Top Universities in Turkey: Istanbul and Ankara - LATEST 2026

This list is made up of private universities, mostly in Istanbul, with Ankara Medipol University as the one Ankara option. Each has a dormitory and accepts applications through StudyLeo. Programs are usually taught in Turkish or English, and most bachelor's degrees take four years.

Bahçeşehir University, founded in 1998, has 20,347 students. Istanbul Topkapi University, from 2009, is almost the same size at 20,000, and Uskudar University, from 2011, is a little larger at 24,000. Istanbul Nisantasi University (2010) has 15,000 students and İstanbul Esenyurt University (2013) has 15,500. Ankara Medipol University is the youngest, founded in 2018, with 12,000 students.

Fees are set for each program, and they can differ between programs at the same university, or between English and Turkish teaching of the same subject. Pick two or three programs you like and compare them side by side before you apply.