Public Universities in Istanbul You Can Enter With YKS (2026 List)

Public universities in Istanbul are the first choice for many Arab and international families who live in the city. They have low fees for Turkish citizens, strong reputations and campuses close to home. According to YÖK, Istanbul has 12 public universities in 2026, and 11 of them take students through YKS this year. This guide lists them, explains their teaching languages and shows how to compare them before you build your preference list.

How students enter

Turkish citizens, including naturalized citizens, enter public universities in Istanbul through YKS. Since 2026, foreign students who studied at a Turkish high school also enter only through YKS, and ÖSYM places them in the same central system. Foreign students who finished all of high school abroad usually apply through the international quota instead. If you are not sure which route applies to you, read our guide to YKS vs YÖS.

The 12 public universities in Istanbul

The official list comes from YÖK’s page of public universities. The teaching languages below come from the 2026 program data on YÖK Atlas.

Universities with many foreign-language programs

• Boğaziçi University: almost every program is taught in English. It grew out of Robert College (1863) and is also one of Türkiye’s research universities.
• Galatasaray University: its bachelor’s programs are taught in French, because it was founded under a 1992 Turkish-French agreement.
• Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ): programs are taught fully or partly (30%) in English. It traces its roots to 1773 and calls itself Türkiye’s first technical university.
• Turkish-German University (Türk-Alman): programs are taught in German, under a German-Turkish agreement.
• Yıldız Technical University: engineering-focused, so many programs are taught in English or partly in English, while others are in Turkish.

Universities that teach mainly in Turkish

• Istanbul University: one of the largest universities; however, it also offers programs in English and other languages.
• Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa: separated from Istanbul University in 2018, and most programs are taught in Turkish.
• Marmara University: mostly Turkish, but it also has programs in English, German, French and Arabic.
• Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University: an arts and architecture university founded in 1882, so most of its programs are creative ones.
• University of Health Sciences (Sağlık Bilimleri): Türkiye’s first health-themed public university, founded in 2015.
• Istanbul Medeniyet University: founded in 2010, mostly Turkish, with programs in English, Spanish, German and Arabic as well.
• TİBÜ (Türkiye International Islamic, Science and Technology University): a new public university; however, it had no YKS programs in 2026.

In addition, Istanbul has 44 foundation (private) universities, which also take students through YKS for their paid and scholarship places.

Why the teaching language matters

For Arab students, the language of a program is as important as its ranking. Most programs at public universities in Istanbul are taught in Turkish, so students need strong academic Turkish from the first semester. On the other hand, Boğaziçi and many programs at İTÜ and Yıldız Teknik teach in English, Galatasaray in French and Türk-Alman in German. A few programs at Marmara and Medeniyet are even taught in Arabic. Always check the language of each program on YÖK Atlas before you add it to your list.

How to compare them

For every program you consider, YÖK Atlas shows the number of places, last year’s base ranking, the teaching language and the fee status. Rankings can change a lot from one year to the next, so look at more than one year when you can. Also check the fees: for foreign students placed through YKS, public universities charge much less than the international quota. Our guide on fees at public universities in Turkey explains the numbers.

Then sort your options into ambitious, realistic and safe choices, as we explain in our guide to YKS preferences.

How ILEAP Academy helps

ILEAP Academy is one of the first Arabic centers in Istanbul specialised in YKS. We help Arab and international students reach the ranking that opens public universities in Istanbul, with lessons explained in Arabic, Turkish exam training and timed practice exams. After the results, we help each family compare programs, languages and fees. Classes run in person in Istanbul and online. Discover ILEAP Academy.

Frequently asked questions

How many public universities are there in Istanbul?

YÖK lists 12 public universities in Istanbul in 2026, and 11 of them took students through YKS this year.

Which public universities in Istanbul teach in English?

Boğaziçi teaches almost all programs in English, and İTÜ and Yıldız Teknik offer many English or partly English programs.

Can foreign students enter these universities through YKS?

Yes. Since 2026, foreign students who studied at a Turkish high school enter Turkish universities through YKS and are placed in the central system.