Turkey private school tuition reaches up to 4.2 million lira for 2026‑27 year

Private school enrollment in Turkey fell from 1.671 million in 2025 to about 1.540 million for the 2026‑27 academic year, while the number of new schools opened in the last year exceeded 300. 2026‑27 tuition fees vary widely: average annual costs range from 500 000 to 4.2 million Turkish lira, with the highest fees reported by elite institutions such as Robert College, which will charge more than four million lira—about 142 times the national minimum wage. In major cities like Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir, mid‑segment private primary schools cost between 400 000 and 1.6 million lira, while prestigious secondary schools range from 750 000 to 4.2 million lira. The Ministry of Education set a maximum allowable increase of 43.92% for the first tuition tier and 30.74% for the intermediate tier, but many schools have applied increases that far exceed historic inflation, with some reporting over 7 000% hikes since 2016. Parents are facing a substantial budgeting challenge ahead of the June 13, 2026 LGS exam, as tuition now represents a significant portion of household expenses.