Istanbul Aydın University Master’s Programs for International Students

Contents

• What master’s programs does Istanbul Aydın University offer?

• Who can apply as an international student?

• How do you apply step by step?

• Which documents should you prepare?

• How long does a thesis or non-thesis master’s take?

• How do English-medium and Turkish-medium programs differ?

• Do international applicants need ALES?

• What should you do after you are admitted?

• Real-World Examples

• Frequently Asked Questions

• References

• Legal Notice

Introduction

Istanbul Aydın University master’s programs for international students are run by the Institute of Graduate Studies of Istanbul Aydın University (IAU), an Istanbul-based foundation university. International applicants follow a separate university directive rather than the domestic route. According to IAU’s 2025 Institutional Internal Evaluation Report (KİDR), the university taught 1,998 graduate students in the 2024–2025 academic year, and 20.52 percent of its students were international.

The name also appears in searches as “Istanbul Aydin University”, without the Turkish dotless “ı”, and some applicants say “masters” rather than “master’s”; both refer to the same degree at the same institution. This guide answers the questions applicants ask most often: eligibility, steps, documents, duration, language and the residence permit stage. The sources are the university’s graduate regulation as published in the Official Gazette, its directive for international graduate applicants, its quality report and its admissions pages, all checked as of October 2026. Mezun Kampüsü compiles these sources so they can be compared in one place. Calendars, quotas and program lists change from semester to semester, so treat any date-dependent detail as something to confirm before you apply.

What master’s programs does Istanbul Aydın University offer?

Istanbul Aydın University offers master’s programs with thesis and without thesis through one graduate school, the Institute of Graduate Studies. As of October 2026, the Institute groups its programs into eight categories, and the university’s international admissions site lists 87 master’s entries across social, natural and health sciences. Some programs are taught in English, while others are taught in Turkish.

A graduate school is the academic unit within a Turkish university that runs graduate education and manages application and enrolment procedures. At IAU, that unit is the Institute of Graduate Studies, whose office is listed at Beşyol, Küçükçekmece, in Istanbul. The university’s 2024–2025 Erasmus information sheet places the main campus in Florya, which helps identify the right institution when searching. The same sheet reports more than 6,000 international students from 124 countries, while the 2025 KİDR gives 113 countries for 2024–2025, so figures differ between the two university documents.

The Institute of Graduate Studies publishes its program lists in eight category files, accessed on 12 October 2026:

• Education programs

• Science programs

• Law programs

• Economic programs

• Health programs

• Art programs

• Social programs

• Distance learning programs

The international admissions site, Study at IAU, shows a slightly different grouping. On 12 October 2026 it listed 50 entries under Social Sciences, 23 under Natural Sciences and 14 under Health Sciences. A few titles appear more than once, so the count of distinct programs is lower than 87.

English-medium programs appear by name in the Institute’s lists. The Science Programs file names Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (English), Cyber Security (English) and Electrical-Electronic Engineering (English) among non-thesis master’s programs. The Social Programs file names Psychology (English) and Political Science and International Relations (English).

For each program, confirm the language of instruction and the thesis or non-thesis format on the program’s own page or in the semester’s announcement.

Who can apply as an international student?

Foreign nationals who hold a bachelor’s degree can apply to IAU master’s programs under the university’s international route. The Istanbul Aydın University directive on international applicants to graduate programs, last amended by Senate decision 2023/07 of 31 March 2023, states that bachelor’s graduates may apply to master’s programs and that citizens of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) cannot apply as international students.

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. The directive rests on Higher Education Law No. 2547, Law No. 2922 on Foreign Students Studying in Turkey and rules of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK).

Applicants with a degree from abroad provide a YÖK document. 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. For health fields, the directive asks for a YÖK equivalence document instead. 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.

Table 1. Applicant profiles under the IAU directive for international graduate applicants (as amended 31 March 2023)

The directive does not address dual citizens, who should ask the Institute of Graduate Studies in writing before choosing a route.

How do you apply step by step?

An IAU master’s application under international status runs in four broad stages, according to Article 8 to Article 11 of the IAU directive for international graduate applicants. You submit a pre-application, the university reviews your documents, the department and the Institute decide on admission, and you complete final registration in person or through a notarized proxy on the announced dates.

The directive gives the Graduate School Executive Board the task of setting the application calendar each semester. The Graduate School Executive Board is the administrative board of a Turkish university’s graduate school that decides on admissions and other graduate student matters.

1. Check the semester’s announcement on the Institute of Graduate Studies website for open programs and dates. Article 5 of the directive states that the calendar is published there each semester.

2. Submit the online pre-application through the International Student Recruitment Coordinatorship, as Article 8 describes.

3. Wait for the document review. Under Article 8, candidates whose documents are found suitable move on to the Institute stage.

4. Expect an academic review. Article 10 lists the diploma, transcript, language certificate, CV, reference letter and, where required, ALES, GRE or GMAT results as evaluation material.

5. Receive the admission decision. Article 10 states that admission becomes final with the approval of the relevant department and a Graduate School Executive Board decision.

6. Complete final registration at the Institute’s student affairs office on the announced dates, in person or through a notarized proxy, as Article 11 requires.

Article 8 also allows the university to end a registration, even after admission, if declared information proves untrue, so consistent documents from the start protect the place you are offered.

Under Article 10, scholarship holders and candidates under bilateral agreements are also admitted by Graduate School Executive Board decision. Exact dates for each stage appear only in the semester’s announcement, which is why the calendar check comes first.

Which documents should you prepare?

IAU asks international master’s applicants for two document sets: one at pre-application and a larger one at final registration. Article 9 and Article 11 of the IAU directive for international graduate applicants list both. The registration set adds Turkish translations, photographs, proof of payment, a visa-related document and the original YÖK recognition or equivalence document.

At pre-application, Article 9 of the directive asks for an application form, a certified copy of the diploma and transcript, a language proficiency document, a passport copy, any required ALES, GRE or GMAT result, and the YÖK equivalence or recognition document. 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.

At final registration, Article 11 lists diploma and transcript copies with Turkish translations, a passport copy, six photographs, a fee payment receipt, the language proficiency document, a visa exemption document where relevant, and the original YÖK document. The Institute’s master’s application page, accessed on 12 October 2026, also asks graduates of universities abroad for notarized translations.

• Request certified copies of your bachelor’s diploma and full transcript from your university.

• Arrange notarized Turkish translations of the diploma and transcript.

• Apply to YÖK for a Certificate of Recognition, or a Certificate of Equivalence for a health-field degree.

• Book an accepted English test, or plan for Turkish proficiency through a Turkish Language Teaching Centre (TÖMER), according to the program’s language.

• Prepare a CV and at least one reference letter for the academic review.

• Check whether your program asks for an ALES, GRE or GMAT result.

• Have six recent photographs ready for final registration.

Starting the YÖK recognition or equivalence request early leaves room for any follow-up questions. Diplomas issued abroad may also need an apostille or consular certification before translation, so ask the Institute of Graduate Studies which form it accepts.

How long does a thesis or non-thesis master’s take?

A thesis master’s at IAU is designed to last four semesters and must be completed within six, while a non-thesis master’s lasts at least two and at most three semesters. Both limits come from the Istanbul Aydın University Regulation on Graduate Education-Teaching and Examination, published in the Official Gazette on 21 February 2022 (issue 31757). Time spent in scientific preparation is not counted.

A master’s with thesis is a graduate program completed through coursework and the preparation of a thesis. Article 6 of the IAU regulation sets at least seven courses, a seminar and a thesis, with 21 credits in total and at least 60 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits per academic year, giving 120 ECTS overall.

A master’s without thesis is a coursework-focused graduate program completed with a term project instead of a thesis. Article 12 of the IAU regulation sets at least ten courses with a term project course, 30 credits and at least 60 ECTS.

Table 2. Structure of IAU thesis and non-thesis master’s programs under the 2022 regulation

The maximum period of study is the longest duration set out in regulation within which a graduate program must be completed before the right to enrolment ends. A scientific preparatory program is a set of completion courses that a student admitted to a graduate program from a different field must complete before beginning the main program. Article 7 and Article 13 of the IAU regulation exclude that time from the limits above.

An amendment published in the Official Gazette on 7 September 2026 (issue 33363), as reproduced by the legal news site Hukuki Haber, requires thesis defense examinations to last at least 45 minutes.

How do English-medium and Turkish-medium programs differ?

The language of instruction decides which proficiency document IAU asks for. Under Article 6 of the IAU directive for international graduate applicants, English-medium master’s programs accept the ÖSYM language exams YDS and YÖKDİL, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or the IAU English proficiency exam, while Turkish-medium master’s programs ask for Turkish at B2 level from TÖMER. Turkish-medium programs do not require English.

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. The directive sets a minimum score for each English test, so confirm the current thresholds in the semester’s announcement.

The directive also provides an exemption. Applicants whose country has English as an official language, or who completed an English-taught bachelor’s degree, may be exempt from the English requirement if their document is approved by the relevant diplomatic mission.

The IAU graduate regulation explains what the language choice means once classes begin:

In graduate programs, having a foreign language as medium of instruction, the lessons, seminar and thesis defense shall be done in that language. The Master’s thesis/project shall be written in that language according to thesis writing rules.
— Istanbul Aydın University, Regulation Governing Graduate Studies and Examination, Article 4(4), English translation of the regulation published in Turkish in the Official Gazette on 21 February 2022

Applicants who do not yet meet the language condition are not automatically turned away. Article 6 of the directive states that candidates whose academic level is found sufficient are registered and take preparatory language study: English at the IAU School of Foreign Languages, or Turkish at TÖMER. The directive gives a maximum of one year to reach the required level. A student who does not reach it within one year has their registration ended under the directive, so a realistic study plan for that year matters.

For an applicant choosing between programs, the language choice also fixes the language of the thesis or term project, which follows the program’s medium of instruction.

Do international applicants need ALES?

The IAU directive for international graduate applicants does not list ALES as a general condition for master’s admission. Article 9 asks for an ALES, GRE or GMAT result only where required, and Article 7 says such results may be requested for doctoral programs by Senate decision. The Institute’s general master’s page, however, lists ALES for thesis programs, which is where the confusion starts.

The two pages serve different groups. The Institute of Graduate Studies master’s application page, accessed on 12 October 2026, describes the domestic route and lists an ALES score report for thesis programs, along with documents such as a National ID copy and a military service status certificate. Both of those are documents issued to Turkish citizens. The international directive, by contrast, describes its scope as covering all procedures for the admission of foreign national students.

The practical reading is that the international route follows its own document list, and ALES appears there as a possible requirement rather than a fixed one. Whether a given program asks for ALES, GRE or GMAT is set in the semester’s announcement. Non-thesis programs do not list ALES on the Institute’s master’s page at all.

Why some documents on the domestic page do not apply to international applicants

The Institute’s master’s application page lists a National ID photocopy and an original military service status certificate. Both are documents issued to Turkish citizens. The international directive, last amended on 31 March 2023, asks for a passport copy instead and does not mention military service. If you see a requirement that seems written for Turkish citizens, compare it with Article 9 and Article 11 of the directive before preparing it.

A second point of confusion concerns the integrated master’s program on the Institute’s website. The Institute’s own description, accessed on 12 October 2026, presents it as a model for IAU undergraduates who take master’s-level courses during their final year. It is not a separate admission route for graduates applying from abroad. Admissions to it are capped at 20 percent of the related program’s quota, according to the same page.

What should you do after you are admitted?

After admission and final registration, an international master’s student at IAU moves on to the residence permit stage. The Study at IAU residence permit page, accessed on 12 October 2026, describes three steps: an online application on the e-ikamet system, fingerprinting at an immigration office, and submission of the documents to the IAU International Student Office (ISSA) within five days of the application date.

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. The IAU page states that no appointment is needed for fingerprinting. It also says the student letter from the university must be dated no more than 15 days before submission, and that an original, valid health insurance policy is part of the file. Residence permit rules can change, so confirm each step with the immigration authorities and the ISSA office.

Once the residence permit is underway, a few academic tasks follow:

• Attend the Graduate Orientation Program listed in the 2026–2027 Institute of Graduate Studies academic calendar.

• Complete course registration in the university information system, UBIS, during the announced registration period.

• If you were registered on condition of language study, enroll in preparation at the School of Foreign Languages or TÖMER and plan to meet the one-year limit.

• For a thesis master’s, follow the thesis writing guide published by the Institute of Graduate Studies.

If your longer-term plan includes a doctorate, the program type matters. Article 5 of the IAU directive states that doctoral programs accept graduates of thesis master’s programs, and Article 19 of the IAU graduate regulation sets a maximum of 12 semesters for a doctorate after a master’s degree.

Real-World Examples

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

Amina and the English exemption. Amina holds a bachelor’s degree taught in English and wants an English-medium master’s at IAU. She reads Article 6 of the international graduate directive and sees that applicants who completed an English-taught bachelor’s may be exempt from the English test if their document is approved by the relevant diplomatic mission. She asks her university for a letter confirming the language of instruction, has it certified, and includes it with her pre-application. She also starts her YÖK recognition request at the same time, so both documents are ready for final registration.

Omar and a Turkish-medium program. Omar wants a Turkish-medium master’s in his field but has only basic Turkish. Under the directive, candidates with a sufficient academic level can be registered and study Turkish at TÖMER for up to one year. Omar plans his first year around intensive Turkish courses and sets himself a target date for the proficiency exam well before the one-year limit. He also asks the Institute which semester his main courses would start, so his residence permit and study plan line up.

Lina and a health-field degree. Lina graduated in a health field abroad and assumed a Certificate of Recognition would be enough. When she checks the IAU directive, she sees that health-field graduates are asked for a YÖK Certificate of Equivalence instead. She contacts YÖK about the equivalence procedure early, keeps copies of every submission, and writes to the Institute of Graduate Studies to confirm which version of the document it needs at pre-application and which original it expects at final registration.

Daniyar and the thesis question. Daniyar is choosing between a thesis and a non-thesis master’s in an engineering field. The non-thesis option is shorter, at two to three semesters under the IAU regulation. However, he would like to pursue a doctorate later, and the IAU directive states that doctoral programs accept thesis master’s graduates. He compares the two program pages, confirms the language of instruction of each, and applies to the thesis track while noting its six-semester maximum and the seminar it includes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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