For students from Azerbaijan who want to study in Türkiye on a government scholarship, one of the best-known options is the Türkiye Bursları (Türkiye Scholarships) programme. According to the official calendar, the general application period runs every year from 10 January to 20 February. That means the next call is about two months away, which makes now the ideal time to start preparing your documents.
In this article, based on the programme’s official website, we explain in plain language who can apply, what the scholarship covers and how the selection works.
Application calendar
The official calendar lists the following stages for the general (full-time) programmes:
- Applications: 10 January – 20 February
- Evaluation: March – April
- Interviews: April – June
- Results: early August
- Arrival in Türkiye: September
Please note: the exact dates of the 2027 call have not been officially announced yet — to be confirmed. The dates above are the calendar the programme follows every year. We recommend checking the official website as soon as the announcement is published.
Who can apply?
The programme is open to citizens of all countries. Students who will graduate at the end of the current academic year (before August) can also apply. The main requirements listed on the official website are:
- Age limit: under 21 for bachelor’s (and associate) degrees, under 30 for master’s, under 35 for PhD
- Minimum academic achievement: 70% for bachelor’s candidates, 75% for master’s and PhD candidates
- Turkish citizens and people who have lost Turkish citizenship cannot apply
- People currently enrolled at a Turkish university at the level they are applying for cannot apply
The official pages give differing information about health sciences (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy), so the requirements for these fields are to be confirmed. If you plan to apply in one of these fields, be sure to check the official conditions once the call is announced.
What does the scholarship cover?
According to the official page, the Türkiye Bursları full-time scholarship covers:
- Placement at a university and programme
- Monthly stipend: bachelor’s — 6,500 TL, master’s — 9,500 TL, PhD — 13,000 TL
- Tuition fees
- A one-year Turkish language course
- Accommodation
- Health insurance
- A once-off flight ticket at the start of studies and on graduation
The monthly amounts are the figures currently shown on the official page and may be updated in the new call. All scholarship holders who do not have a C1 Turkish proficiency certificate must attend the one-year Turkish course and reach C1 level by the end of that year.
Which documents do you need?
Applications are submitted online through the TBBS system and are free of charge. According to the official list, you will need:
- A valid ID card or passport
- A photo taken within the last year
- National exam results (if any) — for example, your DİM score
- Diploma or temporary graduation certificate
- Transcript
- International exam results (SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.) if required by your chosen university or programme
- A language certificate (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) if required
- For PhD only: a research topic proposal and a sample of your previous research
In addition, the content of your letter of intent is taken into account during evaluation. We advise writing it without rushing and going through several drafts — you can find detailed tips in our article on motivation letters.
How does the selection work?
The official page describes the selection process in these stages:
- Preliminary assessment: minimum grade, age limits and complete documents
- Expert evaluation
- Test: for bachelor’s candidates, a 30-question test in mathematics, geometry and logic, 60 minutes
- Interview: usually 15–30 minutes, held on the same day as the test
- Final assessment
What can you do right now?
- Check your passport’s validity
- Order official copies of your diploma or transcript in advance
- Choose the universities and programmes you want to apply to
- Write a first draft of your letter of intent
- If your chosen programme requires a language certificate, start preparing for the exam now
- If you are applying for a bachelor’s degree, practise for the maths and logic test
Useful notes
- Applying is free. Signing up on TBBS takes about 2 minutes and filling in the application takes 30–60 minutes. Still, don’t wait for the last days — leave time to upload your documents.
- Your programme choice matters. You choose the universities and programmes yourself in the system, so make realistic choices that match your grades and interests.
- There are other programmes too. Besides the general call, the official calendar lists an October–November window for the Success Scholarship and four application periods a year for researchers. The exact conditions for these programmes are published on separate pages.
- For high achievers, the official website also mentions the Merit programme: its scholars receive twice the regular monthly stipend, but the requirements (for example, a 90% average and high SAT, GRE or language test scores) are considerably higher.
Need help?
A Türkiye Bursları application may look simple at first, but choosing the right programme and writing a strong letter of intent make a real difference. Book a free consultation to review your documents together — we will build a roadmap that suits you.