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Turkey's 2026 University Entrance Opens with 805,747 Slots
The 2026 Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS) results were announced on 21 July. The Ministry of National Education has set the university preference period for 29 July – 10 August 2026. The Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) published a guide showing that Turkish and Northern Cyprus universities together offer 805,747 slots – 371,476 for associate‑degree programs, 407,080 for bachelor's programs and 27,191 for special‑talent programs. Of these, 602,117 are state‑run, 184,914 belong to foundation (private) institutions and 18,716 are allocated to universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Special quotas provide 17,862 places for top‑scoring school graduates, 3,673 for relatives of martyrs or veterans, and 10,363 for women over 34.
YÖK also introduced 16 new programmes – seven bachelor’s and nine associate‑degree – adding a total of 1,163 seats. New bachelor’s majors include History & AI (10 seats), Philosophy & AI (18), Business & AI (10), Financial Technology (30), Biotechnology & Genetics (40), Paramedic (40) and Fisheries Technology (30). Associate‑degree programmes feature AI‑supported Web Design & Coding (80), AI‑supported Design & Animation (30), Digital Game Technologies (60), Mobile Security Technologies (30), Pharmaceutical Production Technology (30), Explosive & Energetic Materials Technician (90), Livestock Technologies & Management (105), Laboratory Animals (30) and Fisheries Technology (30). Open‑learning added two AI‑supported programmes – AI‑Supported Coding and Data Visualization & Information Design – each with 250 seats. Law faculties saw their total quota cut by about 13 % to 8,745 seats. Overall university slots fell 5.7 % from the previous year, with state slots down 34 % since 2018.
Entities
2026 Yükseköğretim Kurumları Sınavı (YKS) · Artificial‑Intelligence (AI) programmes · Higher Education Institutions (state, vakıf, KKTC) · Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) · Law Faculty (Turkey) · Open‑Education (Açık Öğretim) · Open‑Education (Açık Öğretim) programmes · Turkey · Turkish Parliament · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus · Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) · Yükseköğretim Kurumları Sınavı (YKS)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 21 SOURCES] A total of 805,747 university slots are available in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for the 2026 admission cycle. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +13 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] Special quotas allocate 17,862 seats for school top‑scorers, 3,673 for relatives of martyrs/veterans, and 10,363 for women over 34. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +13 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] Open‑education adds two AI‑supported programmes – AI‑Supported Coding and Data‑Visualization & Information Design – each with 250 seats. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +13 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] YKS preference period runs from 29 July to 10 August 2026. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +13 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] Of the total slots, 602,117 are state‑run, 184,914 are private (vakıf), and 18,716 are for universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +11 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] YÖK opened 16 new programmes (7 bachelor, 9 associate) with a total of 1,163 seats, including History & AI (10), Philosophy & AI (18), Business & AI (10), FinTech (30), Biotechnology & Genetics (40), www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +13 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] YÖK added 16 new programmes (7 licence, 9 associate) focusing on artificial‑intelligence and digital technologies, admitting students for the first time. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +11 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] The 2026 YKS results were announced on 21 July. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.baskentgazete.com.tr · mebpersonel.com · www.rizedeyiz.com · +11 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The YKS preference period runs from 29 July to 10 August 2026. www.turkgun.com · www.izgazete.net · www.benguturk.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Overall university slots fell 5.7 % from the previous year, with state‑run slots decreasing by 34 % since 2018.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Law faculty total slots were reduced to 8,745 for 2026, a drop of about 13 % from the previous year. www.son.tv