YKS Guide for Parents: How the Exam Works and How to Support Your Child

YKS decides your child's university place in Türkiye. Here is what parents need to know: how the exam works, the key dates, how to help at home and how to choose a course wisely.

By the ILEAP team · October 15, 2026 · 6 min read

This YKS guide for parents is for families who want to understand the exam their child is preparing for. YKS is Türkiye’s national university entrance exam. Since 2026, it matters even more for foreign families, because students from Turkish high schools can now enter a Turkish university only through YKS. You do not need to know every rule to help. However, a clear picture of the exam, the dates and the costs makes it easier to support your child.

How YKS works in brief

ÖSYM, Türkiye’s national exam body, usually holds YKS once a year in June. The exam has no pass mark. Instead, ÖSYM ranks every candidate and then places students by score, ranking and choices.

Three sessions

TYT (basic proficiency test): compulsory for everyone, with 120 questions in 165 minutes on Turkish, basic maths, social sciences and science.
AYT (field tests): 160 questions in 180 minutes, needed for most bachelor’s programs.
YDT (foreign language test): 80 questions, offered in German, Arabic, French, English and Russian.

TYT and AYT are only in Turkish, so for many Arab students the language is the first challenge.

Scores, rankings and places

Every four wrong answers cancel one correct answer, so results count in nets. ÖSYM also adds the high school diploma grade (OBP), which brings 30 to 60 extra points. After the results, students choose up to 24 programs. Some programs set a minimum ranking: in 2026, for example, medicine required a SAY ranking within the top 50,000.

The choice is wide: in 2026, the placement offered 676,999 places, including KKTC and other countries, according to ÖSYM’s placement statistics. In addition, YÖK’s directory lists 128 state and 74 foundation universities in Türkiye.

The 2026 rule for students from Turkish high schools

Turkish citizens, including naturalised citizens, take YKS. Since 2026, foreign nationals, Mavi Kart holders and KKTC citizens who enrolled in or graduated from a Turkish high school must also use YKS, because it is their only route into a Turkish university. This includes Syrians under temporary protection. A few groups are exceptions, such as embassy schools, MOBİS international schools, MEB or YÖK project students and children of Turquoise Card holders.

On the other hand, foreign students schooled entirely abroad use the international quota, for example with TR-YÖS or SAT. If you are unsure, check YÖK’s international admission page or read our complete YKS exam guide.

The YKS year: a timeline guide for parents

ÖSYM has not published the 2027 calendar yet, and it usually does so in November. So this part of our YKS guide for parents follows the pattern of recent years:

Autumn and winter: study, a level test and regular practice exams.
Early February: applications open for about three and a half weeks (in 2026: 6 February to 2 March).
June: the exam, with TYT on Saturday and AYT and YDT on Sunday (in 2026: 20–21 June).
July: results (in 2026: 21 July).
Late July to August: preferences (tercih), then placement results (in 2026: 29 July to 10 August, with results on 18 August).
Late August and September: registration, then an extra placement round for empty places.

The 2027 dates will appear on the ÖSYM exam calendar.

How to support your child: a YKS guide for parents at home

Parents cannot sit the exam, but these habits help most:

A realistic study plan: help your child turn the year into weekly goals, with time for rest.
Regular practice exams: timed mocks show progress better than hours at the desk. MEB’s free MEBİ platform runs national mock exams, and our guide to free YKS resources lists more.
Health first: sleep, regular meals and some exercise keep concentration steady.
No comparisons: comparing your child with cousins or classmates adds pressure but no points. Compare their nets with their own earlier nets instead.
Calm talks about results: after a mock, ask what went wrong and what the plan is.
Room for a plan B: önlisans programs need only a TYT score, and a second attempt is common. Our guides to the associate degree in Turkey and to retaking YKS explain both.

Choosing a YKS course: a guide for parents

This YKS guide for parents cannot rank courses for you, but it can show you what to check. In Türkiye, a YKS preparation course needs an MEB permit as a private teaching course (özel öğretim kursu). No body accredits YKS centres, because MEB licenses them instead. So the right question to ask is “Can you show your MEB licence?”, not “Are you accredited?”.

Red flags

Some warning signs help you spot a course that may not deliver what it promises. So be careful if a course shows these signs:

A promise of a guaranteed place or score.
No MEB licence to show.
No written plan with hours, subjects and practice exams.
Pressure to pay for a full year before any level test.

A parents’ guide to YKS costs

Costs vary, so plan for these items rather than one number:

ÖSYM exam fees: ÖSYM charges a fee for each session, so TYT, AYT and YDT together cost more than TYT alone.
Preparation: a course or private lessons, plus books and practice exams. Free official material can reduce this part.
University fees after placement: Turkish students pay no fee in daytime and open education programs at state universities within the normal length of study. Foreign students placed through YKS after a Turkish high school pay tuition equal to the cost per student, under the 2026–27 decree.
Living costs: housing, transport and food, especially in another city.

How ILEAP Academy supports YKS families

Many parents read a YKS guide for parents like this one and then look for a course. ILEAP Academy is one of the first Arabic centers in Istanbul specialised in YKS. Every student starts with a level test, so you know the real starting point. Teachers explain the topics in Arabic and train the Turkish of the exam step by step. Then timed practice exams with clear net reports show progress during the year. ILEAP Academy has three centers in Istanbul, and the same program also runs online. Discover ILEAP Academy to book a level test for your child.

Frequently asked questions

When should my child start preparing for YKS?

Earlier is easier. YKS is usually in June, so an autumn start gives about eight months. Still, a later start can work with a focused plan.

Do parents need to speak Turkish?

No. Parents can follow the main steps in their own language, for example with this YKS guide for parents. However, your child still needs exam Turkish.

Where can parents read the official YKS guide?

ÖSYM publishes an official guide (Kılavuz) for each year’s exam on its website. The 2026 YKS guide shows the latest rules, and the 2027 guide should appear around the start of applications.