How to Apply for the TR-YÖS? Step-by-Step Guide
How to apply for the TR-YÖS? Applications for the TR-YÖS are submitted individually through ÖSYM’s TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System. Depending on the candidate’s status, the system is accessed using a Turkish Republic identification number, Y.U. number, or TR-YÖS number; identity and contact information are checked, the required photograph and identity document images are uploaded to the system, the question booklet language and exam center preferences are selected, and the application is saved. However, the process does not end there. If the exam fee is not paid within the specified period, the application is not considered complete. ÖSYM states that the application records of candidates who do not pay the fee will be deleted and that no exam entrance document will be issued for these candidates.
TR-YÖS: How Many Questions and How Many Minutes? Exam Structure and Basic Rules
How to Apply for the TR-YÖS?
The basic stages of the TR-YÖS application can be summarized as follows:
- Review the current ÖSYM TR-YÖS Application Guide.
- Log in to the TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System.
- Candidates who do not have a record in the system create an account.
- Check identity and contact information.
- If necessary, upload a photograph and identity document image through the TR-YÖS mobile application.
- Select the TR-YÖS session to apply for.
- Select the foreign language option for the question booklet.
- Rank the exam center preferences.
- Save the application information and submit it to ÖSYM.
- Pay the exam fee within the specified period.
- Check in the system that the application has been completed.
- Keep a copy of the application registration information.
The official application flow published by ÖSYM for 2026-TR-YÖS/2 also presents the process as registration/login, photograph and identity verification, saving the application information, and payment of the fee.
Which Website Is Used to Apply for the TR-YÖS?
Although the main system used for TR-YÖS applications is connected to ÖSYM’s general Candidate Procedures System, it is the Candidate Procedures System specifically for the TR-YÖS.
On the system’s login screen, the following options are available:
- Register,
- Application Guide,
- Application Flow,
- Turkish Republic ID / Y.U. / TR-YÖS No.,
- Password,
- Forgot My Password,
- Forgot My TR-YÖS Number.
Candidates who have a Turkish Republic Identity Card with a photograph and who do not already have a record in the ÖSYM system can create a registration in the ÖSYM Candidate Procedures System via e-Government. They can then proceed to the TR-YÖS system and submit their exam application.
TR-YÖS applications cannot be submitted by post. Standard applications sent to ÖSYM by post or attempted to be delivered by hand outside the application period are not accepted.
Who Should Check Their Eligibility Before Applying for the TR-YÖS?
The fact that the application screen is available in the system does not, by itself, mean that the candidate is eligible for university admission through the TR-YÖS.
One of the basic requirements in the 2026 guide is that the candidate must be in the final year of high school or have graduated. In addition, citizenship status and the country where high school education was completed also affect eligibility to apply.
Under the current rules, different conditions apply to foreign nationals, Blue Card holders, certain dual citizens who later acquired Turkish citizenship, Turkish citizens who completed all of their high school education abroad under the specified conditions, and certain TRNC citizens. As of 2026, there are also regulations requiring many foreign/Blue Card candidates who attended or graduated from high school in Türkiye to follow the YKS process.
ÖSYM relies on candidates’ declarations regarding eligibility conditions during the application process. If it is later determined that a false or inaccurate declaration was made, the rights obtained from the exam may become invalid.
What Should Be Ready for a TR-YÖS Application?
Having the following information ready before starting the application makes the process easier:
| Information / Document | Use |
|---|---|
| Turkish Republic ID / Y.U. / TR-YÖS number | System login and candidate identification |
| Active email address | Account verification and password procedures |
| Phone number | ÖSYM communication and notifications |
| Valid identity document | Verification of identity information |
| Passport information | Entered into the form for candidates who have a passport |
| Current photograph | Uploaded if there is no valid photograph in the ÖSYM system |
| Current residential address | Used in the application form |
| Exam center options | Used to create preferences |
| Bank/credit card | Online payment of the exam fee |
Candidates who do not have a valid photograph in the ÖSYM system and do not have a Turkish Republic Identity Card with a photograph may also need the TR-YÖS mobile application.
1. Create an Account in the TR-YÖS Candidate System
Candidates who have not used the TR-YÖS system before must first create an account.
In the “Register” section of the TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System, identity and contact information is entered. After the email address is verified, the following information is sent to the candidate’s email address:
- TR-YÖS number,
- password to be used for logging into the system.
Since this information may also be required for future exam procedures, it should be stored securely.
There is an important point here:
Obtaining a TR-YÖS number does not mean that an exam application has been submitted.
The ÖSYM guide clearly states this distinction. After receiving the TR-YÖS number, the candidate must log in to the system again and complete the application procedures for the relevant exam period.
2. Log In with Your Turkish Republic ID, Y.U., or TR-YÖS Number
Different identification numbers may be used on the application screen depending on the candidate’s status.
Those Who Have a Turkish Republic Identification Number
Citizens of the Republic of Türkiye use their Turkish Republic identification numbers.
There are also cases where the Turkish Republic identification number is used for dual citizens whose one nationality is Turkish and for certain Blue Card holders specified in the guide.
Those Who Have a Foreign National Number
Candidates who do not have a Turkish Republic identification number and who have obtained a foreign identification number in Türkiye may use their 11-digit Y.U. numbers beginning with 9.
ÖSYM also has a process for obtaining a Y.U. number for candidates who are in Türkiye and do not have a Y.U. number in ÖSYM records. An online form and ÖSYM Exam Coordination Offices may be used in this process.
Those Who Have a TR-YÖS Number
Candidates who have created an account through the TR-YÖS system and have been assigned a TR-YÖS number can log in to the system using this number and their password.
3. Check Your Photograph and Identity Document
The candidate photograph is important in the TR-YÖS application.
According to the 2026 guide, a valid photograph may be:
- the photograph on the Turkish Republic Identity Card, or
- a photograph taken at an ÖSYM application center within the last 50 months and not rejected by ÖSYM.
For candidates who have a Turkish Republic Identity Card with a photograph, the photograph in the ÖSYM system may be automatically updated during the application using the photograph on the identity card.
Candidates who do not have a Turkish Republic Identity Card and do not have a valid photograph in the ÖSYM system must use the TR-YÖS mobile application.
In the mobile application, the candidate:
- Takes a current photograph of themselves.
- Takes a photograph of the front side of the identity document.
- Takes a photograph of the back side of the identity document.
- Uploads the images to the system.
- Then returns to the TR-YÖS web system and continues the application.
Candidates who have a Turkish Republic identification number are not required to separately upload the front and back sides of their identity document. ÖSYM also states that this photograph procedure carried out through the mobile application can only be completed during the application period.
4. Select the Exam in the Application Period
Candidates who log in with their TR-YÖS number and password need to open the “Applications in Progress” section.
For example, when applying for the second exam of 2026, the following option was used in the system:
2026-TR-YÖS/2
Since TR-YÖS may be administered more than once a year, it is important to check which exam is being applied for.
Having previously taken TR-YÖS/1 does not automatically create an application for TR-YÖS/2. Candidates who wish to take the second exam must submit a new application for the relevant period and complete the fee payment process.
5. Check Your Identity and Citizenship Information
The application form includes the candidate’s basic identity information.
This includes:
- first name,
- last name,
- mother’s name,
- father’s name,
- date of birth,
- gender,
- place of birth,
- nationality,
- country information if the candidate is a foreign national.
Citizenship information is particularly important for the TR-YÖS. This is because eligibility to apply for the exam and subsequently for international student quotas depends on the combined evaluation of citizenship and high school education status.
If the citizenship information automatically displayed on the application screen is incorrect, the official records should be corrected instead of randomly selecting a different option.
ÖSYM states that candidates themselves are responsible for the accuracy of all information provided in the application form.
6. Enter Your Passport, Address, Phone, and Email Information
Candidates who have a passport may enter their passport number in the application form. ÖSYM’s 2026 guide states that candidates who do not have a passport may leave the relevant field blank.
However, this should not be confused with the identification documents accepted on exam day. The current ÖSYM rules for the relevant exam period apply separately to the identification document that will be used for admission to the exam.
Candidates living abroad should enter their address information completely, including the country name.
When entering a phone number, the international or area code must be included. If the candidate does not have their own phone, the phone number of a relative who can be reached when necessary may be used.
The email address must also be active. Since ÖSYM may contact the candidate by phone, SMS, or other communication channels when necessary, the information should be kept up to date.
7. Select the Question Booklet Language
One of the important features of the TR-YÖS is that it offers multiple language options.
According to the 2026 guide, in addition to the Turkish text of the questions, a translation in one of the following languages is provided:
- German,
- English,
- French,
- Russian,
- Arabic.
The candidate selects the foreign language option for the question booklet during the application.
If the wrong language is selected, it can be changed through the TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System during the application period, including the late application days.
When choosing the language, it is important for the student to select the language in which they can read mathematics and numerical questions most comfortably, rather than simply their everyday spoken language.
8. Rank Your Exam Center Preferences
TR-YÖS may be administered both in Türkiye and in many foreign countries.
For the 2026-TR-YÖS/2 application, candidates were given the right to make 5 exam center preferences. The preferences are listed in the order in which the candidate wishes to take the exam.
According to ÖSYM’s rule, at least one of the exam center preferences must be an exam center located in Türkiye.
Another important rule is that the exam fee is determined according to the exam center listed as the first preference.
After the candidate pays the exam fee, the first exam center preference cannot be changed. The other preferences may be updated during the application period. If the fee has not yet been paid, changes can be made to all exam center preferences during the application period.
Therefore, the first exam center preference should be selected carefully.
Does an Exam Center Preference Mean a Guaranteed Exam Location?
No.
The city or country selected as the candidate’s first preference is not necessarily the final exam center in every case.
Depending on the number of candidates and capacity, ÖSYM may:
- open a new exam center,
- cancel certain centers,
- assign candidates to another center if a center reaches capacity.
The 2026 guide states that if fewer than 15 candidates apply to an exam center abroad, whether the exam will be administered at that center may be decided after the application period.
In Türkiye, a similar evaluation may be made for exam centers where the number of candidates remains below 1,000.
After the application period ends, the candidate cannot change their exam center preference.
9. Check the Application Information One Last Time
Before saving the application screen, the following fields should be checked again in particular:
- first name and last name,
- date of birth,
- citizenship status,
- foreign country information,
- identification number,
- passport number,
- phone number,
- email address,
- address,
- question booklet language,
- exam center preferences.
ÖSYM requires that the message “The Application Has Been Submitted to ÖSYM.” be displayed in the system for applications submitted online.
However, seeing this message alone does not mean that the process has been fully completed.
The next and critical step is the exam fee.
10. Pay the TR-YÖS Exam Fee
The TR-YÖS application is completed by paying the exam fee within the specified period.
ÖSYM’s 2026 guide states that payments are made by credit card or debit card through the PAYMENTS section under e-TRANSACTIONS.
If the fee is not paid:
- the application registration information is deleted,
- the application does not become valid,
- an exam entrance document is not issued.
Therefore, filling out the application form but forgetting to pay the fee is one of the most important mistakes that can be made during the TR-YÖS application process.
How Much Was the 2026 TR-YÖS Application Fee?
The TR-YÖS exam fee may vary depending on the country where the exam is administered.
In the 2026-TR-YÖS/2 guide, three different fee groups were applied according to the country in which the candidate’s first-choice exam center was located:
| Exam Center Group | 2026-TR-YÖS/2 Fee |
|---|---|
| Türkiye and certain countries/centers | 3,700 TL |
| Second country group | 1,650 TL |
| Third country group | 1,150 TL |
For example, centers such as Türkiye, the TRNC, Germany, the USA, Azerbaijan, and France were in the 3,700 TL group; centers such as Algeria, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan were in the 1,650 TL group; while some centers such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria were in the 1,150 TL group.
The fee is determined not according to the candidate’s citizenship, but according to the exam center selected as the first preference.
Since fees may be announced again for each TR-YÖS period, the fee from a previous exam should not be used for a new application period.
When Were the 2026-TR-YÖS/2 Applications Submitted?
For the second TR-YÖS session of 2026, ÖSYM initially announced the application period as:
9 July – 3 August 2026
Later, with a new announcement published on 3 August 2026, the application and exam fee payment procedures were extended until 11 August 2026.
In ÖSYM’s 2026 calendar, the late application period was also listed as 7–11 August 2026, until 23:59. The exam date was announced as 11 October 2026, and the result date as 5 November 2026.
Application dates are determined separately for each exam period. Therefore, for future TR-YÖS/1 or TR-YÖS/2 applications, the new ÖSYM calendar should be taken as the basis.
11. How Can You Check Whether the Application Has Been Completed?
After making the payment, you should log in to the TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System again.
The candidate should check:
- whether the application is active,
- whether the fee information has been reflected in the system,
- exam center preferences,
- question booklet language,
- personal information.
ÖSYM also recommends obtaining a copy of the application registration information and keeping it, as it may be needed at later stages of the exam.
Checking the information before the application period ends ensures that any incorrect information can be corrected in time.
Can Changes Be Made After Submitting a TR-YÖS Application?
Some information can be changed during the application period.
For example, the question booklet language option can be updated during the application and late application periods.
There are stricter rules for exam center preferences:
- Preferences can be changed before the fee is paid.
- After the fee is paid, the first exam center preference cannot be changed.
- Other exam center preferences can be changed during the application period.
- After the application period ends, the exam center cannot be changed.
Changes to identity or citizenship information may require the relevant official records to be corrected.
Common Mistakes in TR-YÖS Applications
Common mistakes that may cause the application to become invalid or lead to problems later include:
- assuming that obtaining a TR-YÖS number means applying for the exam,
- saving the application form but not paying the exam fee,
- providing incorrect citizenship information,
- entering the email address incorrectly,
- using an outdated phone number,
- selecting the wrong question booklet language,
- ranking exam centers randomly,
- overlooking the fact that the first exam center determines the fee,
- failing to complete the valid photograph procedure,
- not checking the registration information after the application,
- waiting until the last day.
Especially in the final days, there may not be enough time to resolve problems that may occur with the payment system, email verification, or photograph upload.
Is It Necessary to Upload a Diploma for the TR-YÖS Application?
In the standard steps of the 2026 TR-YÖS online application process, uploading a high school diploma to the system is not shown as one of the basic application stages.
ÖSYM requires candidates to be in the final year of high school or to have graduated as part of the exam application conditions and takes candidates’ declarations regarding the application requirements into consideration.
However, applying for the exam and applying to a university are different processes.
When applying to a university with a TR-YÖS result, the university may additionally request:
- high school diploma,
- transcript,
- equivalency certificate,
- TR-YÖS result document,
- passport,
- citizenship documents.
Can You Apply for the TR-YÖS from Abroad?
Yes.
TR-YÖS is already conducted through an online application system so that candidates living outside Türkiye can also use it. ÖSYM explicitly announced that applications for the 2026-TR-YÖS/2 would be submitted individually by candidates through the TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System.
In addition, the exam is administered at many centers outside Türkiye.
Candidates applying from abroad should pay particular attention to:
- having an active email address,
- entering correct identity information,
- providing an appropriate photograph,
- having the ability to make an online payment by card,
- exam center preferences.
According to the 2026 guide, USD or EUR payments made from abroad are processed according to the TL amount determined for the relevant exam center, based on the exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye.
Does a TR-YÖS Application Count as a University Application?
No.
This distinction is very important.
Applying for the TR-YÖS is only an application to participate in the exam administered by ÖSYM. After the exam results are announced, a separate application must be submitted to universities.
ÖSYM does not carry out universities’:
- placement,
- registration,
- accommodation,
- scholarship,
- living expenses,
- residence permit
procedures.
The TR-YÖS result is valid for two years from the exam date. However, which TR-YÖS session a university accepts and what minimum score it requires depend on the university’s own international student admission rules.
What Should Be Done After the Application Is Completed?
After the application and payment are completed, the candidate should follow ÖSYM announcements.
The next basic stages are as follows:
- Final check of the application information
- Publication of the exam entrance document
- Checking the exam center and building
- Attending the exam on exam day with the required identity documents
- Following the question booklet and answer key
- Announcement of the TR-YÖS result
- Applying separately to universities using the result
ÖSYM announces new decisions and changes regarding the exam on its own website, and these announcements are considered official notifications to candidates. Therefore, information obtained only from social media or consultancy companies should not be relied upon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the TR-YÖS application submitted?
The application is submitted individually through ÖSYM’s TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System. Identity and contact information is entered, a photograph and identity document are uploaded if necessary, the language and exam center are selected, the information is saved, and the exam fee is paid.
Is the TR-YÖS application submitted through e-Government?
Candidates who have a Turkish Republic Identity Card with a photograph and are not registered in the ÖSYM system can register for the ÖSYM Candidate Procedures System via e-Government. However, the TR-YÖS exam application is completed through the relevant TR-YÖS Candidate Procedures System.
Does obtaining a TR-YÖS number mean that an application has been submitted?
No. ÖSYM explicitly states that obtaining a TR-YÖS number is not the same as applying for the exam. After receiving the number and password, the relevant exam period must be selected and the application must be completed separately.
Can a candidate without a passport apply for the TR-YÖS?
In the 2026 application form, candidates who had a passport were asked to enter their passport number, while candidates without a passport were allowed to leave this field blank. However, the candidate must separately meet the identification requirements for the application and exam day.
Can a TR-YÖS application be completed without paying the fee?
No. The application records of candidates who do not pay the exam fee within the specified period are deleted, and no exam entrance document is issued.
Can the TR-YÖS exam center be changed later?
Certain changes are possible during the application period. However, after the exam fee has been paid, the first-choice exam center cannot be changed. After the application period ends, exam center preferences cannot be changed.
Can the TR-YÖS application be submitted from abroad?
Yes. Applications can be submitted individually online, and there are many exam centers outside Türkiye. Candidates should check ÖSYM’s current list of exam centers for the relevant application period.
Sources
- ÖSYM – 2026-TR-YÖS/2 Application Guide: candidate registration, identity and photograph procedures, exam center preferences, language selection, fee payment, and completion of the application.