Student loan is a type of financial support provided by the Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution (KYK) to students pursuing higher education. Payments begin in the month the student starts their education and continue monthly throughout the study period. The loan is repayable and its nominal amount is adjusted annually at the start of each year according to inflation. Repayment amounts are calculated based on increases in the Domestic Producer Price Index (D-PPI) announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).
How Much Is the KYK Student Loan?
The student loan amount is updated every year at the beginning of the year according to inflation, and any change is applied starting in January.
The loan amounts for the last five years are as follows:
- 2020: 550 TL for associate and undergraduate students, 1,100 TL for master’s students, and 1,650 TL for doctoral students.
- 2019: 500 TL for associate and undergraduate students, 1,000 TL for master’s students, and 1,500 TL for doctoral students.
- 2018: 470 TL for associate and undergraduate students, 940 TL for master’s students, and 1,410 TL for doctoral students.
- 2017: 425 TL for associate and undergraduate students, 850 TL for master’s students, and 1,275 TL for doctoral students.
- 2016: 400 TL for associate and undergraduate students, 800 TL for master’s students, and 1,200 TL for doctoral students.
Who Is Eligible for the KYK Student Loan?
KYK student loans can be granted to the following categories of students:
- Associate degree students
- Bachelor’s degree students
- Master’s degree students
- Doctoral students
- Students who graduated from a two-year program and immediately passed an exam to transfer into a four-year program
How to Apply for a KYK Student Loan?
Applications for student loans are made during the application period announced annually by the Credit and Hostels Institution. Applications typically open in October and are submitted through the e-Government (e-Devlet) portal. Applicants log in to e-Devlet and complete questions about their household status, income, number of siblings, and similar details to submit their application.
Based on the information provided, applicants are evaluated and it is determined whether they will receive a loan or a scholarship. Once results are announced, beneficiaries must confirm via e-Devlet that they accept the loan or scholarship. After confirming the terms and conditions on the designated page, the payment will be deposited to the account in the coming month.
How Does Early Repayment of KYK Student Loan Work?
Early repayment of KYK student loans is incentivized. If the loan is fully repaid within one year from the end of the education period, the debt is recalculated using the inflation rate applicable for that year and a 30% early repayment discount is applied to the inflation portion. If the debt is repaid within two years, a 20% discount is applied to the inflation portion.
These discounts apply only to the inflation portion of the debt, not to the entire principal. Before making an early repayment, borrowers should contact the KYK call center at 444 0 772 to complete account closure procedures.
When a repayment plan is created, the total debt is divided into as many monthly installments as months the loan was received. For example, a student who received a loan for four years will repay over four years with equal monthly installments; only the fractional amounts of monthly installments are added to the last payment.
Can KYK Loan Repayments Be Postponed?
Postponement of KYK loan payments can be requested online via e-Devlet. Each postponement is valid for one year. In the case of military service, postponement can extend until the end of the service period and D-PPI increases are not applied during this time. For postponements due to unemployment, continuing education at the master’s or doctoral level, D-PPI-based increases are applied to the outstanding debt.
What Happens If KYK Loan Debt Is Not Repaid?
KYK student loan debts must be repaid in a period of at least one year and at most two years according to the repayment plan. If a borrower stops making payments despite an established plan, a late fee is applied daily at a rate of 1.40%. Continued nonpayment may result in KYK transferring the receivable to the Revenue Administration for collection.
How Is KYK Student Loan Debt Calculated?
Loan debt inquiry and calculations can be performed through e-Devlet or the KYK’s official website. Calculation requires the start and end dates of the loan period because the debt is computed using the inflation rates for the relevant years.
The information needed for accurate calculation includes:
- Type of education (undergraduate, master’s, etc.)
- Month and year the loan started
- Month and year the loan ended
- Month and year the education officially concluded
What Is the KYK Scholarship?
KYK scholarship is a non‑repayable grant provided by the Credit and Hostels Institution to students in need. Scholarship amounts are equal to the student loan amounts and may change annually at the start of the year.
Who Can Apply for the KYK Scholarship?
The KYK scholarship is intended for students with demonstrated financial need. Eligible applicants include:
- Children of martyrs and veterans
- Students with a disability rate of 40% or higher
- Students who have lost their mother or father
- Students who rank in the top 100 by raw scores in national exams
- Amateur national athletes
How to Apply for the KYK Scholarship?
Scholarship applications are handled through the same process as loan applications; there is no separate scholarship application. The e-Devlet application is reviewed according to the recorded household income level and any specific status such as disability, athlete, or child of a martyr or veteran.
Successful scholarship candidates are announced at the same time as loan results. Selected students must confirm acceptance of the scholarship by approving the relevant declaration within the specified timeframe.
Who Cannot Benefit from the KYK Student Loan?
The KYK student loan cannot be granted under certain conditions. Students who are not eligible include:
- Students receiving education under an extended period
- Foreign nationals
- Those who submit false declarations
- Individuals with a final criminal conviction
- Open education (distance) students
- Students in remote/online education programs
- Students permanently expelled from KYK dormitories
- Students who have already graduated from any higher education institution, except those transferring vertically, or enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs
- Associate graduates who interrupted their education to enter adaptation (intibak) programs for reasons other than health
- Students undergoing adaptation training to move from an associate to a bachelor’s program (during adaptation)
- Students who, at the time of application, have been unsuccessful at their institution for more than one year or have interrupted education for more than one year
What Are the Reasons for KYK Loan Suspension?
Reasons for suspension of the student loan are specified in the approval form and by consenting to the form, applicants accept that any occurrence of these situations will result in suspension of the loan.
Conditions that may trigger suspension of the student loan include:
- Separation, expulsion, or suspension from the institution
- Freezing registration during the study period
- Inability to continue education due to health reasons
- Closure of the educational institution
- Receiving an expulsion penalty from institutional dormitories
- Securing continuous employment at or above the minimum wage level
- Being convicted with a final sentence
- During institutional transfer, failing at the former institution for more than one year or having an interruption longer than one year