Study Law in Turkey Through YKS: Score, Ranking, Language and Career Rules

Many Arab students who enjoy reading, debate and questions of justice want to study law in Turkey. If you went to a Turkish high school, the road goes through YKS. Law lasts four years and uses the EA score type. Programs teach in Turkish, with very few exceptions, and the rules for working as a lawyer in Türkiye are strict for foreign nationals. This guide explains the score, the ranking, the language and the career rules.

Who can study law in Turkey through YKS?

Turkish citizens take YKS, and so do naturalised citizens. Since 2026, foreign nationals, Mavi Kart holders and KKTC citizens who enrolled in or graduated from a Turkish high school can also enter university only through YKS. This includes Syrians under temporary protection, with a few exceptions such as embassy schools.

Foreign students who finished all of secondary school abroad, however, use the international quota instead. Our complete YKS exam guide explains the exam step by step.

Law in Türkiye: four years on the EA score

According to the 2026 YKS guide from ÖSYM, law (Hukuk) lasts four years and uses the EA score type. EA stands for “eşit ağırlık”, or equal weight. TYT counts for 40%, AYT maths for 30%, literature for 18%, history-1 for 7% and geography-1 for 5%.

What EA asks from you

For EA, you sit two AYT tests. The first is AYT maths, with 40 questions. Then comes the Turkish literature and social sciences-1 test, with 24 literature, 10 history and 6 geography questions. So future law students need good maths as well as fast reading in Turkish. Our guide to AYT maths topics covers the maths side.

The ranking you need for law

In 2026, law required an EA placement rank within the top 100,000. Foundation universities may also set a stricter limit by senate decision. However, the minimum is only the entry condition, because popular programs can close at much better ranks. So check the base ranks of past years on YÖK Atlas before you build your list. If you prefer maths and science, our guide to studying engineering in Turkey shows another path.

The language you need to study law in Turkey

In our search of the 2026 programs and quotas guide, we found no English-taught law program at state or foundation universities. So if you want to study law in Turkey, plan to study in Turkish. Galatasaray, however, teaches law in French. In addition, İstanbul Üniversitesi runs a joint program with Hamburg, and İstanbul Üniversitesi and Marmara run joint programs with the International University of Sarajevo. These joint programs (UOLP) charge fees, so check their language and conditions in the guide.

Why strong Turkish matters

Law is a reading subject. Students read long legal texts, laws and court decisions, and they write exams and papers in Turkish. That is why, if you study law in Turkey, the Turkish you build for YKS is only the start. In EA, the literature test also rewards fast reading, so your Turkish helps you twice: first in the exam, then in your degree.

Can a foreign graduate become a lawyer in Türkiye?

This is the most important question for foreign students, so here is a clear answer. Under article 3(a) of the Avukatlık Kanunu (Law 1136), a lawyer in Türkiye must be a Turkish citizen. Article 16 adds that a candidate must pass HMGS, the entrance exam for the legal professions, before starting the traineeship. The traineeship itself lasts one year, with six months in the courts and six months with an experienced lawyer.

According to the 2026 HMGS guide from ÖSYM, HMGS has 120 multiple-choice questions, and you pass with at least 70 out of 100. The Ministry of Justice runs it through ÖSYM, and in 2026 it took place on 26 April and 27 September. In short, a foreign national with a Turkish law degree cannot do the traineeship or work as an avukat in Türkiye unless they become a Turkish citizen.

What a Turkish law degree can still give you

This rule does not close every door for students who study law in Turkey. A law degree can still help you in companies, trade or translation, or lead to further study, such as a master’s degree. If you want to practise law in another country later, that country’s rules decide, so check its degree recognition and its bar or licensing rules before you enrol. Our guide to recognized Turkish universities shows how to check recognition in Arab countries.

Fees for foreign students who study law in Turkey

At state universities, foreign students placed through YKS after a Turkish high school pay a fee equal to the cost per student. The rule comes from the 2026–27 fee decision in the Resmî Gazete, where this cost appears as the cari hizmet maliyeti. International-quota students pay at least twice that cost. Because the fee to study law in Turkey changes by university, check each fee table every year.

A step-by-step plan to study law in Turkey

The 2027 exam is expected in June 2027, and ÖSYM usually announces the calendar in November. These steps keep your year on track:

1. Choose EA early. Law needs AYT maths and the literature and social sciences-1 test, as well as a strong TYT.
2. Put Turkish first. Read Turkish texts every day, because both EA and the degree reward fast reading.
3. Keep maths strong. AYT maths counts for 30% of EA, so it can make a big difference to your rank.
4. Think about your career now. Decide where you want to work, and then check that country’s rules before you choose law.
5. Take timed practice exams. Then compare your estimated rank with past base ranks on YÖK Atlas.
6. Build a balanced list. You can list up to 24 programs, so add other EA programs, such as economics or business, next to law.

How ILEAP Academy helps future law students

ILEAP Academy is one of the first Arabic centers in Istanbul specialised in YKS. We start with a level test, so you know where you stand in TYT and AYT. Then teachers explain the topics in Arabic, and they train the Turkish of the exam step by step. Regular timed practice exams show your nets in each test, so you can see how close you are to your target rank. We have three centers in Istanbul, and the same program also runs online. If you want to study law in Turkey, Discover ILEAP Academy and book a level test.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study law in Turkey in English?

In our search of the 2026 ÖSYM programs guide, we found no English-taught law program. Galatasaray teaches law in French, and almost every other program teaches in Turkish, so strong Turkish is essential.

Can a foreigner work as a lawyer in Türkiye?

Not as a foreign national, because the law requires Turkish citizenship, a pass in HMGS and a one-year traineeship. However, the degree can still support other careers, and practice abroad depends on local rules.

Which score type do I need for law?

EA. It combines TYT with AYT maths and the literature and social sciences-1 test. In 2026, law needed an EA rank within the top 100,000.