Scholarships, Turkey

Merit Scholarships at Yasar University 2026–2027 — Up to 100% Tuition Waiver

Faseeh Sultan

July 9, 2026
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Merit Scholarships at Yasar University 2026–2027 — Up to 100% Tuition Waiver

If you are looking to pursue a Master’s or PhD degree in Turkey — in English — without paying full tuition, Yasar University’s Graduate School has one of the most accessible merit scholarship systems available to international students right now. Located in Izmir, Turkey’s vibrant Aegean coastal city, Yasar University is offering tuition fee waivers of 25%, 50%, and even 100% for its 2026–2027 academic year across MA, MSc, and PhD programs. Applications for the Fall 2026 2nd period open in August 2026, so this is the right time to get your documents in order and understand exactly what is on offer.

Detail	Information
University	Yasar University (Yaşar Üniversitesi)
Country	Turkey
Degree Level	MA / MSc (Thesis & Non-Thesis), PhD, Proficiency in Art
Scholarship Type	Merit-based tuition fee waiver (25%, 50%, 100%)
Fall 2026 – 2nd Application Period	August 3, 2026 onward (verify exact closing date on official site)
Open To	National and International Students
Official Link	Quota and Scholarships — Yasar University Graduate School

🎓 About Yasar University Graduate School

Yasar University was founded in 2001 by the Selçuk Yaşar Sports and Education Foundation in Bornova, Izmir — Turkey’s third-largest city and one of its most international, student-friendly urban centers. The Graduate School (LEE — Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü) operates one of Turkey’s most diverse English-language postgraduate portfolios, spanning engineering, business, law, social sciences, arts, and design.

What makes Yasar particularly interesting for international students is that a large share of its graduate programs are delivered entirely in English, and the university has built a scholarship system directly into its annual admissions quota. This means scholarship spots are not separate competitions you apply for after admission — they are allocated as part of the standard intake process, based on your academic record and application ranking.

The university holds recognition from Turkey’s Higher Education Council (YÖK) and appears in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 band (verify exact band on the official website). Izmir itself offers a significantly lower cost of living compared to Istanbul, making a scholarship here stretch further in real terms.

🎓 Scholarship Structure — What’s Available

The scholarship system at Yasar’s Graduate School works as a tuition waiver model. Here is a clear breakdown confirmed from the official 2026–2027 quota tables:

PhD and Proficiency in Art Programs:

100% scholarship: 6 seats per program (72 total across all 12 PhD programs)
50% scholarship: Not offered at PhD level
25% scholarship: Not offered at PhD level
No-scholarship seats: 2 per program
International student quota: 5 per program

MA/MSc Thesis Programs:

100% scholarship: 3 seats per program (87 total across 29 programs)
50% scholarship: 2 seats per program (58 total)
25% scholarship: 2–6 seats per program (89 total)
International student quota: 1–5 per program depending on the program

MA/MSc Non-Thesis Programs:

100% scholarship: Not available
50% scholarship: Not available
25% scholarship: 10–38 seats per program (448 total)
International student quota: Up to 15 per program for certain English-language programs

Here’s the most important thing to understand: PhD applicants compete for a 100% scholarship or nothing — there is no 50% middle tier at doctoral level. For Master’s programs, the 100% waiver seats are limited to 3 per program, so competition is real. The 25% tier has the most seats and is the most accessible entry point.

An additional note for Yasar undergraduate alumni: graduates with a GPA of 3.00/4.00 or higher are entitled to a 50% discount on tuition when enrolling in graduate programs (excluding non-thesis master’s), stackable with other scholarships up to a maximum of 100%.

🎓 Eligibility Criteria

For PhD Programs (International Students):

Bachelor’s GPA: minimum 2.80/4.00, or Master’s GPA: minimum 3.00/4.00 (depending on program entry path)
English language requirement: varies by program — typically IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL iBT 84–90 for English-taught PhD programs (verify exact requirement for your chosen program on the official requirements page)
Standardized test: GRE minimum 151–153, or GMAT 465–500, or ALES minimum 60–70 depending on program
Prior degree in a relevant field (program-specific — check official requirements)

For MA/MSc Thesis Programs (International Students):

Bachelor’s degree from any field accepted for most programs
English language requirement: typically IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL iBT 78 for English-taught programs (higher for MA in English Language and Literature: IELTS 7.0)
Standardized test: GRE, GMAT, or ALES scores required for most thesis programs
No minimum GPA stated for most MA/MSc thesis programs (except a few, e.g., min. 2.30/4.00 for engineering programs)

For MA/MSc Non-Thesis Programs (International Students):

Bachelor’s degree from any field accepted for most programs
English language requirement: typically IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL iBT 78 for English-taught programs
No standardized test (ALES/GRE/GMAT) required for non-thesis programs — this is a key advantage
Note: Scholarship at non-thesis level is capped at 25%

Important: Candidates who graduated from a program taught in the required language in a country where that language is native are exempt from the language test requirement. Verify your specific exemption status on the Application Requirements page for International Students.

🎓 Who Should Apply / Who Shouldn’t

✅ You are a strong fit if:

You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree and want a research-based graduate degree in Turkey
You are comfortable with English-medium instruction (most programs taught in English)
You want a structured scholarship built into the admissions process — no separate scholarship application required
You are applying for a PhD and have a clean academic record (the 100% waiver is the only scholarship tier at PhD level)
You are looking for lower living costs compared to European study destinations

❌ This may not be the right fit if:

You need a monthly stipend or living allowance — this scholarship covers tuition only, not accommodation or living expenses
You want a 50% or 25% scholarship for a PhD — those tiers do not exist at doctoral level here
Your target program is a Turkish-language-only program and you are not proficient in Turkish
You are applying for a non-thesis Master’s and expecting more than a 25% waiver

🎓 Available Programs

Yasar’s Graduate School offers an exceptionally wide range of English-language programs. The following are available with international student quotas for 2026–2027:

PhD Programs (English-medium with 100% scholarship seats): Architecture, Business Administration, Computer Engineering, Economics, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Finance, Industrial Engineering — plus Proficiency in Art

MA/MSc Thesis Programs (English-medium, selected highlights): Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Business Administration, Business Engineering, Circular Economy, Communication, Computer Engineering, Culture and Arts Administration, Economics, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, English Language and Literature, International Logistics Management, International Relations, International Trade and Finance, Interior Architecture, Logistics Engineering, Psychology, Tourism Management

MA/MSc Non-Thesis Programs (English-medium with 25% scholarship seats): Agricultural Trade and Management, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Business Administration, Business Administration for Executives, Business Engineering, Circular Economy, Computer Engineering, Culture and Arts Administration, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Interior Architecture, International Logistics Management, International Trade and Finance, Logistics Engineering, Music and Performing Arts, Tourism Management

For the complete program list with language of instruction and available seats, visit the official quota page.

🎓 Required Documents

The following are typically required for international student applications (verify the full list on the Required Documents page):

Completed online application form
Copy of passport (photo page)
Official undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts
Diploma or proof of graduation
English language proficiency certificate (IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE, or equivalent — as applicable)
Standardized test score (GRE, GMAT, or ALES — where required by the program)
Statement of purpose / motivation letter (verify if required per program)
Letters of recommendation (verify quantity and format per program)
CV / résumé

🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process

Visit the official Graduate School website at lee.yasar.edu.tr/en and navigate to the Application section.
Confirm your program is open to international students and check its specific language and test score requirements on the International Student Requirements page.
Check the application schedule for the exact open and closing dates of the current application period at the 2026–2027 Application Schedule.
Prepare your documents — transcripts, language test certificate, standardized test score (if needed), and any program-specific documents.
Submit your application through the International Applications portal: international.yasar.edu.tr.
Await evaluation — scholarship allocation follows application order for international students, so earlier submission improves your chances of securing a scholarship seat.
Contact the Graduate School directly for any clarifications: lee@yasar.edu.tr or call +90 (232) 570 9014–15.

Practical tip: Because international student quotas are allocated in application order, submitting in the very first days of an application period gives you a meaningful advantage over late applicants — especially for the limited 100% and 50% scholarship seats.

🎓 Important Dates

Event	Date
Fall 2026 — 1st Application Period	May 4 – July 10, 2026
Fall 2026 — 2nd Application Period	August 3, 2026 onward (verify closing date officially)
Spring 2027 — Application Period	To be announced — bookmark the official page

Bookmark this page and check back for updates: lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/2020-2021-work-schedule/

🎓 Why Apply — Why Yasar and Why Izmir

Turkey has become one of the most strategically attractive destinations for international postgraduate study in the past decade, and Izmir — not Istanbul — is where serious students go to actually focus. The city sits on the Aegean coast, is Turkey’s third-largest metropolitan area, and has a genuinely international, cosmopolitan character. Bornova, where Yasar’s campus is located, is a 15-minute metro ride from the city center and has a dense ecosystem of student accommodation, cafés, and social life.

What makes Yasar distinctive among Turkish foundation universities is the breadth of its English-language program portfolio at the graduate level. Very few private Turkish universities offer English-taught PhD programs in fields like Economics, Finance, Computer Engineering, and Architecture — Yasar does, and it attaches a 100% tuition scholarship to six seats per program. For international students who do not qualify for fully government-funded schemes like Türkiye Bursları, this is one of the few institutional-level alternatives in Turkey that offers a real cost reduction pathway through merit.

The cost of living in Izmir is significantly lower than in Istanbul, and Turkey’s general affordability for international students remains one of its defining advantages for students coming from South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

🎓 FAQ

Q: Does the scholarship cover accommodation and living expenses? A: No. Yasar University’s graduate scholarships are tuition fee waivers only. They reduce or eliminate tuition costs but do not include a monthly stipend, accommodation, or travel allowance. Students should budget for living costs separately.

Q: Can I get a 100% scholarship for a non-thesis Master’s program? A: No. The 100% and 50% scholarship tiers are only available for thesis-track MA/MSc programs and PhD programs. Non-thesis programs offer a maximum of 25% waiver.

Q: Is IELTS required for all programs? A: English language proficiency proof is required for English-taught programs. However, if you graduated from a bachelor’s program taught in English in a country where English is the native language, you may be exempt. Verify your specific program requirement on the International Student Requirements page.

Q: Do I need a GRE or GMAT score? A: It depends on the program. Most thesis-track MA/MSc and all PhD programs require GRE, GMAT, or ALES scores. Non-thesis programs generally do not require any standardized test — a notable advantage for candidates who lack these scores.

Q: Is Turkish language knowledge required? A: Only for Turkish-medium programs. English-medium programs do not require Turkish proficiency. However, basic Turkish knowledge helps significantly for daily life in Izmir.

Q: Are scholarship seats first-come, first-served? A: For international students specifically, the university states that quotas are allocated according to application order. Academic merit still determines admission, but among equally qualified candidates, earlier applicants take priority for scholarship seats.

🎓 Official Source

Quota and Scholarships page: lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/application/quota-and-scholarships/
International Student Application Requirements: lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/application-requirements-international-student/
International Applications Portal: international.yasar.edu.tr
Application Schedule 2026–2027: lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/2020-2021-work-schedule/
Graduate School Contact Email: lee@yasar.edu.tr
Phone: +90 (232) 570 9014–15
Address: Yaşar University Selçuk Yaşar Campus, Üniversite Cad. No: 37–39, Ağaçlı Yol, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey

🎓 Summary Table

Detail	Information
University	Yasar University (Yaşar Üniversitesi)
Location	Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
Degree Levels	MA / MSc (Thesis), MA / MSc (Non-Thesis), PhD, Proficiency in Art
Scholarship Type	Merit-based tuition fee waiver
PhD Scholarship	100% only — 6 seats per program
MA/MSc Thesis Scholarship	100% (3 seats), 50% (2 seats), 25% (2–6 seats) per program
Non-Thesis Scholarship	25% only
International Quota	1–15 per program depending on level and program
Language of Instruction	English (most programs) / Turkish (some programs)
English Requirement	IELTS 6.0–6.5 minimum for most English-taught programs
Standardized Test	GRE / GMAT / ALES required for thesis and PhD programs
2nd Application Period	August 3, 2026 onward
Official Page	Quota and Scholarships