YKS Score Types: SAY, EA, SÖZ or DİL, Which Track Should You Choose?

SAY, EA, SÖZ and DİL decide which university programs you can choose after YKS. Here is what each score type measures and how to pick the one that fits you.

By the ILEAP team · October 18, 2026 · 6 min read

YKS score types decide which university programs a student can choose after the exam. So before you plan your study year, you need to know what SAY, EA, SÖZ and DİL mean. Each one mixes TYT with a different set of AYT or YDT tests, and each one leads to a different family of programs. In this guide, we explain the four YKS score types, their weights, the programs they open and a simple way to choose your track.

What are YKS score types?

YKS has three sessions. TYT is compulsory for everyone, while AYT and YDT are the field tests. TYT alone gives you a TYT score, which two-year associate degree programs (önlisans) mainly use. Bachelor’s programs, however, use one of four YKS score types: SAY, EA, SÖZ or DİL.

You do not register for a score type. Instead, you apply for the sessions you want to sit, and ÖSYM then calculates every score type you qualify for. Every program in the ÖSYM programs and quotas guide shows which score type it accepts.

TYT counts in all YKS score types

TYT makes up 40% of every SAY, EA, SÖZ and DİL score. Inside TYT, Turkish and basic maths carry the most weight (33 each), while social sciences and science carry 17 each. As a result, a strong TYT helps you in every track, and a weak one pulls every track down. Our guide to TYT and AYT explains both sessions in detail.

How ÖSYM calculates each score

First, your net in each test is your correct answers minus a quarter of your wrong answers. Then ÖSYM standardises the tests and scales the weighted scores to 100–500. To get a score type at all, you need at least 0.5 net in TYT Turkish or basic maths. In addition, you need 0.5 net in one of the tests that count for that type. Finally, your diploma grade (OBP) adds 30 to 60 points to your placement score.

SAY: the science track

SAY is the score type for science and health programs. It is built like this:

TYT: 40%
AYT maths: 30%
Physics, chemistry and biology: 10% each

SAY leads to medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, architecture and the sciences. It is also the most competitive track. In 2026, for example, medicine needed a SAY ranking within the top 50,000, dentistry the top 80,000 and pharmacy the top 100,000. Engineering needed the top 300,000 and architecture the top 250,000.

EA: the equal-weight track

EA stands for “eşit ağırlık”, or equal weight, because it balances maths with Turkish literature and social sciences. Its weights are TYT 40%, AYT maths 30%, literature 18%, history-1 7% and geography-1 5%.

EA leads to law, economics, business, psychology and many other social science programs. In 2026, law needed an EA ranking within the top 100,000. EA also sits between the other two field tracks. It shares AYT maths with SAY and the literature and social sciences test with SÖZ.

SÖZ: the verbal track

SÖZ, from “sözel”, is the verbal score type. It leaves out AYT maths and science completely. Instead, it uses TYT 40%, literature 18%, history-1 7%, geography-1 5%, history-2 8%, geography-2 8%, philosophy 9% and religion 5%.

SÖZ leads to history, Turkish language and literature and many media programs. Because almost every SÖZ question is a long text in Turkish, this track asks for strong reading speed. For a student who is still building Turkish, that can be a real challenge.

DİL: the language track

DİL is the simplest of the YKS score types: TYT counts for 40% and YDT for 60%. YDT is the foreign language test, with 80 questions in 120 minutes. According to the 2026 YKS guide, ÖSYM offers it in German, Arabic, French, English and Russian.

DİL leads to language and literature programs, translation and interpreting, and language teaching. Since YDT exists in Arabic, Arab students who aim for Arabic language or translation programs can use their mother tongue here. Still, check each program’s conditions in the ÖSYM quota guide before you decide.

How to choose between YKS score types

Choosing between YKS score types is really choosing a direction for your studies. These steps keep the choice clear:

Start from the programs. List three to five programs you would really like to study, and then check their score type.
Look at your strongest subjects. A student who loves maths and science fits SAY, while a student who likes maths and economics often fits EA.
Check real rankings. Past rankings for every program are public on YÖK Atlas, so you can see how high you need to rank.
Be honest about your Turkish. SÖZ and the literature part of EA need fast Turkish reading, so plan extra time if your Turkish is still new.
Take a level test early. A first practice exam shows where you stand today, and that is a better guide than guessing.
Keep TYT strong. Whatever you choose, TYT is 40% of your score, so it stays part of your weekly plan.

Common mistakes with YKS score types

Choosing SAY only because medicine sounds prestigious, without checking maths and science levels.
Trying to prepare all four AYT tests at once, although AYT gives 180 minutes for 160 questions.
Forgetting that YDT is a separate session that you must apply for.
Changing track in the spring, when there is too little time left to learn new subjects.
Ignoring TYT because it feels easier than AYT.

How ILEAP Academy helps with YKS score types

ILEAP Academy is one of the first Arabic centers in Istanbul specialised in YKS. We start with a level test, then talk with each student and family about strengths, goals and the right track. Teachers explain topics in Arabic and train the Turkish of the exam step by step. In addition, regular timed practice exams show your nets in each test, so you can see early whether your track fits you. We have three centers in Istanbul, and the same program also runs online. Discover ILEAP Academy to book a level test, and read our complete YKS exam guide for the bigger picture.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get more than one of the YKS score types?

Yes. ÖSYM calculates every score type you qualify for, so a student who answers AYT maths, science and literature can get SAY and EA together. In practice, most students focus on one track because AYT time is limited.

Which score type is the easiest?

None is easy in itself. The best one is the track that matches your strongest subjects and your goal. Also, many programs have no minimum ranking at all.

Do I need AYT for the DİL score?

No. DİL uses only TYT and YDT. However, you must apply for the YDT session, and you still need the TYT conditions to get any score.