Study Medicine in Turkey Through YKS: Programs, Rankings, Fees and Steps

Medicine in Türkiye takes six years and starts with a strong SAY ranking in YKS. Here is how the path works, how many places there are, what foreign students pay and what comes after graduation.

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

Many Arab families hope their children will study medicine in Turkey. For students from Turkish high schools, the road goes through YKS. Medicine is a long program, since it lasts six years and uses the competitive SAY score type. Since 2026, foreign students who studied at a Turkish high school can enter university only through YKS, with a few exceptions. This guide therefore covers who can apply, the program, the places, the ranking, the fees and a clear plan.

Who can study medicine in Turkey through YKS?

Turkish citizens take YKS, and so do naturalised citizens. In addition, since 2026 foreign nationals who enrolled in or graduated from a Turkish high school can enter university only through YKS. Syrians under temporary protection fall under this rule too. The rule has a few exceptions, such as embassy schools and certain international schools.

Foreign students who completed their whole secondary education abroad, however, use the international quota instead, for example with TR-YÖS or SAT. Our guides on YKS for foreign students and YKS vs YÖS explain which route fits you.

What medical school in Türkiye looks like

First, medicine (Tıp) lasts six years, which means 12 semesters. It uses the SAY score type: TYT counts for 40%, AYT maths for 30%, and physics, chemistry and biology for 10% each. Programs taught in English also add a one-year prep class that does not count toward the six years. However, you can skip it if you pass the university’s proficiency exam or show an accepted exam result.

Later, after graduation, doctors who want to specialise sit TUS, the medical specialisation exam that ÖSYM runs. In 2026, TUS had two periods. So if you study medicine in Turkey and want to specialise, the path is long and rewards early planning.

How many places are there to study medicine in Turkey?

In our count of the 2026 YÖK Atlas data, about 82 state universities offered medicine. Their roughly 100 regular programs had about 14,500 general-quota places. A few more rows were special cases, such as fee-paying joint programs and special quota places. Of the roughly 108 state rows, about 93 taught in Turkish, 13 in English and 2 in 30% English. So most students who study medicine in Turkey do it in Turkish.

In addition, foundation universities added about 112 medicine rows at 32 universities, with about 3,462 places. KKTC universities also offered a few more. You can then check every program, its language and its places on YÖK Atlas.

Medicine in Istanbul

Istanbul has several state medical faculties, and their 2026 base ranks were very strong in our reading of YÖK Atlas. For example, İÜ-Cerrahpaşa closed at about 728 for its English program and 2,067 for its Turkish one. İstanbul Üniversitesi followed with about 2,651 in English and 3,392 in Turkish. Marmara’s English program then closed at about 5,101. Finally, Sağlık Bilimleri’s two Turkish programs closed at about 5,841 and 8,701, and Medeniyet at 7,888.

These ranks are far stronger than the official minimum, which shows how competitive Istanbul is.

The ranking you need

According to the 2026 programs and quotas guide, medicine required a SAY placement rank within the top 50,000. Foundation universities may also set a higher bar. However, the minimum is only the entry condition. In our count, regular state programs had base ranks from about 728 to about 21,700. So most places went to candidates ranked far better than 50,000.

Our guide to the YKS ranking for medicine shows how to read these numbers and set a target. The guide on the YKS ranking also explains the başarı sırası in detail.

Fees for foreign students who study medicine in Turkey

Turkish students pay no tuition in daytime programs at state universities, as long as they stay within the normal length of study. However, 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, on the other hand, pay at least twice that cost, and each university sets its own amount. Because the exact fee to study medicine in Turkey changes by university, check the fee table each university publishes for the year.

A step-by-step path to medicine

If you plan to study medicine in Turkey through YKS, these steps keep the path clear:

Choose SAY from the first month. Medicine needs AYT maths, physics, chemistry and biology, as well as a strong TYT.
Build your Turkish early. YKS is only in Turkish, so long science questions reward fast reading. Our guide to Turkish for YKS shows how to train it.
Track your nets. Take timed practice exams regularly, and then compare your estimated rank with past base ranks.
Protect your diploma grade. The OBP adds 30 to 60 points to your placement score, so every grade counts.
Build a smart list. In the preference period you can list up to 24 programs, so mix medicine with other health options.
Register on time. In 2026, for example, registration after placement ran from 24 to 28 August.

How ILEAP Academy helps future doctors

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 maths, physics, chemistry and biology in Arabic and train the Turkish of the exam, including science terms. 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 medicine in Turkey, Discover ILEAP Academy and book a level test.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study medicine in Turkey?

Six years, or 12 semesters. However, English-taught programs can add a one-year prep class, which does not count toward the six years.

Can I study medicine in English in Turkey?

Yes. In our count of the 2026 data, about 13 state medicine programs taught in English, and two more taught 30% in English. Most programs, however, teach in Turkish.

Do foreign students pay fees for medicine?

Foreign students placed through YKS after a Turkish high school pay a fee equal to the cost per student. The amount differs by university, so check each university’s fee announcement.