FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
A transfer from a German university to a Turkish one runs through horizontal transfer procedures. The Turkish university looks at the courses you have already passed and decides how many of them it will recognize, so you can continue your degree without starting from the first semester.
Students leave Germany for different reasons. Some want an English-medium program, some want a more flexible academic system, and some simply find that the first choice did not fit. Many private foundation universities in Turkey have a set process for evaluating credits.
Key takeaways
- A transfer from Germany to Turkey is possible under horizontal transfer rules.
- Germany and Turkey both use ECTS credits, which makes courses easier to compare.
- Private universities usually evaluate each transfer individually.
- Many private universities in Turkey offer English-taught programs.
How the transfer process works
The process starts with an academic evaluation. The Turkish university reviews your transcript, the courses you completed and your credit load. An academic committee then decides which courses it can recognize, based on how closely their content matches its own.
You will usually need these documents:
- Official transcript
- Course descriptions and syllabi
- Proof of enrollment
- GPA documentation
- Passport and identification
Each university sets its own official transfer periods, and applications are usually accepted only during them. Ask the university for its dates before you start collecting papers.
Universities that evaluate transfer applications
The table below lists six private universities that evaluate transfer applications: Bahçeşehir, Istanbul Aydın, Yeditepe, Altınbaş, İstinye and Istanbul Medipol. All six are in Istanbul.
🔄 Updated: Oct 22, 2026 14:07
Turkey's higher education system at a glance
Turkey has more than 70 foundation universities and over 300,000 international students. Most bachelor's programs last 4 years, and the ECTS credit system is widely used, which is what lets a Turkish faculty compare your German courses with its own.
Credit transfer and course recognition
ECTS is the European Credit Transfer System, and both Germany and Turkey use it. A shared credit system gives the faculty a clear basis for comparing courses, but the faculty still makes the final decision.
For each course you may get full recognition, partial recognition, or a request to retake it. Choosing a Turkish program that is close to your current one lowers the risk of losing a semester.
Why students transfer to Turkey
Students transfer to Turkey for an English-taught program, a more flexible academic structure, or the chance to change departments. Decide which of these matters most before you pick a university.
Help with your transfer
Course matching and application timing are where transfers go wrong. A poor match can mean retaking courses, and a missed transfer period can delay the whole process.
We can compare your German transcript with the Turkish program you have in mind, manage the application and follow it through to enrollment. If you want that help, apply through StudyLeo and we will start from your transcript.
