What Is the TR-YÖS Exam? (Türkiye University Entrance Exam for International Students)

If you’re applying to a university in Türkiye as an international student, you’ll keep seeing one term: TR-YÖS exam. It’s not just another test name, it’s often the score that opens the door to undergraduate programs at public universities across the country.

TR-YÖS is best understood as a Türkiye university entrance exam for international students, organized centrally by ÖSYM (Türkiye’s official testing authority). For many applicants, it replaces the old routine of chasing different entrance exams for different universities, which used to be stressful, expensive, and confusing.

This guide explains what the exam is, who usually needs it, what it tests, how registration works, and why your score matters when you apply.

What is the TR-YÖS exam and why does it exist?

TR-YÖS is the “Exam For Foreign Students For Higher Education in Türkiye.” It’s a standardized, multiple-choice exam used in international student admissions, especially for public (state) universities. The key idea is simple: one centrally administered exam score that can be used for multiple university applications.

Before TR-YÖS, many universities ran their own YÖS exams, and each exam could have different rules, difficulty, dates, and test centers. That meant students often had to travel, pay multiple fees, and prepare for slightly different formats.

Now, TR-YÖS creates a common measurement that universities can use when ranking applicants. Public universities commonly rely on it, and some private (foundation) universities also accept it, depending on their policies.

It’s also important to keep expectations realistic: TR-YÖS is widely accepted, but it isn’t the only path. Some universities accept other exams or diplomas, and some programs weigh high school performance and documents alongside test scores. When in doubt, check your target university’s international admissions page and confirm what they accept.

TR-YÖS vs old YÖS exams: what changed for students?

The biggest change is the move from many separate exams to one central exam under ÖSYM. That shift affects how you plan, how you budget, and how you apply.

Topic	Old university-run YÖS	TR-YÖS (ÖSYM-run)
Number of exams	Different exams per university	One exam score for many applications
Planning	Many dates, many rules	A predictable central schedule
Score use	Often limited to one university	Can be used across institutions
Student workload	More travel, more fees, more confusion	Less duplication, clearer planning

This doesn’t mean admission is easy, because it’s still competitive, and strong programs still expect strong results. It simply means your effort is more reusable, since one score can support more than one application cycle and more than one university choice.

Who uses TR-YÖS scores (public universities, and often private ones too)

Public universities in Türkiye commonly accept TR-YÖS for international undergraduate admissions, and many applicants treat it as the default option because it fits across schools.

Private universities can set their own rules, and some accept TR-YÖS alongside other documents. A helpful example of how policies can vary is İstanbul University’s international admissions FAQ, which lists TR-YÖS among accepted exams and diplomas for international applicants (along with several other options) on its official page: İstanbul University International Student Center FAQ.

The practical takeaway is simple: TR-YÖS is widely useful, but each university and each program can set its own minimum score, quota rules, and extra requirements, so your final checklist should always be program-based, not just university-based.

Who can take TR-YÖS and who usually needs it?

TR-YÖS is designed for students who want to apply as “international students” to undergraduate programs in Türkiye. In most cases, you should assume you’ll need TR-YÖS when you’re targeting public universities, unless your target program clearly accepts another exam or diploma in its place.

At a high level, applicants usually need to be in their final year of high school or already graduated, and they need to meet the international student eligibility rules used in Türkiye.

Because eligibility can include detailed cases, it’s smart to verify your status in official guides before paying fees or building your entire plan around one route. Universities often share reminders and timelines in their own announcements, like Middle East Technical University’s international office notice about TR-YÖS use in applications: METU International Student Office TR-YÖS announcement.

Basic eligibility checklist (citizenship and high school status)

Use this as a quick self-check before you go deeper into official documents.

• High school status: You’re in your final year of high school, or you already graduated from a recognized high school program.
• Foreign nationals: You hold citizenship outside Türkiye, which is the most common case for TR-YÖS candidates.
• Blue Card holders: You previously had Turkish citizenship and later renounced it, and you hold a Blue Card status (this is a common category in international admissions rules).
• Some dual citizens: Some dual-national cases are accepted as international applicants, but rules can depend on when citizenship was acquired and where high school was completed.
• Some Turkish citizens educated abroad: Some Turkish citizens who completed high school entirely outside Türkiye may apply under international student rules, but exceptions can apply and should be checked carefully.
• Northern Cyprus cases: Some categories related to Northern Cyprus schooling and citizenship appear in university admission rules, and the exact handling can differ by institution.

If any part of your case feels like it sits between categories, don’t guess based on social media advice, because a small rule mismatch can waste a full year. Confirm your eligibility in the exam guide and in your target universities’ application conditions.

Do you need TR-YÖS if you have IB, Abitur, or A-Levels?

Maybe, but it depends on the university and the program.

Some universities accept internationally recognized diplomas and exams as an alternative to TR-YÖS. For example, İstanbul University publicly lists several options, including IB and GCE A-Level, alongside TR-YÖS on its international admissions FAQ page: İstanbul University International Student Center FAQ.

That said, policies vary. One department might accept IB for direct evaluation, while another department might still prefer TR-YÖS for ranking. If you already have a strong diploma like IB, Abitur, or A-Levels, it can still be worth taking TR-YÖS if your target program is highly competitive, because a strong TR-YÖS score can widen your options and give you a second path when quotas fill quickly.

TR-YÖS exam format, subjects, languages, scoring, and score validity

On test day, TR-YÖS is a timed, multiple-choice exam designed to measure skills that translate well across many undergraduate majors. Instead of testing a specific high school curriculum from one country, it focuses on math-based thinking and logic.

Based on the most widely shared exam descriptions in 2025, TR-YÖS includes 80 questions completed in 100 minutes, with content centered on basic mathematics and reasoning. Your score is then used by universities as a ranking tool, which means the same score can feel “great” for one program and “not enough” for another, depending on demand and quotas.

TR-YÖS scores are valid for two years, which helps if you want to apply to more than one intake or if you need a second application cycle.

What TR-YÖS tests: math, problem-solving, and logical reasoning

TR-YÖS focuses on the kind of thinking that feels like a gym workout for your brain. You’re not memorizing pages of facts, you’re practicing how to set up problems fast and solve them cleanly.

Expect question types such as:

Basic math and algebra: operations, equations, ratios, percentages, word problems that test setup skills.
Geometry basics: shapes, angles, area and perimeter style questions that reward careful reading.
Patterns and sequences: spotting rules, continuing number patterns, visual reasoning.
Logical reasoning: analogies, relationships, and puzzle-like questions where the fastest approach matters.

One practical detail students underestimate is pace. Speed matters because even easy questions can become hard when you’re watching the clock, and accuracy matters because mistakes cost ranking power in competitive programs.

Exam languages and accessibility for international test takers

TR-YÖS is offered in multiple languages, which helps candidates test reasoning skills without being blocked by language. In 2025 announcements, the exam languages listed include Turkish, English, German, French, Arabic, and Russian.

Test center access can change each year, but the exam is often held both inside and outside Türkiye. Sakarya University of Applied Sciences shared that the 2025 exam was planned in many locations, reporting 78 centers across 52 countries in its schedule announcement: 2025 TR-YÖS Exam Schedule Announcement (SUBU). Availability still depends on your country and the year’s published list, so you should plan early if travel might be needed.

How TR-YÖS scores are used for admissions (and what a “good” score means)

Universities use TR-YÖS scores to rank applicants within international student quotas. A “good” score is never a single magic number, because each program sets its own expectations based on demand, seats, and applicant strength.

As a common pattern:

• Highly competitive programs (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, many engineering fields) tend to attract higher-scoring pools, so you should plan for a higher target.
• Moderate-demand programs often have more flexible cutoffs, especially when quotas are larger.
• Less competitive departments may accept lower scores, but document checks and diploma equivalency steps still matter.

A smart approach is to build a shortlist of programs, then set a realistic target score range based on how competitive each program is, rather than betting everything on one dream option. Some universities also publish past placement points and program-level details, which can help you set expectations. For example, Karadeniz Technical University highlights where applicants can review placement information and requirements in its international application announcements: KTU Application, Placement and Registration Announcement.

How long TR-YÖS results stay valid

TR-YÖS scores are valid for two years, which gives you breathing room. If you take the exam and your plans change, you may still be able to use the same score for the next application cycle.

That two-year window also helps when timelines don’t line up cleanly, such as waiting for graduation paperwork, dealing with passport renewals, or applying to programs with later preference windows. A university calendar can show how these steps stretch across the summer, like the University of Health Sciences guide that lays out preference and placement timing after TR-YÖS results: University of Health Sciences selection and placement guide (PDF).

How to register for TR-YÖS, key dates, and what to expect on exam day

Registration is handled through ÖSYM’s online system, and the steps are similar to other standardized exams: you create or access your account, enter identity details, choose your test center and language, upload required information, then pay the fee and confirm.

Because deadlines can be tight, it helps to treat registration like a travel booking. If you wait until the last week, you may face limited test center seats, payment issues, or document stress, and none of those problems improve your score.

As an example of how schedules are published, the 2025 spring exam (2025-TR-YÖS/1) was administered on May 11, 2025, with applications open February 13 to March 12, 2025, and a late application window March 18 to March 20, 2025, as published in a university announcement: 2025 TR-YÖS Exam Schedule Announcement (SUBU).

In 2025, ÖSYM also held another session later in the year. Ankara Social Sciences University published an announcement for 2025-TR-YÖS/2, stating the exam date as October 19, 2025, with applications August 7 to August 25, 2025: 2025-TR-YÖS/2 Applications (ASBU).

As of December 2025, official 2026 dates were not confirmed in the information available here, so the right move is to monitor ÖSYM announcements and the international office updates posted by universities you care about.

Step-by-step registration through ÖSYM (documents, fees, test center choice)

The exact screens can change, but the process usually follows a familiar path:

1. Access the ÖSYM candidate system and open the TR-YÖS application page when the application window begins.
2. Enter your personal data exactly as in your passport, including name spelling, order, and birth details.
3. Provide your education status, which is usually proof that you’re in your final year or already graduated.
4. Select your exam country and test center, based on available locations for that session.
5. Choose your exam language, based on the offered language list for that year.
6. Pay the exam fee within the deadline, then save the final confirmation page.

Name spelling is not a small detail here. If your passport says one form of your name and your application says another, you can end up fixing it under deadline pressure, which is the last thing you want before a major exam.

TR-YÖS dates and timeline planning (what we know and how to stay updated)

A good planning timeline starts earlier than most students expect, because it includes documents, not only studying.

Using the 2025 spring session as a reference, universities reported this pattern: applications in mid-February to mid-March, late applications in mid-to-late March, and the exam in May, as shown in the SUBU schedule announcement: 2025 TR-YÖS Exam Schedule Announcement (SUBU).

For 2025-TR-YÖS/2, ASBU reported an August application window and an October exam date: 2025-TR-YÖS/2 Applications (ASBU).

For 2026, you should plan with flexibility since dates were not confirmed in the provided sources, and you should check official announcements often during the first months of the year. If your nearest test center is outside your city or country, plan travel documents early, because a visa delay can cost you an entire test session.

Conclusion

The TR-YÖS exam is the main standardized route many international students use when applying to public universities in Türkiye, and it tests math, problem-solving, and logical reasoning in a timed format. Universities use TR-YÖS scores competitively, so the same result can be strong for one program and weak for another. Registration runs through ÖSYM, and dates can follow a spring and fall pattern, with universities sharing confirmed schedules in their announcements. Your next step is simple: shortlist your universities, confirm whether TR-YÖS is required or if your diploma is accepted instead, then build a study and registration plan that leaves room for paperwork and deadlines.