YÖS Exam Syllabus (2025 to 2026): TR-YÖS Topics, Format, and What to Study

If you’re planning to apply to a university in Turkey, you’ve probably noticed one repeated phrase across forums and admissions pages: YÖS exam syllabus. Students search it early because the syllabus answers the most practical questions, what you’ll be tested on, how the questions are split, how much time you get, and what you should practice first.

In recent admission cycles, TR-YÖS (run centrally) has become the main standardized YÖS-style exam used by many universities to compare international applicants more consistently. At the same time, some universities may still run their own university YÖS, or accept alternatives (such as SAT) depending on the program and the year.

This guide keeps things simple and usable. You’ll learn what the TR-YÖS syllabus focuses on, where it can differ by university, what the test day format usually looks like, and a clear checklist of math and logic topics so you can study with less stress and more direction.

What the YÖS exam syllabus covers in 2025 to 2026 (TR-YÖS vs university YÖS)

When people say “YÖS,” they often mean two different things, and mixing them up can waste weeks of study time.

TR-YÖS is the centrally administered exam used for foreign student admissions in Turkey, and it mainly targets two areas: basic mathematics and general ability (logic). The questions are designed to check how you think, how you handle unfamiliar problems, and how accurately you can work under time pressure, rather than how many formulas you can memorize.

A university YÖS is an exam created and delivered by a specific university (when offered). Some universities no longer run their own tests, while others may keep an internal exam for certain cycles, or may accept multiple exam types. The big takeaway is simple: treat TR-YÖS as the baseline syllabus, then confirm each university’s current requirements on its international admissions page.

TR-YÖS syllabus at a glance (2 main areas)

The TR-YÖS syllabus is usually easy to describe because it doesn’t include long subject lists across many fields.

• Basic Mathematics: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and word problems at a level that rewards strong fundamentals.
• General Ability (IQ/Logic): patterns, visual reasoning, and multi-step logic questions that reward careful reading and rule spotting.

If you’ve prepared for exams where you can survive by memorizing chapters, TR-YÖS can feel different. This exam rewards clear thinking, steady practice, and accuracy under time limits.

When the syllabus can differ by university

Even when a university accepts TR-YÖS scores, it may still set its own expectations, especially for competitive departments. In addition, some universities may:

• hold their own YÖS-style exam in a given year,
• accept other exams (for example, SAT) instead of TR-YÖS for some programs,
• place extra emphasis on geometry and problem solving,
• add an extra component (sometimes language related) in internal processes.

Because of these differences, your safest plan is to build your base around the TR-YÖS syllabus, then adjust based on each target university’s published admissions criteria.

TR-YÖS exam format and marking rules (what to expect on test day)

Syllabus tells you what to study, but format tells you how to study. If you don’t train with timing and rules in mind, even strong students can get stuck.

Across widely shared TR-YÖS descriptions in recent cycles, the exam structure is typically built around 80 questions split evenly between mathematics and logic, with a time limit that is commonly set at around 100 minutes in many cycles (the official guide for your exam year is the final authority). That mix pushes you to solve quickly without losing accuracy.

Number of questions, time limit, and section breakdown

A common TR-YÖS structure looks like this:

Section	What it tests	Typical question count
Basic Mathematics	calculation, algebra, geometry, word problems	40
General Ability (Logic)	patterns, visual reasoning, multi-step logic	40
Total	mixed skills under time pressure	80

With 80 questions and 100 minutes, the rough average is about 75 seconds per question, although real pacing never feels that neat. Some logic questions take longer to “see,” and some math questions are fast if your basics are strong.

A practical pacing habit that works for many students is answering the questions you can solve cleanly first, marking the time-consuming ones, then returning later. That keeps your score moving even when one question tries to trap your attention.

Scoring, negative marking, and smart guessing

TR-YÖS scoring is usually described as weighted, with mathematics often counting slightly more than logic in the final score in commonly shared scoring explanations (one widely cited approach is math around 0.55 per question and logic around 0.45). The detail that matters for your strategy is this: wrong answers can reduce your score, so random guessing is risky.

This changes how you should practice. Speed matters, but accuracy comes first because careless mistakes can cost twice, once by losing the point and again through negative marking. A smart approach is to guess only when you can eliminate options and make a reasoned choice, and to leave blank when you truly have no idea.

Exam languages and where TR-YÖS is offered

TR-YÖS is offered in multiple languages, and recent cycles have listed options such as Turkish, English, German, Arabic, French, and Russian. Your language choice affects how quickly you read and how calmly you work, so it’s not a small decision.

TR-YÖS is also offered outside Turkey. Recent cycle information has described the exam being administered at many international centers (for example, one cycle was reported as 78 centers across 52 countries). That’s helpful if you want to test near home, but it also means you should register early if your local center has limited seats.

What you can and cannot bring (common rule surprises)

Rules feel boring until you lose points because of a preventable mistake. Many YÖS-style exams follow strict exam hall rules, and TR-YÖS is commonly described with restrictions such as:

• No calculator, which means mental math and clean arithmetic matter more than people expect.
• No notes or papers, so all work must be done as permitted in the exam booklet and answer sheet process.
• Bring the required ID, and make sure the name matches your registration details.
• Bring only allowed basic items, and expect that even small things can be restricted depending on the year’s guide.

The safest habit is to read the latest official candidate guide for your exam year and build a simple checklist for test day, because small rules can change even when the syllabus stays almost the same.

Detailed YÖS syllabus topics to study (with a simple checklist)

A good syllabus is like a map. It doesn’t walk for you, but it stops you from walking in circles. Below is a practical checklist based on the consistently described TR-YÖS focus areas: mathematics and general ability.

Basic Mathematics topics in the YÖS syllabus

Most students improve fastest here by strengthening basics first, then moving into mixed word problems. Geometry usually appears through problem solving rather than long proofs, so practice should focus on applying rules quickly.

Use this checklist to track what you’ve studied and what still feels weak:

• Arithmetic basics: integers, order of operations, primes, factors, multiples, GCD and LCM
• Fractions and decimals: simplifying, comparing, operations, converting between forms
• Ratios and percentages: proportion setups, percent change, discounts, mixture style problems
• Algebraic expressions: simplify, expand, factor, basic identities (as needed for speed)
• Equations and inequalities: linear equations, simple systems, inequality solving, absolute value basics
• Exponents and roots: power rules, radicals, simplifying expressions with roots
• Functions (basics): function notation, simple input output, graph sense at a basic level
• Word problems: age, work rate, speed distance time, profit loss, unit conversion, multi-step setups
• Sequences (basics): arithmetic patterns, finding the next term, simple formulas when provided
• Coordinate geometry (basics): points, distance idea, slope idea, reading simple graphs
• Plane geometry (basics): angles, triangles, similarity, circles, perimeter and area
• Basic statistics concepts: mean, median, mode, reading simple tables and charts

If you feel overwhelmed by the list, don’t treat it like twelve separate mountains. Many TR-YÖS math questions combine three skills in one, such as ratio plus algebra plus a word problem setup, so integrated practice matters more than perfect notes.

General Ability (IQ/Logic) topics in the YÖS syllabus

This section often surprises students because it doesn’t look like “school math,” but it’s still trainable. Think of it like learning to spot the hidden rule in a magic trick. At first it feels random, then you start seeing the pattern faster.

Common logic skills to practice include:

• Number and shape patterns: what comes next, what’s missing, rule spotting
• Series and sequences: visual or numeric sequences that change by a consistent rule
• Visual reasoning: matching, rotation, symmetry, mirrored shapes
• Analogies: relationship matching (A is to B as C is to ?)
• Classification: finding the odd one out based on a shared property
• Spatial thinking: cube counting, 3D views, object folding and unfolding
• Probability-style reasoning in words: basic counting logic and “how many ways” thinking
• Logic puzzles: constraints, ordering, truth lying style reasoning
• Multi-step problem solving: questions that require 2 to 4 small steps with careful tracking

This is the part where calm reading wins. Many wrong answers happen because students rush and miss one condition in the prompt, so practice should include accuracy drills, not only speed drills.

How to use the syllabus to build a weekly study plan

A syllabus helps only when it becomes a plan you can repeat on busy days. A simple structure can work even if you have school, work, or visa paperwork going on.

Start with a quick diagnosis. Take a short mixed quiz, then label your mistakes by topic, such as fractions, inequalities, triangle area, visual patterns, or cube counting. This gives you a real starting point instead of guessing.

Split topics into weekly blocks. Choose two math topics and two logic skills per week, then rotate. For example, one week can focus on percentages and equations on the math side, and patterns and spatial thinking on the logic side. This keeps your brain flexible, which matches the exam experience.

Mix math plus logic in each study session. Doing only math for two weeks can make logic feel foreign again when you return. A balanced session could be 45 minutes of math practice, then 30 minutes of logic, then 15 minutes reviewing mistakes.

Track errors like a coach. Keep a small error notebook and write the reason for each mistake, such as misread the question, wrong setup, calculation slip, or forgot a rule. Your score rises fastest when the same mistake stops repeating.

Add timed mini-tests. Since the exam is time-limited, you should practice that pressure in small doses. Short timed sets teach you pacing without exhausting you, and they make full mock exams less scary later.

Where to confirm the official TR-YÖS syllabus and updates

Even if the syllabus feels stable year to year, you should still confirm details for your own exam cycle, because timing, test centers, item rules, and registration steps can change.

What to look for in official documents (guide, application, and exam rules)

When the official documents for a cycle are published, focus on these items first:

• the current TR-YÖS guide for that year,
• application dates and late application dates,
• exam date, exam duration, and the final section breakdown,
• test locations and language options for your center,
• what you can bring into the exam hall, including ID requirements.

It’s smart to check for the newest guide even if you already studied last year’s version, because one small rule change can create stress on test day.

University admissions pages (.edu.tr) to double-check requirements

Universities usually publish what they accept and how they place students on their official admissions pages. Score thresholds can vary by department, and competitive majors can set higher expectations.

When you search on a university domain, look for pages labeled like “International Students,” “Application Requirements,” or “Foreign Students Admission,” and confirm:

• which exams are accepted (TR-YÖS, a university YÖS, SAT, or others),
• minimum scores if listed, and whether they differ by faculty,
• document requirements and deadline windows.

Conclusion

The YÖS exam syllabus becomes much less stressful once you see its structure clearly: TR-YÖS is built mainly around Basic Mathematics and General Ability (logic), with a predictable question split and time pressure that you can train for. The smartest approach is to confirm what each university accepts, then study from the checklist so you’re practicing the exact skills the exam rewards.

Your next steps are simple: get the latest guide when it’s released for your cycle, turn the topic list into a weekly plan, practice timed sets, and review mistakes until accuracy becomes automatic. If you do that consistently, TR-YÖS preparation stops feeling like guesswork and starts feeling like progress you can measure.