Changes related to university admissions are announced by the Higher Education Council. Regarding the Higher Education Institutions Examination (Yükseköğretim Kurumları Sınavı – YKS), the exam name and structure were revised for the 2018–2019 academic year. Under the new arrangement, candidates take two separate exams. The first exam, the Basic Proficiency Test (Temel Yeterlilik Testi – TYT), assesses candidates’ verbal and numerical abilities, reasoning and logical thinking. In short, it evaluates correct use of Turkish, language fluency, reading comprehension and basic mathematical skills.
This two-stage approach is consistent with many high-quality higher education systems worldwide. In the second stage, candidates are tested on high school subjects, similar to previous years. Apart from the foreign language exam, the Higher Education Institutions Examination will take place on a designated Saturday in June with two separate sessions. Candidates who wish to take the foreign language test will do so on the Sunday of the same weekend. The foreign language exam contains eighty questions.
First Exam (TYT) Administration
The Basic Proficiency Test consists of forty Turkish questions and forty basic mathematics questions and is held on Saturday morning. Results are reported as the TYT score. The Turkish and basic mathematics sections have equal weight in forming the TYT score; each contributes half of the total. The TYT content follows the common curriculum set by the Ministry of National Education, as in previous years. Participation in this first exam is mandatory. It is designed to ease candidates’ mental preparation by providing a standardized initial assessment.
Second Exam Administration
The second exam includes four tests: Social Sciences, Turkish Language and Literature–Geography 1, and Mathematics and Science. Questions are based on the previous curriculum, aligned with the Ministry of National Education. The second session is held on Saturday afternoon and comprises four tests: forty questions from Turkish Language and Literature–Geography 1; forty questions covering History, Philosophy Group, Geography 2 and Religious Culture and Ethics; forty mathematics questions; and forty science questions. The scheduling of the exam sessions is designed with candidates’ test-related stress in mind, similar to former arrangements.
Scoring and Weighting of Test Sections
Weights of the tests in the second exam are calculated according to score type. For the Equal Weight (Eşit Ağırlık) score, Turkish Language and Literature–Geography 1 and Mathematics are weighted equally, each contributing half. For the Verbal (Sözel) score, the weights of Turkish Language and Literature–Geography 1 and Social Sciences are divided equally. For the Quantitative (Sayısal) score, Mathematics and Science weights are split equally. These weighted scores and minimum thresholds determine eligibility for associate and bachelor program preferences. Previously set threshold scores for program admission remain unchanged.
To make any program preferences, candidates must have a minimum TYT score of 150. Candidates with TYT below 150 are not eligible to make preferences. With a TYT score of 180 or higher, candidates can apply to bachelor (licence) programs. If a candidate achieves a TYT score of 200 or above, they may, if requested, have that score accepted for the following year’s admissions process.
Candidate Placement
For associate degree programs, placement relies equally on Turkish and Mathematics test results. For undergraduate programs, placements use score types—quantitative, verbal, foreign language and equal weight—where the TYT effect is set at 40 percent. For certain programs, placement is determined by success ranking. In verbal placements, 40 percent of the total comes from the TYT and 60 percent from the Verbal tests. For equal weight placements, 40 percent comes from the TYT and 60 percent from the Equal Weight tests. For quantitative placements, 40 percent is TYT and 60 percent is the quantitative tests. Candidates applying through the foreign language exam are evaluated with 40 percent TYT and 60 percent foreign language test scores.
Special Talent Candidates
Candidates with special talents retain their right to apply under the same conditions as previous years; there is no change to threshold requirements for these applicants. Those who take the TYT and score at least 150 may prefer undergraduate programs that admit students through special talent exams. No additional regulation affecting special talent admissions has been introduced.
Effect of Secondary Education Success Score
The Secondary Education Success Score (Orta Öğretim Başarı Puanı) continues to play an important role as in previous years. Its calculation method remains unchanged and rates are applied as before. Vocational high school graduates continue to receive the same additional field-specific points they had in earlier years. Candidates with disabilities also continue to benefit from the same provisions as before. In short, vocational school students and candidates with disabilities are unaffected by the changes.
The new system aims to be clearer and more up-to-date, and adjustments are being implemented to address gaps. Test score types have been simplified, reducing the number from eighteen to five. The exam schedule has been consolidated from five weekends to one weekend and the number of exams reduced from six to three. The Basic Proficiency Test focuses on basic mathematics and Turkish.
The TYT’s emphasis on Turkish and basic mathematics supports vocational education and acknowledges the importance of secondary education. It also aims to reduce exam stress by allowing candidates to use a single score for applying to various vocational school programs, helping eliminate some of the previous system’s inconsistencies. The overarching goal of these changes is to make education more understandable, higher quality and more reliable. The new exam structure is expected to deliver positive results for this year’s candidates.