Turkey education sector updates: YKS placements and MEBİ exam schedule

Turkey's education sector is undergoing several significant transitions for the 2026-2027 academic year. The Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) additional placement process has commenced, allowing students who were not placed in the initial round to apply for approximately 110,000 vacant university spots. These applications are open from September 17 until September 21, 2026, via the ÖSYM system. Data indicates significant vacancies in fields such as Software Engineering and Psychology.

To support exam preparation, the Ministry of National Education (MEB) is deploying the MEBİ AI-supported platform. This platform will facilitate 22 nationwide practice exams—12 for YKS and 10 for the High School Entrance System (LGS)—throughout the academic year to help students track their progress.

Additionally, the Ministry of National Education is expanding its ‘Blue Green School Label’ program to all official institutions by the 2026-2027 term to promote environmental and resource efficiency. Meanwhile, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) announced plans to attract international talent by allowing qualified international doctoral candidates to serve as research assistants starting in 2027.