To enrol in a school in Turkey, a student who is a foreign national or who studied abroad first obtains an equivalence certificate (denklik belgesi). In Turkey it is issued by the provincial or district directorate of national education; abroad, by the education counsellor's office at a Turkish embassy. Applications go through the Ministry's e-Denklik system. The school then enrols the student in the grade stated on the certificate. This guide walks through the process, the documents and how the grade is set.
Who needs an equivalence certificate?
The equivalence certificate shows what the years studied at a school abroad correspond to in the Turkish system. It is needed for:
- foreign students who studied abroad,
- Turkish citizens who studied abroad,
- students who attended unlicensed foreign schools in Turkey (covered separately below).
Some students are exempt. Students coming from schools Turkey runs abroad, from Türkiye Maarif Foundation schools or from schools in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus do not need equivalence.
Step by step
1. Apply on e-Denklik
Apply through the Ministry's e-Denklik system. For students under 18, the parent applies.
2. Take the documents to the equivalence office
Show the original documents at the equivalence office:
- in Turkey: the provincial or district directorate of national education,
- abroad: the education counsellor's office or attaché at the Turkish embassy.
3. Receive the equivalence certificate
The office reviews the documents and issues a certificate stating which grade the student is equivalent to in Turkey.
4. Enrol at the school
The school enrols the student in the grade on the certificate. Private schools also apply their own admission process — an interview, a placement assessment or an entrance exam.
Which documents are needed?
Under the MEB Equivalence Regulation, the usual documents are:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| School reports, transcript or certificate | For the years studied abroad. If the original is not available, a copy certified by the school or the issuing authority may be accepted. |
| ID card or passport | Proof of the student's identity |
| Passport entry and exit pages | Or another document showing the student lived in that country |
| Diploma (for graduates) | With an apostille in countries party to the Apostille Convention; otherwise legalised by the embassy or consulate |
| Turkish translation | A notarised translation is required if the office has no staff who know the language; translations made abroad must be legalised by the consulate |
Extra documents may be requested depending on the country and grade. Ask the equivalence office for the current list before preparing your documents.
School registration in Turkey also requires the student's Turkish ID number. For foreign nationals, this is the foreigner identification number issued with the residence permit. Check that you have it before you go to the admissions office.
Can my child start school before the documents are ready?
Yes, provisionally. Under the regulation, a student who arrives during the school year without documents attends school provisionally on the parent's written statement. The parent is asked to bring the documents within three months. If they are not provided in time, the regulation's other provisions apply.
Students who cannot produce documents because of war, disaster or migration take a placement test; the grade it sets becomes the equivalence grade.
Which grade will my child be placed in?
- Age comes first: Equivalence is based on the compulsory school starting age in Turkey. Primary and middle school are assessed as a whole.
- Primary grades 1-4: There is no placement test. The grade is set by the child's age and the parent's statement.
- One grade lower: At the parent's written request, the student can be placed one grade below the grade on the certificate. If your child is just starting to learn Turkish, discuss this option with the school's guidance service.
Moving from unlicensed foreign schools (2026 rule)
Students at foreign schools operating in Turkey without the required licence could not previously receive an equivalence certificate. Since an August 2026 decision by the Ministry, students in the intermediate grades of these schools can obtain one to move to a Turkish state or private school.
- Deadline: 31 December 2026, 17:00.
- How: The student applies together with a parent.
According to the Ministry, these certificates do not mean the schools in question are recognised. See the Ministry's announcement (in Turkish) for details.
Six questions to ask the school
- How does admission work: an interview or a placement assessment?
- Can we pre-register before the equivalence certificate arrives?
- What support is there for a student whose Turkish is still developing?
- How does the guidance service help new students settle in?
- How are foreign language classes organised, and how is a new student placed?
- Which grades accept transfer students from other schools?
Enrolling at TED Üsküdar College from abroad
TED Üsküdar College is the school of the Turkish Education Association (TED), founded in 1928, in Çengelköy, Üsküdar, Istanbul. It teaches from preschool to high school.
| Topic | TED Üsküdar College |
|---|---|
| Applying from abroad | An equivalence certificate is obtained first |
| Kindergarten and primary | Student Assessment by the Psychological Counselling and Guidance Unit |
| Middle school | TED Schools Entrance Exam (TOGS) and the Student Assessment |
| High school | TOGS and/or the LGS result, with the Student Assessment |
| Transfer into grades 9 and 10 | In addition, a written and oral English proficiency exam |
| Grades 11 and 12 | No transfer students from other schools |
| Teaching | Turkish national curriculum with strong English; the IB Diploma Programme in English in grades 11 and 12 |
| Location | Çengelköy, Üsküdar — the Asian side of Istanbul |
For details, see the Student Admission Procedure and Registration Fees pages. Families who want to continue with an international programme may also find our guide to choosing an IB school in Istanbul useful. You can reach the Admissions Office on +90 216 424 44 44 or at bilgi@teduskudar.k12.tr.