Turkish is the language of general instruction at the university level. Course admission eligibility therefore depends on a candidate’s adequate proficiency in Turkish. Universities usually offer specialized Turkish courses for non-native speakers. 

Some state universities and almost all foundation or private universities use English, French and/or German as the primary language of instruction. If needed, students can attend a yearlong supplementary program to increase their proficiency in the target language. 

At the beginning of each academic year, both undergraduate and graduate students are admitted to their departments on the condition of successfully passing an English language placement test. These tests are designed to assess a student’s ability to adequately use English for academic purposes. Students unable to pass receive English language training at onsite preparatory schools until they reach a required level of proficiency.

The preparatory schools’ syllabi are organized in such a way that all students can achieve the necessary scores on their final language tests by the end of the second term. Therefore, the successful completion of the program greatly depends on a student’s regular attendance, timely submission of homework and use of provided resources.