Educational Certificate Equivalency in Turkey
How to equivalate a certificate in Turkey – High School – Bachelor's – Master's
First: High School Certificate
Foreign students can equivalate their high school certificate either through the Turkish embassy in their country of residence or by visiting the National Education Directorate center (İl Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü) within Turkey.
Second: Bachelor's and Master's Degree
Medicine
For those who want to work as a practicing doctor/general practitioner, they must apply to higher education (G.P.).
Note:
Some individuals will undergo an exam, while others may adjust their certificate without taking a test.
Of course, students from Arab countries are among those who need to take an exam. However, some universities in certain countries, such as Germany and the United States, are exempt from exams and adjustments, and they accept certificates directly. This is according to the rules outlined on the ministry’s website.
As for those who are specialists and want to work as specialized doctors, they must apply for an adjustment to the Ministry of Health. The ministry will then transfer them to a university or government hospital to test the student in their specialization. Upon passing the exam, their certificate will be accepted in Turkey.
Any doctor who is not a graduate of Turkey needs a full year to learn the Turkish language. They must complete it and obtain a certificate proving their complete mastery.
What is the exam that doctors undergo?
The exam that general practitioners take is called the TUS (Learn more about the TUS exam here), which is the central specialization exam for doctors in Turkey. It is a somewhat challenging exam, with questions in the Turkish language, and it is held twice a year, in April and September.
What comes after certifying the certificate?
- After certifying the certificate, learning the language, and passing the exam, the doctor will need to find a hospital for employment.
- After reaching an agreement with the hospital, the application process for work goes through the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Health again, obtaining a residence permit, and finally, the Ministry of Health once more.
- Everyone can visit the higher education website or the ministry’s website to follow the required documents. The application can be submitted by mail, and there is no initial requirement to be present in Turkey until the application is accepted and responded to.
Dentistry and Pharmacy
The professions of dentistry and pharmacy are considered restricted for foreigners to practice in the Republic of Turkey. However, students aspiring to complete a master’s or doctoral degree often need to have both of these certificates equivalated (YÖK official website).
Through the aforementioned website, students register for the relevant equivalency exam according to the specified registration date.
Third: Diploma and Bachelor's Degree Equivalency
Required Documents:
- Passport photo
- Registration form, temporarily completed manually and attached with the rest of the documents here.
- Authenticated high school equivalency document from a notary public, with an additional photo copy.
- Original diploma or bachelor’s degree certificate.
- Turkish translation authenticated by a notary public for the diploma or bachelor’s degree certificate.
- Original transcript for all years of higher education with a translated copy into Turkish, authenticated by a notary public.
- Additional copies of all documents.
Hand Delivery Address:
Yükseköğretim Kurulu Başkanlığı Denklik Müracaat Ofisi – Bilkent/ANKARA
Mailing Address:
Yükseköğretim Kurulu Başkanlığı 06539 – Bilkent/ANKARA
