In Turkey, the path to university isn’t just another exam – it’s a national marathon of dreams and obstacles.
The numbers tell a stark story. In 2025, 2.56 million students registered for the Yükseköğretim Kurumları Sınavı (YKS), yet only 2.31 million had their scores calculated, and just 1.41 million were eligible to submit preferences for roughly 840,000 available seats. When the results were announced, only 785,186 candidates secured a place in a higher‑education programme. That’s less than one‑third of those who registered – a stark reminder of how limited university seats are relative to demand.
Inequality is embedded in the outcomes. Success rates vary sharply by school type: among regular high‑school graduates, 337,027 students had scores, but only 102,480 (≈30 %) obtained a place. In Anatolian high schools, 920,684 candidates produced scores, and 323,192 (≈35 %) were placed. In Imam Hatip schools, 162,716 candidates yielded scores, but just 41,511 (≈25 %) earned a place. These differences reflect disparities in resources and academic preparation – not differences in talent.
Mismatch between demand and capacity persists. Despite fierce competition, 53,538 quotas remained unfilled in the first placement. State universities filled 515,521 of their 521,024 seats (99 %), whereas foundation universities achieved a 75.8 % fill rate. Only 20.5 % of students were placed into their first‑choice programme, 12.1 % into their second, and 9.3 % into their third; in total, 42 % found a seat in one of their top three choices. Many students must compromise on their academic dreams because the system can’t meet demand.
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