Undergraduate Application FAQs

Please check below according to your individual educational status, which type of application you should complete and submit in the Koç University online application system for undergraduate programs.

Applications are evaluated in terms of academic merit and fit with Koç University’s educational values and goals in a holistic approach by an Admissions Committee. Interviews may be arranged with some candidates via skype or telephone if necessary for the School of Medicine. If you have applied to Medicine as one of your program choices, make sure to check your email inbox regularly after submitting the application as they will contact you via email to schedule an interview. Please note that evaluation for admission to Koç University is done on a need-blind basis. This evaluation process typically takes 4-6 weeks after the application period deadline and we are not able to provide information about admission decisions to applicants via email, telephone, or in-person during this period. Please refrain from contacting the Admission Committee members or other units at Koç University regarding your admission status. You will be able to check your application and admission status from the online application system. We do not offer specific reasons for rejected candidates so please do not email the university asking for clarification in this regard.

All international undergraduate applicants are automatically evaluated in terms of academic merit for 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% tuition-only scholarships (all programs except Medicine. The School of Medicine only awards a very limited number of 25% or 50% scholarships each year). There is no separate form to complete or specific deadlines for our academic merit scholarships. Please check the “Tuition and Scholarships” section of our website for further details.

Please visit https://international.ku.edu.tr/scholarships/turkish-scholarships-program-at-koc-university/ for more details about the Turkish Scholarships program at Koç University.

If you are offered admission and if you have Turkish citizenship you would pay Turkish international tuition fees in Turkish Lira regardless of any other citizenship you may have. You can find more information here https://international.ku.edu.tr/undergraduate-programs/tuition-and-scholarships/

Yes, there are tuition scholarships for dual citizens at Koç University based on academic merit. You can find more information here https://international.ku.edu.tr/undergraduate-programs/tuition-and-scholarships/.

No, you need to apply for the denklik (high school equivalency certificate letter) in person through the nearest Turkish Consulate or Embassy in your country of residence or the Istanbul Ministry of Education Office (Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü) in Sultanahmet once you have arrived in Türkiye. You can make an online appointment through https://edenklik.meb.gov.tr/.

Yes, Koç University accepts international students currently studying in universities outside of Türkiye or within Türkiye that have completed at least one year of University courses and have a GPA above 2.40 out of 4.00. Applications are only accepted for the Fall semester for international transfer applicants. You can find more information about transfer application requirements here https://registrar.ku.edu.tr/en/admission/transfer-students/.

Koç University has partnered with a limited and carefully selected number of education agencies in Türkiye and abroad (see approved list of educational agencies here) to provide guidance to prospective international students about our university and our admissions process. However, please note that it is NOT necessary to engage an educational agent in order to be considered for admission to Koç University. Admission or scholarship decisions are not based on the recommendations of agents and there are NO FEES charged by Koç University to educational agencies for any application procedures. Koç University expects an application to be the work of the applicant and that all information on the application is complete, accurate, and truthful. We may reject applications, cancel an admission offer or dismiss a student from attendance if it is determined that application materials have been falsified. Please note that you should submit an application with a personal email address, not an educational agency email address as this will create unnecessary problems communicating with you as an applicant if needed.

Koç University is selective in its admission process so a large percentage of applicants for each of our undergraduate programs will not be offered admission. Unfortunately, there is no reconsideration of an applicant’s admission or scholarship decision by the Admissions Committee so we ask you to not contact the university via email or telephone in this regard. You may consider applying for the following academic year admission period if you think you will be able to improve your test scores or other elements of your application. If you decide to enroll in a different university but after completing one year you still would like to apply for admission to Koç University, you can apply as a transfer student from another university in Türkiye or abroad. You can see the admission requirements for transfer students here.

First of all, congratulations on being offered a spot in our student community in the Fall semester. To be able to enroll as a new student you should:

1. Confirm your decision to enroll by accepting your offer in the online application system under “My Offers” by the deadlines indicated below.
2. Pay the tuition deposit by the date indicated in your offer letter or as shown below and follow the instructions you will receive via email
3. Visit our Registration Information page for new students to obtain the list of documents you will need to provide, how to pay the first-semester tuition, how to apply for dormitory accommodation (if applicable), and when you will receive your KU ID and email information from our Registrar and Student Affairs Directorate. You will also be contacted by our Newcomer’s Office and International Community Office in due course and they will provide detailed guidance.

• Please make sure that there are no missing required fields that need to be filled in (these are marked with a red asterisk “*”)
• All the documents in the “Checklist” section are checked or you have marked the situation that best applies to you in terms of providing those documents.

• Please make sure that all your documents are uploaded in PDF format.

• Applicants who cannot find the name of their school name on the list should click on “I did not find my institution from the list”, in red below the underneath field, then the question allows them to type the name of their school.

• Please make sure that your referees’ email addresses are accurate; email addresses should be written correctly.
• Please remind your referees to check their SPAM/JUNK emails as sometimes the reference request link might be sent there.

• You can simply untick the referee and then add a new one.

• Reference/recommendation letters are not accepted by email nor can the applicant upload them; they should be submitted by the referee through the link that the applicant sends through the application.

• Go to https://apply.ku.edu.tr/, click on “Sign in/Register” and then follow the instructions

• It is your National Identity card number.

• The Turkish National identification Number (TC Kimlik) is not a mandatory requirement for international applicants.

• Yes, you should write your Mavi Kart number in the ID number question on the Profile section of the application form.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS – CSSH, CASE, SON, LAW

Minimum 3 AP Exams:

• AP Calculus AB or BC with a minimum
  score of 3 out of 5
• 2 other relevant AP Exams with a
  minimum score of 3 out of 5

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS – SOM, CE, CS

Minimum 3 AP Exams:

• AP Calculus AB or BC with a
  minimum score of 4 out of 5
• 2 other relevant AP Exams
  (Biology, Chemistry) with a
  minimum score of 3 out of 5

Full list of AP Subjects can be read at https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/

Koç University’s ACT College Code is 3017.

Normally, the College admission committee will consider only GPA (unweighted) and pay attention to your individual course/subject record to determine whether your GPA is an accurate reflection of your academic potential for a specific undergraduate program.

O-Levels are not eligible for enrollment in Turkish universities for international students, only A-levels are eligible for both admission and enrollment. You should include your O-Level certificates only if you consider this will help show the relevant College admission committee exemplary or outstanding performance in a relevant subject or field to the undergraduate program you are applying to. For example, if you are applying for an Engineering program but your O-levels with high grades (A, A*) are in non-STEM-related subjects, this information will not add much value to their assessment of your potential to do well in University level courses in STEM subjects.

You can list any Research publications and/or awards in the “Activities” section of the online application form and you should also mention them briefly in your Motivation Letter.

If you apply with predicted grades you will receive a conditional admission offer (if all other elements in your application are also considered eligible for admission) and you will be able to change your offer into a full admission offer once you provide your official final grades and request the relevant institution to send the final grades or certificate to Koç University electronically and via post.

If you apply with predicted grades and one of the eligible standard tests such as SAT I or ACT with a score above the minimum, and all the other elements in your application are considered eligible for admission, then you may receive a full admission offer. However, please note that in order to enroll as a new student you will need to provide proof of completing your high school education and transcripts for four years of high school education.

No, IGCSE is not eligible for admission. Only Advanced Levels (A2) A-levels are eligible for admission. You can find more details here: https://international.ku.edu.tr/undergraduate-programs/application-requirements/

No, the YÖS (Yabancı Öğrenci Sınavı) is not one of the eligible tests for admission to Koç University’s undergraduate programs. You can find the list of eligible tests here https://international.ku.edu.tr/undergraduate-programs/application-requirements/

• The Koç University’s English proficiency requirement will be exempted for those who have completed the last three years of high school education in a country where English is considered the official language. Pakistan, India, Nigeria, and other countries where English is also spoken are not on the list of the countries where English is the official native language according to the Turkish Higher Education authorities and therefore are not exempted from providing a valid original English Proficiency test score report during enrollment (if offered admission) or taking the Koç University Institutional English Test.

• Students who hold a citizenship of a country where English is the native spoken language, but those students lived and studied in a country where English is not the official language, are not exempted from providing a valid original English Proficiency test score report during enrollment (if offered admission) or taking the Koç University Institutional English Test. During the enrollment days, admitted students are expected to take the Koç University Institutional English Test or satisfy the minimum acceptable score for one of the tests listed here.

Yes, if your final grade is not the same or higher than the predicted grade you applied with, then you are not able to enroll as a new student, even if your final grade is above the minimum required for the relevant College.

• Applicants can change the order of their priorities by using the up and down arrows or delete the program by using the bin symbol next to the programs.

• The applicant can do it by clicking the “Forgot your password”. Then, the system asks “click send a one-time link/register” and afterward, the applicant receives an email and verification with the pin to create a new password

• Please double-check with your bank that your credit card is authorized to make international transactions.

• Once you submit your complete online application, the system will send a conformation email regarding that. Please make sure to check your inbox in your application and your SPAM/JUNK emails.

• Yes, you can still edit your application, but, please note that if you do not submit your application again before the deadline and it remains Reopen, your application will be transferred to the next admission session evaluation.

You can use the Cambridge, Pearson, or any online GPA calculator.

Please type that in letters (ex: A star).

Please type the date of issuing your predicted grades, not the date of your final exams.

The ELC English Placement Exam and the English Proficiency Exam are only available on campus and there are no make-up exam dates for any reason (including health reports).

We understand that arriving earlier than the dormitory check-in dates on 17-18 September to take the English placement and English proficiency exams, may not be feasible due to additional hotel expenses, age constraints, or other reasons.

We can recommend that you consider taking one of the following eligible English proficiency tests in August:

• TOEFL IBT*: minimum score 80 (total) / 20 (minimum score required on the writing section).: Home Edition and My Best Score are not accepted.
• PTE Academic*: (Pearson Test of English): 67 out of 90. We understand the results are released quickly and the test fee is lower than the TOEFL test.

If you take one of these tests before 01 September, please upload the test score report to your application, let us know via study@ku.edu.tr indicating your application number and this information will be shared with our Registrar’s Office so that you are exempt from taking the Koç University English Placement Exam and English Proficiency Test (KUEPE).

If you are already living in Turkey please note that the TOEFL or PTE exam must be taken in a state university test center building. More details here https://elc.ku.edu.tr/program/