Türkiye Bursları for Pakistani Students (2027 Guide)

Last checked: 28 September 2026 against turkiyeburslari.gov.tr (Criteria & Scholarship Programs, Application Calendar, Full-Time Scholarships, Why Türkiye Scholarships, Application in 5 Steps, and the "Türkiye Scholarships 2026 Applications" announcement dated 29 December 2025). The site's calendar lists the general window as 10 January–20 February every year. A year-specific announcement for the 2027 cycle had not been published at the time of writing — see the dates section below.

For many Pakistani families, Türkiye Bursları (Türkiye Scholarships, still widely called Turkey Burslari) is the first fully funded overseas option they hear about. The award places you in a Turkish university, pays a monthly stipend, covers tuition, accommodation and health insurance, and includes a one-year Turkish language course. It is also competitive, and the application window is short.

This guide is for Pakistani applicants preparing for the next full-time cycle. It sticks to what the official Türkiye Scholarships website publishes.

What Türkiye Scholarships covers

According to the "Why Türkiye Scholarships" and Full-Time Scholarships pages, a full-time award includes:

• University and department placement — you do not arrange your own admission first;
• Tuition fees;
• A monthly stipend of 6,500 TL at associate and bachelor's level, 9,500 TL at master's level and 13,000 TL at PhD level;
• Accommodation;
• General health insurance;
• A once-off flight ticket (at the beginning of education and when graduating, as stated on the full-time page);
• A one-year Turkish language course for awardees who do not already hold a C1 Turkish certificate.

Merit Scholarship holders, who meet stricter academic criteria set by the Presidency, receive a monthly stipend that is twice the regular amount.

Who can apply

The Criteria & Scholarship Programs page sets these rules:

• Eligible: citizens of all countries; graduates or students who will graduate before August of the application year; researchers and academics.
• Not eligible: Turkish citizens and people who have lost Turkish citizenship; anyone already enrolled in a Turkish university at the same level they want to apply for.

Minimum academic achievement

• Associate and bachelor's: 70%
• Graduate (master's and PhD): 75%
• Health sciences (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy) at bachelor's level: 90%

Age limits

• Associate and bachelor's: under 21
• Master's: under 30
• PhD: under 35
• Research Scholarship: under 50

Graduate programmes under Türkiye Scholarships do not award scholarships in health sciences. Health fields appear at bachelor's level only.

Application dates for 2027

The official Application Calendar lists the General Application Period as 10 January – 20 February every year, followed by evaluation in March–April, interviews from April to June, results in early August, and transfer of grantees to Türkiye in September.

The last year-specific announcement on the site, published on 29 December 2025, confirmed that the 2026 cycle opened on 10 January 2026 and closed on 20 February 2026.

As of 28 September 2026, Türkiye Scholarships had not yet published a separate announcement naming the 2027 dates. Because the calendar and the full-time programme pages both say applications are received between 10 January and 20 February every year, Pakistani applicants should prepare for a likely window of 10 January – 20 February 2027, then confirm the dates on turkiyeburslari.gov.tr when the next announcement appears. Do not treat the estimate as a substitute for the official notice.

Other programmes on the same site, such as Research Scholarships and Success Scholarships, run on different calendars. This guide is about the main full-time associate, bachelor's, master's and PhD awards.

How to apply

Applications are free and submitted only through the Türkiye Scholarships Application System (TBBS). The "Application in 5 Steps" page lists the documents you must upload:

• a valid identity document, ID card or passport;
• a photograph taken within the last year;
• national exam results, if any;
• diploma or temporary graduation certificate;
• transcript;
• international exam results (GRE, GMAT, SAT and similar) if the chosen programme requires them;
• international language test results (TOEFL, DELF and similar) if the chosen programme requires them;
• for PhD applications only: a research topic proposal and a written sample of research you have carried out.

You choose universities and departments from the options the system offers you. Before applying, use the programme search tool on turkiyeburslari.gov.tr to see what fits your background.

Keep scans organised with the filing approach in our documents required for scholarship applications guide. If a later stage asks for attested Pakistani degrees, see HEC degree attestation.

Turkish language year

Most programmes in Turkish universities are taught in Turkish. Some departments offer English or other languages. Even if you are placed in an English-medium programme, Türkiye Scholarships states that awardees who do not already hold a C1 Turkish certificate must attend a one-year Turkish language course and reach C1 by the end of that year.

In practice, many students start their degree programme after the language year. Plan family expectations and career timelines around that extra year.

Documents Pakistani applicants often forget

TBBS rejects incomplete files. Before the portal opens, scan your passport or CNIC, a recent photograph, your latest transcript and either your degree or a temporary graduation certificate that confirms you will finish before August. If you are still studying, ask your examinations office how long a temporary certificate takes. PhD applicants should also draft the research proposal early, because that section is easy to rush on the last night.

If your transcripts use a different grading scale, keep an official explanation from your university ready. Selection panels need to understand your percentage against the 70%, 75% or 90% thresholds.

Selection

Applications are assessed on academic success, social activities and motivation related to the chosen field. The official process stages are preliminary assessment, expert evaluation, tests, interview and final assessment. Results for the general programme are announced in early August, with transfer to Türkiye in September.

How this compares with other awards

If you want a one-year UK master's with work experience already behind you, compare this with our Chevening scholarship Pakistan guide. For a joint European master's, see Erasmus Mundus for Pakistani students. For a broader shortlist, use our map of fully funded scholarships for Pakistani students.

Ignore anyone who offers to "guarantee" a Türkiye Scholarships seat for a fee. Apply yourself on TBBS. Warning signs are covered in our guide to scholarship scams.

More fully funded options for Pakistani students

Türkiye Bursları works best as one of several applications, not your only one. Each of these has its own calendar and rules: the Chinese Government (CSC) Scholarship, the MEXT Japan scholarship and the Commonwealth Scholarship (UK). If you apply to two or three, you give yourself real options without paying agents.

Frequently asked questions

When do Türkiye Bursları applications open for Pakistani students?

The official calendar lists 10 January–20 February every year. The last confirmed cycle ran from 10 January to 20 February 2026. A year-specific 2027 notice had not been published as of 28 September 2026 — check turkiyeburslari.gov.tr before you submit.

What stipend does Türkiye Scholarships pay?

The official full-time page lists 6,500 TL a month for associate and bachelor's students, 9,500 TL for master's students and 13,000 TL for PhD students, plus tuition, accommodation, health insurance, a language year and a once-off flight ticket.

Do I need IELTS for Türkiye Bursları?

Not for the initial TBBS application. You need an international language certificate only if the programme you choose requires one. All awardees without C1 Turkish still take the one-year Turkish course.

Can medical students apply at master's level?

No. Türkiye Scholarships states that it does not award graduate scholarships in health sciences. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy appear at bachelor's level, with a 90% academic requirement.

Do this week

Open turkiyeburslari.gov.tr, check whether the next cycle announcement is live, and gather your diploma, transcript and passport scan. If you are aiming for a master's, confirm that your percentage is at least 75% and that you will still be under 30.