Turkey YKS 2026 results show high occupancy but departmental gaps

The 2026 Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) placement results in Turkey reveal significant disparities in university enrollment. While state universities achieved a record 99.5% occupancy rate, certain departments faced extreme disinterest. Notably, 204 programs received no preferences at all, and 26 state universities reported zero students enrolled in Science Teaching programs.

Discrepancies were also observed in engineering fields; for instance, Computer Engineering programs at several universities, such as Iğdır and Hakkari, saw very low enrollment rates. Conversely, new interdisciplinary programs focused on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and digital technologies saw high demand, with 16,406 students enrolling in 58 newly established programs.

Placement success varied significantly by high school type. Social Sciences High Schools led with an 85.73% placement rate, followed by Science High Schools at 82.68%. Anadolu High Schools saw a 65.02% rate, while vocational schools had the lowest at 39.09%. Individual institutional successes were noted, such as Istanbul Medipol University attracting top-ranking students and Manisa Celal Bayar University reaching 100% capacity across all its programs.