Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

All

World-class education, opportunity to work closely with world-class professors on ambitious research projects, financial aid package including benefits to all students, opportunity to publish your research as articles or book chapters, availability to study or work abroad during the program, opportunity to be employed in the best organizations and admitted by the best Ph.D. programs (see career development of our graduates)

PhD students do not pay tuition and a high percentage of our admitted MA students also receive full tuition waiver based on academic merit . To maintain high quality student profiles in our programs we wish to recruit students with high GPA and ALES/GRE scores.

A selected group of students receive stipend (monthly payment) in addition to tuition waiver (see, financial aid package). Scholarships will be allocated on competitive basis. Students who have higher GPA and ALES scores stand a better chance to receive scholarship than those with lower GPA or ALES. A limited number of students with lower GPA or ALES may be admitted to the programs without scholarship.

Yes, you can submit your application to the system without your Graduate Record Examination (GRE-for foreign applicants) or ALES (Akademik Lisansüstü Eğitim Sınavı-for native applicants) and language scores. You will be able to leave these spaces empty if your scores are not available at the time of application but please do indicate the date you are scheduled to take the exam. You must make sure to register to the earliest exam available.You need to upload your scores to the online application system as soon as they are announced. In exceptional cases, PhD programs may offer conditional admissions to applicants who are not able to submit their GRE scores by the application deadline but provide a strong application package (with high GPA, strong letters of recommendation, being graduated from a highly-regarded institution, publication record or other academic merits). All candidates will be required to present their GRE scores in order to receive full admission to their respective program.

Yes, you may if you are prepared to demonstrate your interest in the discipline you are applying for. Please note that it would not be possible to state that you have an interest in the program; you need to demonstrate it through the courses taken, seminars or trainings attended, etc. Please note that you may have to take remedial courses at the undergraduate level.

Some Programs may admit PhD/MA/ LL.M. students in the Spring term.

The program will start evaluating all applications received by the early application deadline. If the program hasn’t filled its quotas, then they will evaluate the applications received after the early application and before the regular application deadline. In order to be considered for the early application, the application package must be fully completed by the early application deadline, including the reference letters and test scores.

No – Koç University uses an online application.

Candidates can apply to more than one program via the online system. A separate application form should be filled out for each program to which a candidate wishes to apply.

Applicants need 2 (two) for MA; 3 (three) for PhD recommendations from faculty or others qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. At least one evaluation and letter should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.

Recommenders are to submit the letters online – not by mail, fax or e-mail. When you enter the names and email addresses of your recommenders in the online application, they will receive a message with instructions on how to submit their recommendations directly to Koç University. If you have any questions, contact Graduate Admissions at gsss@ku.edu.tr

Please note that older web browsers are not supported by this e-application platform and could prevent access. The following browsers are supported:
  • For Windows, Chrome, Firefox v3.6+, Internet Explorer v6+,Opera v9+,Safari v2+
  • For Mac OSX: Chrome, Firefox v3.6+, Safari v2+

All recommenders do receive confirmation mail if the forms are successfully submitted. Q: I submitted my application in time but the recommender will not finish before the deadline. Is this okay? A: The recommender can submit the recommendation one or two days after the deadline. What has to be submitted by the program deadline is your application.

Due to Turkish Higher Education (YÖK) regulations, one can not apply with an ALES score lower that 55 (GRE lower than 149) for MA Applications and ALES score lower than 70 (GRE lower than 153) for PhD Applications. * Students applying directly to PhD with only a BA degree should have minimum ALES 80 / GRE 156

GRE scores are valid for approximately five years from the date taken. ALES is valid for five years. TOEFL scores submitted to Koç must be from a test taken within the last 24 months.

Unfortunately, this information can’t be checked through application status. We receive tests scores from ETS via mail. If you requested that scores be sent to Koç University, we should have it. The school code for Koç University is 0163.

YÖKDİL and YDS are national “English Proficiency Exams”.

General Information

World-class education, opportunity to work closely with world-class professors on ambitious research projects, financial aid package including benefits to all students, opportunity to publish your research as articles or book chapters, availability to study or work abroad during the program, opportunity to be employed in the best organizations and admitted by the best Ph.D. programs (see career development of our graduates)

PhD students do not pay tuition and a high percentage of our admitted MA students also receive full tuition waiver based on academic merit . To maintain high quality student profiles in our programs we wish to recruit students with high GPA and ALES/GRE scores.

A selected group of students receive stipend (monthly payment) in addition to tuition waiver (see, financial aid package). Scholarships will be allocated on competitive basis. Students who have higher GPA and ALES scores stand a better chance to receive scholarship than those with lower GPA or ALES. A limited number of students with lower GPA or ALES may be admitted to the programs without scholarship.

Yes, you can submit your application to the system without your Graduate Record Examination (GRE-for foreign applicants) or ALES (Akademik Lisansüstü Eğitim Sınavı-for native applicants) and language scores. You will be able to leave these spaces empty if your scores are not available at the time of application but please do indicate the date you are scheduled to take the exam. You must make sure to register to the earliest exam available.You need to upload your scores to the online application system as soon as they are announced. In exceptional cases, PhD programs may offer conditional admissions to applicants who are not able to submit their GRE scores by the application deadline but provide a strong application package (with high GPA, strong letters of recommendation, being graduated from a highly-regarded institution, publication record or other academic merits). All candidates will be required to present their GRE scores in order to receive full admission to their respective program.

Yes, you may if you are prepared to demonstrate your interest in the discipline you are applying for. Please note that it would not be possible to state that you have an interest in the program; you need to demonstrate it through the courses taken, seminars or trainings attended, etc. Please note that you may have to take remedial courses at the undergraduate level.

Some Programs may admit PhD/MA/ LL.M. students in the Spring term.

The program will start evaluating all applications received by the early application deadline. If the program hasn’t filled its quotas, then they will evaluate the applications received after the early application and before the regular application deadline. In order to be considered for the early application, the application package must be fully completed by the early application deadline, including the reference letters and test scores.

Online Applications

No – Koç University uses an online application.

Candidates can apply to more than one program via the online system. A separate application form should be filled out for each program to which a candidate wishes to apply.

Recommendation Letters

Applicants need 2 (two) for MA; 3 (three) for PhD recommendations from faculty or others qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. At least one evaluation and letter should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.

Recommenders are to submit the letters online – not by mail, fax or e-mail. When you enter the names and email addresses of your recommenders in the online application, they will receive a message with instructions on how to submit their recommendations directly to Koç University. If you have any questions, contact Graduate Admissions at gsss@ku.edu.tr

Please note that older web browsers are not supported by this e-application platform and could prevent access. The following browsers are supported:
  • For Windows, Chrome, Firefox v3.6+, Internet Explorer v6+,Opera v9+,Safari v2+
  • For Mac OSX: Chrome, Firefox v3.6+, Safari v2+

All recommenders do receive confirmation mail if the forms are successfully submitted. Q: I submitted my application in time but the recommender will not finish before the deadline. Is this okay? A: The recommender can submit the recommendation one or two days after the deadline. What has to be submitted by the program deadline is your application.

GRE/ALES/Language Scores

Due to Turkish Higher Education (YÖK) regulations, one can not apply with an ALES score lower that 55 (GRE lower than 149) for MA Applications and ALES score lower than 70 (GRE lower than 153) for PhD Applications. * Students applying directly to PhD with only a BA degree should have minimum ALES 80 / GRE 156

GRE scores are valid for approximately five years from the date taken. ALES is valid for five years. TOEFL scores submitted to Koç must be from a test taken within the last 24 months.

Unfortunately, this information can’t be checked through application status. We receive tests scores from ETS via mail. If you requested that scores be sent to Koç University, we should have it. The school code for Koç University is 0163.

YÖKDİL and YDS are national “English Proficiency Exams”.