YKS Exam Day: Rules, What to Bring and Practical Tips

YKS exam day is the moment a whole year of study comes down to. However, many students lose points, or even the whole exam, because of small rules they did not know. A forgotten printout, a watch on your wrist or a pen in your pocket can be enough. So this guide collects ÖSYM’s rules, a packing list and practical tips.

Before YKS exam day: print your entry document

ÖSYM opens the entry document (Sınava Giriş Belgesi) on ais.osym.gov.tr about ten days before the exam. ÖSYM does not post or e-mail it, so print it yourself, in colour or black and white. Print one copy for each session and check that your photo is visible. Do not write anything on it, because any extra mark makes your exam invalid.

Without the printout, you cannot enter the building, and staff collect it at the start of each session. If you lose it, simply print it again.

Which ID is valid on YKS exam day?

No valid photo ID means no exam, whatever the reason. According to the 2026 YKS guide, valid IDs include a T.C. ID card, a passport valid on the exam day, a Mavi or Pembe Kart and a Geçici Koruma Kimlik Belgesi. International protection IDs also work. However, a residence permit counts only if its type is “insani” or “uzun dönem”.

Students with an ordinary residence permit

Many foreign students hold a student, family or short-term residence permit. ÖSYM’s list of accepted documents does not include this residence card. So on YKS exam day, bring your valid passport, because the card alone is not enough. ÖSYM also refuses driving licences and student cards.

What to bring on YKS exam day

On YKS exam day, ÖSYM provides the tools. Every desk has a box with two pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a napkin and candy. In addition, every room has a wall clock. So you only need a few things:

• Entry document: the printout for that session.
• ID: your valid photo ID.
• Water: in a clear plastic bottle with the label removed.
• Small items: one simple key without a keyring, some money and one transport or bank card with no wireless function.
• Health items: glasses, loose tablets (not in a box), an inhaler or eye drops.

A wedding ring, headscarf pins and simple hair ties are also fine.

What is banned on YKS exam day

Your own pencil, eraser, sharpener or napkin is banned, and using one makes your exam invalid. ÖSYM also bans these items:

• Bags and electronics: bags, wallets, phones, earphones, calculators and any electronic or mechanical device.
• Watches: all of them, even a simple one.
• Jewellery: necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings, except a wedding ring.
• Metal and glass: keyrings, car keys and glass items, including sunglasses.
• Study material: pens, books, notes, rulers and scratch paper.
• Food and medicine: any food, drinks other than water, and medicine in a box or bottle.

There is no left-luggage at the building, so leave everything else at home. Police search candidates by hand or with a detector. Also, carrying a banned item inside the building cancels your exam. That is why ÖSYM advises plain clothes with no metal.

Timing rules on YKS exam day

In 2026, TYT ran on Saturday from 10:15 for 165 minutes. Then on Sunday, AYT started at 10:15 (180 minutes) and YDT at 15:45 (120 minutes). The next YKS exam day is expected in June 2027, and ÖSYM usually announces the calendar in November.

• Gates close early. Entry ends at 10:00 for TYT and AYT, and at 15:30 for YDT. So arrive at least one hour early, as ÖSYM advises.
• No late entry. Once answering time starts, nobody enters the room.
• Minimum time inside. You cannot leave in the first 120 minutes of TYT, 135 of AYT or 90 of YDT. The last 15 minutes are closed too.
• No toilet breaks. If you leave the room, you cannot return, and you wait in the building until those times pass. Leaving the building early cancels your exam.

Rules in the exam room

• Booklet number: booklets have different numbers and question orders, so code your number on the answer sheet and confirm it.
• Scratch work: only in the booklet margins, never on another paper.
• Marking: every question has five options, and two marks on one question count as wrong.
• Silence: no talking, no questions to staff and no passing items.
• Timing: no reading before the start and no marking after time is up.

Breaking these rules cancels the exam, and staff do not have to warn you first.

Cheating has serious consequences

ÖSYM uses cameras and may use signal jammers, and it can cancel an exam later after a statistical copying analysis. Under Law 6114, cheating or sitting the exam for someone else can lead to 1 to 4 years in prison. ÖSYM also cancels all sessions and bars the candidate from all ÖSYM exams for two years.

Practical tips for a calm YKS exam day

The days before

1. Visit the building. Find the address on your entry document and travel the route a few days early, at the same hour.
2. Protect your sleep. Keep a normal sleep routine in the last week.
3. Pack the night before. Lay out your printout, ID and water, then empty your pockets of pens, keyrings and watches.

On the day itself

1. Eat before you go. Food is not allowed inside, so have breakfast at home. On Sunday, eat lunch outside between AYT and YDT.
2. Plan your time. TYT gives you 165 minutes for 120 questions, so less than a minute and a half each. Train that rhythm with timed YKS past papers.
3. Skip, then come back. Leave a hard question for later, because four wrong answers cancel one correct answer, as our guide to YKS score calculation explains.
4. Mark as you go. Do not leave the answer sheet for the last minutes.

After the exam, you can object to a question within three working days. Our guide to YKS exam results explains what comes next.

How ILEAP Academy prepares you for the big day

ILEAP Academy is one of the first Arabic centers in Istanbul specialised in YKS. Every student starts with a level test, then joins the right group. We explain topics in Arabic, train the Turkish of the exam step by step and run timed practice exams with clear net reports. As a result, the real timing feels familiar on YKS exam day. 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 too.

Frequently asked questions

Can I wear a watch on YKS exam day?

No. ÖSYM bans all watches, so use the wall clock in the room instead.

Can I leave early on YKS exam day?

Only after the first 120 minutes of TYT, 135 of AYT or 90 of YDT, and never in the last 15 minutes.

What happens if I forget my entry document?

You cannot enter the building without the printout. So print it early and, if you lose it, print a new copy from AİS.