What this page covers
People searching for "is IELTS accepted in Turkey" usually mean one of two things: proof of English for admission, or an exemption from the English preparatory year (hazırlık). Turkish universities decide both for themselves, and their pages are written for different purposes and updated on different dates. This page reports what five official university pages said when we read them on 31 October 2026. It is general information, not advice on your application, and it covers only these five universities.
What each page says
| University | What the page says about IELTS | Other points on the same page |
|---|---|---|
| Boğaziçi | IELTS Academic (paper-based or computer-delivered): overall 6.5 with Writing 6.5, or overall 6.5 with a pass in its TWE writing exam | IELTS Online not accepted; scores from the past two years only; reports validated by the School of Foreign Languages |
| Bilkent | IELTS 6.5 overall, with at least 5.5 in each section (the page says "IELTS" and does not name a module) | Score sheet sent directly from the test centre; result within two-year validity at registration |
| İstinye | IELTS Academic listed among accepted exams (for undergraduate students entering English-taught departments); the table shows 6.0 | Senate text dated 28 January 2026; its own ISTEP exam for those without a result |
| METU (ODTÜ) | IELTS taken on or after 24 December 2022 is no longer accepted | Exemption options named on the page: TOEFL, IELTS (with the cutoff above) or its own English Proficiency Exam |
| Doğuş | IELTS is not on the list of recognised exams | Page updated 20 January 2026; lists TOEFL iBT, CAE, PTE Academic and others |
Details worth reading closely
Boğaziçi
The Boğaziçi English proficiency page accepts IELTS Academic in paper-based or computer-delivered form, and says the online version is not accepted. It also states that only scores from the past two years count, and that the School of Foreign Languages must validate the score report. The page shows no admission year, so check the year you apply for.
Bilkent
The Bilkent English language proficiency page asks for the IELTS score sheet to be sent directly from the test centre. It adds that the school reserves the right to check a result and not accept it. Ask the admissions office how your result should reach the university.
İstinye
İstinye's exemption rules for the English preparatory programme apply to undergraduate students entering English-taught departments and list IELTS Academic alongside several other exams. The same document says that of the accepted exams only one is taken remotely, and that the others are sat in person at test centres. Accepted results stay valid for the maximum period of study, which depends on the length of the programme. It also exempts applicants who document graduation from a high school taught entirely in English.
METU
METU's notice on English proficiency says IELTS exams taken on or after 24 December 2022 are no longer accepted, following a Senate decision of 23 December 2022. The rule differs from university to university, so read each one's page rather than assuming one answer applies everywhere.
Doğuş
The Doğuş list of recognised exams does not include IELTS. The page also says that the international exams it marks must take place in facilities belonging to state universities to keep their equivalence, citing an ÖSYM directive. It says nothing more about IELTS, so we do not draw any conclusion from it; ask the university directly if it matters to you.
Why the answers differ
- Some pages concern exemption from a preparatory year, others admission, and graduate programmes may follow different rules from undergraduate ones.
- Each university sets its own minimum score, its own validity period and its own list of accepted tests.
- Rules change between admission years, and a university can stop accepting a test, as METU's notice shows.
- The national equivalence table kept by ÖSYM is a separate document with its own purpose; this page does not cover it.
Before you book an exam, read the page of the exact programme you are applying to, for the exact admission year, and write to the university if anything is unclear. Nothing here promises that any score will be accepted or will give an exemption.
Before you book the test
- Find your university's current English proficiency or exemption page and note the exact version you need (Academic, computer-delivered or not).
- Check whether IELTS Online is excluded, as Boğaziçi states. Our IELTS Online guide for Turkey explains what that format is.
- Check how and when the result must reach the university, and for how long it stays valid.
- Choose a test centre and read the provider's own booking and ID pages, summarised in our test centres guide and booking and ID guide. We are not the test provider and do not register candidates or set fees; IDP and British Council do.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Once you know the score your university lists, lessons can be aimed at it. Mike is a CELTA-certified teacher with 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and an 8.5 in IELTS Speaking himself. He teaches every session himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet, in English. He marks Writing Task 1 and Task 2 against the public band descriptors, runs Speaking Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with feedback in the moment, and leaves written progress notes in your account. No band or timeline is promised; progress depends on your starting point and the work between lessons. You can see open slots on the booking page in your own time zone, or read more about Mike first.
