Study PhD in Turkey: Private University Options - LATEST 2026
PhD study at private universities in Istanbul, from Sabancı (founded 1994) to Istinye (2015), compared by student numbers, age and dormitories.
The private universities listed for PhD study are all in Istanbul, so the decision is less about the city and more about which university fits your field. They range from Sabancı University, founded in 1994 with 5,168 students, to Istanbul Aydin University with 50,000.
Size is the clearest difference. Sabancı and Istanbul Gedik University, with 6,254 students, are the smallest. Istanbul Medipol University (46,488 students) and Istanbul Gelisim University (39,052) sit near the top with Aydin. Uskudar University, with 24,000 students, and Bahçeşehir University, with 20,347, are in the middle.
Age varies too. After Sabancı, the oldest are Haliç University and Bahçeşehir, both founded in 1998. Biruni University (2014) and Istinye University (2015) are the newest.
All of them have dormitories, and you can send your application to any of them through StudyLeo. Which doctoral programs each university runs, how long they take and the language of instruction are not the same everywhere, so check those details on the program pages before you apply.
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