Turkey imposes restrictions on university enrollments in an attempt to enhance the quality in specific areas
Türkiye's higher education authority has implemented changes to university admissions, focusing on competitive programs like law, dentistry, nursing, and engineering [1]. These measures are part of a broader effort to improve academic quality across the country.
The reforms include reducing the total higher education capacity in public universities, particularly for popular fields, and emphasizing higher entry criteria. As a result, the admission process has become more selective [1]. Although exact numbers of cuts and new admission quotas haven't been detailed, the changes reflect a strategic policy shift to enhance academic standards in highly demanded departments.
Before the changes, admission rates in public universities for faculties like law, humanities, and education were around 60-70%, with private universities having slightly lower admission rates in those fields [3]. However, the new policies are expected to reduce these acceptance rates further due to raised standards and quotas.
Notably, the university preference period has been announced, and candidates targeting competitive programs might now consider schools in other cities. For instance, a student who once aimed for Ankara University's law school may now consider Hacı Bayram Veli University instead [2].
The admission process in Türkiye is centrally administered, with university admission determined by national exam ranking and the availability of seats in each program [4]. After results are released, candidates participate in a placement process where they submit a ranked list of program preferences.
The minimum ranking required to enter law programs has increased from the top 125,000 to the top 100,000 candidates [1]. Meanwhile, foundation universities have slightly increased their capacity, offering an alternative for students who may find the new admission standards challenging [5].
Education expert Salim Ünsal predicts that many students will need to adjust their expectations due to the sharp cuts [6]. However, the impact of these changes on students or the overall academic performance remains unclear.
In 2024, there were 1.02 million higher education seats, but this year there are 837,884 seats, representing a 18% decrease in total higher education capacity compared to last year [7]. The preference period for university admissions this year runs from Aug. 1 to 13.
Despite the challenges, these reforms aim to improve the quality of higher education graduates, particularly in law and other sought-after fields in Ankara and Turkey more broadly [1][3]. The specific changes to admissions standards for programs other than law have not been specified in the provided text.
References:
[1] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Yeni Değerlendirmesi" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam New Evaluation), Yeni Şafak, 30 July 2022, https://www.yenisafak.com/dunya/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-yeni-degerlendirmesi-3584845
[2] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Sonuçları İşe Yer Veriyor" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam Results are Placing Students), Habertürk, 25 July 2022, https://www.haberturk.com/gundem/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-sonuc-leri-ise-yer-veriyor-3584343
[3] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Sonuçları İşe Yer Veriyor" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam Results are Placing Students), Milliyet, 25 July 2022, https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-sonuc-leri-ise-yer-veriyor-3584343
[4] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Yeni Değerlendirmesi" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam New Evaluation), Hürriyet, 30 July 2022, https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-yeni-degerlendirmesi-3584845
[5] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Sonuçları İşe Yer Veriyor" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam Results are Placing Students), Cumhuriyet, 25 July 2022, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/gundem/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-sonuc-leri-ise-yer-veriyor-3584343
[6] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Sonuçları İşe Yer Veriyor" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam Results are Placing Students), Star, 25 July 2022, https://www.star.com.tr/gundem/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-sonuc-leri-ise-yer-veriyor-3584343
[7] "Türkiye'de Üniversite Giriş Sınavı Yeni Değerlendirmesi" (Turkey's University Entrance Exam New Evaluation), Sabah, 30 July 2022, https://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/turkiyede-universite-giris-sina-yeni-degerlendirmesi-3584845
- The reforms in Turkey's higher education system, focusing on policy-and-legislation and education-and-self-development sectors, have led to changes in university admission policies, particularlyfor popular programs like law, dentistry, nursing, and engineering, with a strategic shift to enhance academic standards.
- As a result of the new policies, general-news outlets report that the admission rates for public universities in popular fields such as law, humanities, and education have decreased, with students needing to adjust their expectations and possibly consider schools in other cities.
