applicant whose native language is Arabic, Persian or French, the same program may still require the certificate.

The Graduate School of Science and Engineering is more direct. Its application page says the TÖMER certificate is “Not necessary for programs which gives education in foreign languages.” The Graduate School of Social Sciences takes a third approach, listing International Relations and Economics (English) as the exceptions at thesis master’s and doctoral level.

A practical reading follows. Before booking a Turkish exam, find the program’s language on the department page, then read the Turkish certificate rule of that program’s graduate school. If the two still leave doubt, the graduate school’s student affairs office can confirm in writing. That written answer is worth keeping, because rules are restated every semester.

Learning some Turkish can still help where no certificate is required. Hacettepe’s International Relations and Protocols Office supports international students with accommodation, health insurance and residence permit questions, but everyday life in Ankara is easier with basic Turkish.

What should you do next, and when?

The next step is to fix a target admission round, usually Fall, and work backwards from it. Exam scores, translations and YÖK applications take weeks, while Hacettepe application windows can last only three days. Start by confirming the program’s language and Turkish certificate rule, then prepare documents, then watch the graduate school calendar for the exact dates.

Hacettepe announces each round on the graduate school websites, not through a single university page. In 2026, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering published its Fall application requirements on 11 June 2026, and the Graduate School of Social Sciences published its 2026–2027 academic calendar on 23 April 2026. Checking each graduate school site from spring onward gives time to react.

A student residence permit is the residence permit granted to a foreign national studying in Turkey, allowing them to remain in the country for the duration of their studies. Planning for it begins once admission is confirmed, through the Presidency of Migration Management. Hacettepe’s International Relations and Protocols Office provides guidance on accommodation, health insurance and residence permits.

• Choose two or three Hacettepe master’s programs and confirm the language of instruction on each department page.

• Read the Turkish certificate and recognition rules of each program’s graduate school.

• Take or renew ALES, GRE or GMAT and an English exam so both scores are valid at the application deadline.

• Start the YÖK recognition or equivalence application early.

• Note the online window, entrance assessment and final registration dates as soon as the calendar appears.

• Check the semester’s fee table and payment method before final registration.

Study length also shapes planning. Under Article 7 of the YÖK Regulation on Graduate Education and Training, a master’s with thesis lasts four semesters excluding any scientific preparation period, and must be completed within six semesters at most. Rules and calendars can change between semesters, so recheck every requirement against the graduate school page in the month you apply.

Real-World Examples

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

Each scenario below describes a common situation at Hacettepe graduate schools and a path the applicant can consider. Names are invented, and the situations combine rules from the official graduate school pages cited in this guide.

Amina and the engineering master’s

Amina holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Kenya and wants a master’s taught in English. She finds that the Hacettepe Department of Civil Engineering teaches its Master of Science in English and that the Graduate School of Science and Engineering does not require a Turkish certificate for foreign-language programs. Her remaining concern is diploma recognition. She applies to YÖK for equivalence early and uses the recognition document to apply while the decision is pending. She notes that registration depends on YÖK approving equivalence, so she follows the YÖK file closely and keeps the graduate school informed about its progress.

Omar and the economics program

Omar, from Jordan, plans to apply for Economics (English) at the Graduate School of Social Sciences. He assumed he would need a C1 Turkish certificate, as his friends applying to Turkish-medium programs did. Reading the application requirements page, he finds that Economics (English) is listed as an exemption at thesis master’s level. He still checks the department’s registration conditions for the minimum English and graduate exam scores. He takes the GRE instead of ALES, because ALES dates did not fit his schedule, and confirms that the conversion table covers his score type.

Lena and the health sciences question

Lena, a German physiotherapist, wants a health sciences master’s at Hacettepe. A program portal describes the courses as English-taught, so she assumes no Turkish certificate is needed. The Graduate School of Health Sciences requirements page says the exemption applies only to programs taught in the applicant’s native language, and her native language is German. Before giving up, she emails the graduate school to ask how the rule applies to her program and whether a C1 certificate can follow later. She also starts a Turkish course, which keeps both options open.

Daniel and the three-day window

Daniel from Ghana missed the Fall first-admission round because he was waiting for his English exam results. He learns that Hacettepe graduate schools often hold a second admission round and that the Graduate School of Health Sciences opened its second window on 1 September 2026 for three days. He prepares every document in advance, converts his grade point average with the YÖK table, and checks the second-round quota table to confirm his program still has places for international students. He submits on the first day of the window.

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 interested in English-taught master’s programs at Hacettepe University and other universities can compare programs and their language of instruction through Atlas, follow graduate school application periods across admission rounds, track current announcements from universities, and start a free application through the Universities section.

Legal Notice

This article provides general information about master’s programs in English at Hacettepe University and does not constitute personal academic, legal or financial advice. Admission conditions, application calendars, quotas and tuition fees are set by Hacettepe University’s graduate schools and can change from one semester to the next. National rules referred to here include the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Regulation on Graduate Education and Training of 20 April 2016 and the Presidential Decision No. 11625 of 15 August 2026, both of which may be amended. Please confirm every requirement with the relevant graduate school and with YÖK before applying.