Bilgi University is one of the top Turkish universities for international students to choose to study at. It features a wide range of facilities at its three unique campuses and offers a multitude of majors in the English language to choose from. Read on to find out about this unique campus and why you should choose to study there. 

Bilgi University, located in the European side of Istanbul, is a private university in Turkey founded in the year 1995 by the Bilgi Foundation for Education and Culture, and thus its name was chosen. Bilgi University is considered by many one of the top private universities in Turkey, as for the 23 years it has been running, the school has always made it a top priority to develop its curriculum to stay ahead of the latest technological trends and teaching techniques.  

Bilgi University Accreditations and Ranking

Accreditations

When it comes to the accreditation, Bilgi University has been accredited by the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK) and the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). It also has accreditations from various international organizations specific to various departments. 

For example, five undergraduate programs in the faculty of engineering and natural sciences (Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Energy Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering) by the MÜDEK accreditation. The school was also the first university in Turket to receive the accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), considered one of the most prestigious accreditation institutions in the world. 

Ranking 

If you want to look at university rankings, the school ranks at number 1319 worldwide. Further, it takes the impressive 20th place at the Turkish universities level. 

Faculties of Bilgi University

Students who choose to study at Bilgi University will be impressed to learn that the school has many faculties to choose from. It has seven faculties, 3 institutes, 4 schools, 3 vocational schools and more than 150 programs to choose from. 

Here are the faculties you can pick between when deciding which department to pursue your education in: 

• Faculty of Architecture
• Faculty of Business
• Faculty of Communication
• Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

Bilgi University Campuses

İstanbul Bilgi University has three campuses that are located in the center of Istanbul and offer students an exciting student life with more than 1,000 social and cultural events being hosted by the school on an annual basis.  

Santralistanbul Campus 

The first campus is located on the shores of Haliç on a green field location of almost 120 decares. It’s accessible from almost every part of Istanbul and has a stunning arts and cultural complex, encompassing Turkey’s first power plant which has become an energy museum.  

Dolapdere Campus 

Dolapdere campus is located ten minutes away from Taksim square, the heart of Istanbul full of arts, social activities and bustling city life. The dolapdere campus has an award-winning architecture design that everyone in Turkey talks about. 

Kuştepe Campus

Kuştepe campus can be found at the center of Istanbul, close to the areas of Mecidiyeköy and Şişli. This comfortably places it in the throbbing heart of the Turkish business avenue. 

Student life at Bilgi University

Students at Bilgi University enjoy a vibrant student life, able to interact with many aspects of Turkish culture. The school has many exciting facilities for students to take advantage of, including state-of-the-art sports facilities and a student affairs office to help everything go smoothly. 

Student Facilities

Bilgi University follows the motto of “learning not for school but for life”, allowing students a campus life to build themselves socially, academically and culturally into fully-fledged citizens of the world. They can enjoy over 1,000 events on the campus like the European Organization for Nuclear Research by the CERN, the “Accelerating Science” conference, the GAMES congress and the Young Social Entrepreneurs Awards and many more! 

They can also learn by taking practical courses at the school’s legal clinic, architecture workshops, studios and healthcare laboratories. Students also have access to an advanced library full of rich literature and e-resources that they can access from anywhere worldwide, as well as join over 100 student clubs like arts, sports, social responsibilities and academic clubs. 

Student Affairs Office

The school also has a student affairs office to help international students have a seamless experience, handling any issues from registration till graduation. They can also advice students how to meet the requirements of their majors during their university careers, offering guides in academic and administrative issues, in addition to offering communication help to faculty members and related units. 

Sports Facilities

Bilgi University highly prizes sports and the Bilgi Kuştepe Sports Facility houses the facilities for students to practice sports ranging from basketball to volleyball to indoor football and table tennis, as well as so much more. Additionally, the Dolapadere campus has a semi-Olympic swimming pool and a mini fitness training arena. 

Accommodation at Bilgi University

If you want to study at Bilgi University, you’ll be interested to know that the school offers a dormitory service with contracted, reliable dormitories close to the campuses. Students can stay in either single, double or rooms of four students, as well as other unique capacities. Here are some of the dormitories that Bilgi university recommends to its students: 

1. Republica Aparts Ortaköy 

Republica Aparts is located at the heart of Ortaköy, well within walking distance to bus stops and shuttle services that can transport students wherever they want to go in Istanbul. The dormitories have a fitness centre, pool, study room, cafeteria, shared kitchen and laundry room, as well as exciting amenities like a movie room and game room.  

Students can also enjoy a cleaning service offered by the cleaning team on a weekly basis. They also have a high-speed internet service and the cafeteria can provide three meals every day. 

2. Republika Aparts Maslak

Republika Aparts Maslak is located in the Maslak 1453 building complex. ATMs, a supermarket, cafe, and many stores that students may need are located within walking distance to these dormitories. 

Students can also enjoy amenities like a fitness centre, study room, game room, shared kitchen and a laundry room. They also get high-speed internet free of charge and can sign up to have their room cleaned by the highly-skilled cleaning team once a week. 

3. EvIstanbul Girls’ Dormitory 

Evistanbul Girls’ Dormitory is a great choice for female students who want to live in an all-girls dormitory. The dormitory has a capacity of around 50 beds, with single, double and triple rooms available. 

All rooms have desks, mini fridges, televisions, wardrobes and a washbashin and bathroom. They can also take advantage of the building’s fitness centre, laundry room, luggage room, dining hall and terrace, which are open 24 hours a day and seven days a week for students living there. 

The building also offers students a free breakfast service, as well as access to the common hobby kitchen. In this stunning dormitory, cleaning teams clean your room three days a week, keeping it in spotless condition. 

Why study at Bilgi University? 

After learning all this information, you might be curious about why you would choose to study at Istanbul Bilgi Unviersity. Here are some of the reasons you might want to consider: 

• It is among the four top private universities in the QS Turkey ranking. 
• The faculty of Engineering at the school is one of the best ones at any Turkish university. 
• The university is highly research focused and allows students access to technologically- advanced laboratories. 
• Bilgi University has partnerships with many of the top global schools, allowing students impressive study abroad opportunities at the partner schools. 
• Students receive the full CEA accreditation for the University’s English Language Preparatory Program.

Bilgi University Admission Requirements

If you want to study at Bilgi University, you’ll definitely be interested in the university admission requirements. Some of the most important documents you’ll need to hand in when applying are the following: 

• A copy of your passport or any other form of photo identification, translated into the English or Turkish language 
• A few personal photos
• Your high school certificate and transcript, translated into Turkish or English and notarized by an accredited body 
• If you haven’t completed high school, you’ll need to hand in the certificate of your last semester, also translated and approved  
• Proof of English language proficiency, if your study course is in the English language. This may be in the form of any of the following: 
• TOEFL IBT, scoring a minimum score of 75.
• TOEFL CBT, scoring a minimum score of 200.
• TOEFL PBT, scoring a minimum score of 535.
• FCE exam scoring a minimum grade of B.
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) exam scoring a minimum grade of C.
• Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE) scoring a minimum grade of C.
• PTE test with a minimum grade of 60.
• KPDS /ÜDS /YDS test with a minimum grade of 60.
• Students who haven’t achieved any of the previous accreditations can choose to enter the BILET test
• Additional documents, papers or certificates that the program of your choice may ask for, such as writing samples or a portfolio or other test scores specific to the degree program. 

Tuition Fees for Bilgi University 

We finally reach perhaps the most important sections when it comes to international students who apply for an international study program. Thankfully, tuition fees at Bilgi university are reasonable when compared to the excellent quality of education. In the table below, you can see the tuition fees for some of the most popular subjects offered at the university and the language of the program. 

Subject	Language	Tuition Fees
International Relations	English	5,250$
Architecture	English	6,600$
Performance Arts	English	5,250$
Music	English	6,600$
Aviation Management	English	4,554$
Business Administration	English	6,600$
Child Growth Genetics	Turkish	3,036$
Civil Engineering	English	6,600$
Television and Journalism	English	5,250$
Comparative Literature	English	5,544$
International Finance	English	6,600$
Sports Management	Turkish	3,630$
Sports Management	English	3,564$
Nursing	Turkish	3,036$

Sum up about Bilgi University

In conclusion, there are many reasons you should study at Bilgi University, from the diverse array of programs offered in English, to the impressive campuses and the facilities to the reasonable tuition fees. The school also has exceptional rankings, both in the Turkish and International rankings so you know you’ll be in great hands if you choose to study there.