Scholarships for Bangladeshi Students in Turkey 2026/2027

Turkey has quietly become one of the most realistic fully funded destinations for Bangladeshi students, and the reason is simple: the Turkish government runs one of the largest single scholarship schemes in the world, it is open to citizens of Bangladesh, and it pays for almost everything — tuition, housing, health insurance, flights and a monthly stipend — while also placing you at a university, so you do not need a separate admission offer before you apply. That scheme is Türkiye Burslari (Türkiye Scholarships), administered by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). Around it sit a small number of other genuine Turkish routes — foundation scholarships for theology students, merit and success awards, and university-funded discounts — which this guide also covers honestly, including which ones are stipend-only rather than fully funded.

This guide is written specifically for applicants from Bangladesh applying for the 2026/2027 cycle. It explains who is eligible, exactly what Türkiye Burslari pays in 2026 (including a warning about outdated stipend figures still circulating on blogs), how the application works step by step, which documents Bangladeshi applicants usually need to prepare and attest, the full evaluation timeline, and the mistakes that quietly eliminate otherwise strong candidates. If you are comparing destinations, browse our full scholarships directory and the companion guide to scholarships for Bangladeshi students in Hungary, Turkey’s closest European competitor for a fully funded government award.

Turkey Scholarships for Bangladeshis at a Glance

One clarification before anything else, because it causes real confusion every year: the official Türkiye Scholarships website (turkiyeburslari.gov.tr) currently lists the monthly stipend as 6,500 TL for undergraduates, 9,500 TL for master’s students and 13,000 TL for PhD students. Many third-party blogs still quote an older set of figures — 4,500 / 6,500 / 9,000 TL. That older set is stale. Some unofficial pages even present it as the “2026” rate. Always trust the amounts on the official programme pages at the time you apply, and treat any site that cannot date its figures with suspicion. Turkish lira amounts are revised periodically precisely because of inflation, so the number that matters is the one published for your own application cycle.

Why Turkey Works Well for Bangladeshi Students

Several structural features make Turkey unusually accessible from Bangladesh. First, there is no application fee and no requirement to secure admission first: your single Türkiye Burslari application covers both the scholarship and university placement, and you rank up to twelve programme preferences inside the system. Second, the scholarship includes a fully funded one-year Turkish language course (TÖMER) before your degree begins, which removes the language barrier that blocks Bangladeshi applicants in countries such as Germany or France, where proof of language ability is often needed up front. Third, Turkey’s cost of living outside Istanbul and Ankara remains moderate by international standards, so the stipend stretches further than an equivalent nominal amount in Western Europe. Fourth, there are direct cultural and religious affinities — halal food is universal, mosques are everywhere, and a large Bangladeshi student community already exists in Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Bursa and other university cities — which makes settling in far easier than in most destinations. Finally, Turkish public universities have expanded English-taught provision steadily, particularly in engineering, business, international relations and health-related fields, so many scholars can study in English while still learning Turkish to C1 level during the preparatory year.

The Flagship: Türkiye Burslari in Detail

Türkiye Burslari is not one scholarship but a family of full-time programmes run through a single application system (TBBS). The main tracks Bangladeshi applicants use are the Associate Degree Programme (two-year vocational degrees), the Bachelor’s Scholarship Programme, the Graduate Scholarship Programme (master’s and PhD), the Art Scholarship Programme, and short Research Scholarships for PhD candidates and researchers. Two further awards are frequently confused with the main scheme. The Merit Scholarship pays double the standard monthly stipend to applicants with outstanding academic records and strong international test scores. The Success Scholarship is different: it is a one-year, stipend-only award for international students already studying in Turkey at their own expense who achieve excellent grades — it is not a route into Turkey, and it does not cover tuition.

One important limitation is stated plainly on the official site: the Graduate Scholarship Programme does not award scholarships in health sciences at graduate level, and the universities and departments offered to you inside TBBS depend on your educational background — you can only choose from the programmes the system presents to you. Undergraduate applicants, by contrast, can apply across a wide range including health sciences, where the academic bar is much higher (see eligibility below).

What Türkiye Burslari Pays

• Monthly stipend: 6,500 TL (undergraduate), 9,500 TL (master’s), 13,000 TL (PhD), paid for the duration of the programme including the language year.
• Tuition: fully covered at the university where you are placed, public or foundation (private) university alike.
• Accommodation: provided for scholarship holders.
• Health insurance: covered for the duration of the award.
• Turkish language course: one year, fully funded, before the degree starts.
• Flights: a once-off flight ticket at the beginning of your studies and another when you graduate.
• Placement: university and department placement is handled as part of the scholarship — a feature almost no other major scheme offers.

Eligibility for Bangladeshi Applicants

Türkiye Burslari is open to citizens of all countries, and Bangladesh is fully eligible. Turkish citizens, and people who have lost Turkish citizenship, cannot apply. The core academic and age rules published for the full-time programmes are:

For Bangladeshi applicants these percentages are read against your board and university results: HSC or A-level results for bachelor’s applicants, and your honours CGPA for graduate applicants. As a rough orientation only, a 75% threshold corresponds approximately to a CGPA around 3.0/4.0 in many Bangladeshi universities — but conversion is assessed by the evaluators, so do not self-reject over a borderline conversion; apply and let the committee judge. You must not already be enrolled at the same level of study in Turkey, and candidates who will have completed their previous degree by the date specified in the annual call (typically in the summer before enrolment) are treated as eligible even if they are still studying when the window opens in January.

Language deserves a careful note. The scholarship does not impose a blanket IELTS requirement, and no Turkish is needed at application. However, individual English-taught programmes may expect proof of English proficiency, and all scholars — including those in English-medium degrees — complete the funded Turkish year and are expected to reach C1 Turkish. If you hold IELTS, TOEFL, GRE or GMAT scores, upload them: they strengthen the file and are essential for the double-stipend Merit track.

Other Turkish Routes Open to Bangladeshi Students

Türkiye Burslari should be your first application, but it is not the only legitimate door. The following routes are real and verifiable; note carefully what each one does and does not fund, because only the first is a complete full ride.

Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) Scholarships

The Türkiye Diyanet Foundation runs international scholarship programmes aimed mainly at theology and Islamic studies: the International Imam Hatip high-school programme, undergraduate theology programmes, and graduate theology study. These awards typically cover tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend and related costs for students accepted into religious education tracks in Turkey. Bangladeshi students with a madrasa or Islamic studies background are a natural fit, and Bangladesh has historically been among the represented countries. Applications run through the Diyanet Foundation’s own scholarship portal on its own calendar, which differs from the TBBS window — check the foundation’s official announcements rather than assuming January–February.

University Scholarships at Turkish Foundation (Private) Universities

Turkey’s foundation universities — institutions such as those in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir competing for international students — commonly offer merit-based tuition scholarships (typically partial waivers of 25–100% of tuition for strong international applicants) and some offer additional accommodation or stipend support to top entrants. These are tuition awards, not full rides: unless the university states otherwise in writing, you must budget for living costs, insurance and flights yourself. They can still be excellent value where a 100% tuition waiver is granted, and deadlines are set by each university rather than nationally. Always verify the current terms on the university’s own international office pages, and never pay an agent for a “guaranteed” private-university scholarship.

Success and Merit Scholarships (After Arrival / For Top Scores)

As noted above, the YTB Success Scholarship supports self-funded international students already in Turkey who achieve high grades, with a one-year stipend; the Merit Scholarship doubles the Türkiye Burslari stipend for incoming applicants with outstanding results and strong standardised test scores. Neither replaces the main application — both sit on top of the Türkiye Burslari ecosystem, and full conditions are published on the official site at turkiyeburslari.gov.tr.

How to Apply for Türkiye Burslari: Step by Step

1. Create your TBBS account. Register on the Türkiye Scholarships Application System with an email address you check daily; all communication, including interview invitations, flows through this account and email.
2. Complete your profile. Fill in personal details, education history and language information exactly as they appear on your passport and certificates. Inconsistencies between your profile, passport and transcripts are a common cause of elimination at document verification.
3. Upload your documents. Add clear scans of every required document (listed in the next section) before you start ranking programmes; incomplete files cannot be strengthened after the window closes.
4. Research and rank up to 12 programmes. Use the programme search on the official site to check which universities and departments match your background. Rank strategically: mix aspirational and realistic choices, and remember final placement rests with the committee.
5. Write the letter of intent. The system asks you to explain your study preferences and future goals. This is the single most persuasive free-text element of the application — treat it as a short statement of purpose, not a formality.
6. Submit before 20 February. The window closes on 20 February each year and late applications are not accepted. Submit days early: the system is heavily loaded in the final 48 hours.
7. Prepare for evaluation and interview. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview (held in person or online depending on the cycle and country arrangements). Undergraduate shortlistees may also sit an aptitude-style test as part of selection; follow the instructions in your invitation exactly.
8. Results, visa and arrival. Results are announced in the summer (early August in recent cycles). Selected candidates complete commitment and visa procedures, travel in September, and begin the Turkish language year before starting their degree.

Required Documents for Bangladeshi Applicants

• A valid passport or national identity document.
• A recent photograph meeting the system’s specifications.
• Diploma or graduation certificate (SSC/HSC certificates for bachelor’s applicants; bachelor’s certificate for master’s applicants; both degrees for PhD applicants) — final-year students upload a document proving expected graduation.
• Full academic transcripts or mark sheets for each completed level.
• National or international exam results where relevant (for Bangladeshis, board exam results; plus IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT scores if you have them).
• Letter of intent / statement of purpose entered in the system.
• For PhD applicants: a research proposal and a sample of written academic work.
• Reference information as requested by the system for your level.

Bangladesh-specific preparation: start early on document readiness. Have your board certificates and transcripts (Dhaka Board or your respective education board, National University, or your university registrar) scanned cleanly, and keep certified English translations of anything not issued in English. Names are a frequent problem: if your passport spells your or your father’s name differently from your certificates, obtain the correction or an attestation before January — scholarship timelines do not wait for board corrections. Turkey-bound students will also need documents attested for the student visa stage after selection; the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka and YTB’s post-selection instructions govern that step, and post-selection guidance always overrides general advice.

Deadlines and Timeline

Read the timeline honestly: from application in January–February to the first day of your actual degree programme is roughly twenty months, because the funded language year comes first. Students who need a degree start immediately after graduation should weigh this against destinations without a compulsory language year; students who value graduating with C1 Turkish plus an English-medium degree usually consider the extra year a career asset rather than a delay. Our study-abroad tools, including the deadline tracker, can help you run the Turkey timeline alongside other countries’ calendars.

How to Improve Your Chances

Selection is competitive — Türkiye Burslari receives well over a hundred thousand applications globally in typical years for a few thousand awards — but the criteria are transparent: academic strength, programme fit, and motivation. Bangladeshi candidates who succeed usually do five things well. First, they protect the academic threshold with margin: meeting 70% or 75% is the floor, not the target; shortlists skew well above it. Second, they rank programmes intelligently, matching their previous degree closely to the departments they choose, since mismatched preferences (a humanities graduate ranking engineering programmes) signal an unfocused file. Third, they write a specific letter of intent that names what they will study, why Turkey and those departments, and what they will do with the degree for Bangladesh — flood resilience, public health, textile engineering, energy and education are all areas where a Bangladesh-focused rationale is genuinely persuasive rather than decorative. Fourth, they document achievements beyond grades: research, olympiads, volunteering, professional experience and language scores all belong in the file if real. Fifth, they prepare for the interview as a conversation about their proposal: know your chosen field’s basics, your reasons for Turkey, and your post-degree plan, and answer directly in the language of the interview without memorised speeches.

Common Mistakes Bangladeshi Applicants Make

• Trusting stale stipend figures. Pages quoting 4,500 TL for undergraduates are out of date; the official current figures are 6,500 / 9,500 / 13,000 TL. Budget and compare using official sources only.
• Paying an agent. The Türkiye Burslari application is free and entirely online. No agent can influence selection, and YTB warns applicants against intermediaries charging fees.
• Name mismatches. Passport, NID, board certificates and transcripts must agree. Fix discrepancies at the board or passport office months in advance.
• Ranking only Istanbul’s most famous universities. Twelve slots spent on the most competitive programmes in one city wastes the placement system; strong universities exist across Turkey and are markedly less contested.
• Applying for the wrong level or field. Graduate health sciences are excluded from the Graduate Programme, and you cannot apply at a level you are already studying in Turkey.
• A generic letter of intent. Text that could be sent to any country reads as low motivation; evaluators score fit, not flattery.
• Submitting on 20 February. System congestion in the final hours has cost real applicants their cycle. Finish by mid-February.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Bangladeshi students eligible for Türkiye Burslari?

Yes. The programme is open to citizens of all countries except Türkiye, and Bangladeshi citizens apply every year through the same TBBS system. You must meet the level’s age limit (under 21 bachelor’s, under 30 master’s, under 35 PhD) and minimum academic score (70% bachelor’s, 75% graduate, 90% for undergraduate health sciences).

How much is the Türkiye Burslari stipend in 2026?

The official Türkiye Scholarships site currently lists 6,500 TL per month for undergraduates, 9,500 TL for master’s students and 13,000 TL for PhD students, plus tuition, accommodation, health insurance, the language course and flights. Older figures of 4,500 / 6,500 / 9,000 TL still shown on some blogs are superseded — always confirm on turkiyeburslari.gov.tr for your cycle.

Do I need IELTS to apply from Bangladesh?

The scholarship itself does not impose a universal IELTS requirement, and no Turkish is needed at application because the funded TÖMER year teaches Turkish after selection. Some English-taught programmes set their own English requirements, and a valid IELTS or TOEFL score strengthens your file and is relevant to the double-stipend Merit track.

Can I choose my university in Turkey?

You rank up to twelve programme preferences inside TBBS, and the committee weighs them against your academic profile. Placement is ultimately the committee’s decision, so rank a realistic spread of universities and departments rather than twelve versions of the same highly competitive choice.

When is the Türkiye Burslari deadline for the 2027 intake?

The window is the same every year: applications open on 10 January and close on 20 February via TBBS. For the 2026/2027 title cycle covered here, that means the 10 January – 20 February window of the relevant year; confirm the exact cycle dates on the official site when the call opens.

Does Türkiye Burslari cover medicine for Bangladeshi students?

At undergraduate level, health sciences including medicine, dentistry and pharmacy are included but require a minimum 90% academic score and are extremely competitive. At graduate level, the official site states that the Graduate Scholarship Programme does not award scholarships in health sciences.

Can I work part-time in Turkey on this scholarship?

Scholarship conditions and Turkish student work rules are separate matters; part-time work permission for international students in Turkey is limited and regulated, and the award is designed so that study is your full-time occupation. Do not build your financial plan around employment income, and check the current rules with your university’s international office after arrival.

What happens after I am selected?

You confirm your commitment, complete the Turkish student visa process through the embassy in Dhaka with the documents YTB specifies, travel in September, and begin the one-year Turkish language course. Your degree programme starts the following academic year after you reach the required Turkish level.

Living in Turkey on the Scholarship: What Bangladeshi Scholars Should Expect

The stipend figures only make sense against real costs, and the single biggest variable is your city. Placement can take you anywhere from Istanbul — Turkey’s largest and most expensive city — to Anatolian university cities such as Konya, Kayseri, Eskişehir, Trabzon or Erzurum, where rents and daily costs run markedly lower and the same stipend feels substantially more comfortable. Because Türkiye Burslari provides accommodation for scholarship holders and covers health insurance, the two largest and least predictable expenses are already removed from your budget; the stipend then has to cover food, local transport, phone, study materials and personal spending. Students placed outside the biggest metropolitan areas generally find the undergraduate stipend workable without family support, while scholars in Istanbul should budget carefully in the first months, cook rather than eat out by default, and use the discounted student transport card every Turkish university city offers. Note also that the stipend is paid in Turkish lira and its dollar value moves with the exchange rate — Turkish authorities have revised the amounts upward in recent cycles (which is exactly why the older 4,500 TL figures are wrong today), but no applicant should treat a future revision as guaranteed when planning.

Practically, Bangladeshi scholars describe the adjustment as one of the gentlest anywhere: the food is halal by default, the religious calendar is shared, Turkish universities host active international student offices, and the TÖMER year means you arrive at your degree with genuine Turkish — an employability asset in Turkey’s growing trade and construction links with South Asia, and in the Turkish companies operating across the region. The trade-offs are equally real: you will likely study in a city you did not choose, your degree starts a year later than a direct-entry programme because of the language year, and winter in central and eastern Anatolia is far colder than anything in Bangladesh. Weighed honestly, for a student whose alternative is not studying abroad at all, it remains one of the strongest value propositions in this entire scholarship programme — which is why application numbers from South Asia keep rising and why preparing a serious file, rather than a hopeful one, matters.

Sources & Verification

• Türkiye Scholarships (YTB), official full-time programmes page — stipend amounts, coverage, application window and programme rules: turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/fulltimeprograms
• Türkiye Scholarships official homepage and application system (TBBS): turkiyeburslari.gov.tr
• StudyGraduate directories used for internal cross-checks: universities directory and study abroad hub

Disclaimer: StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency, and cannot promise selection, admission or visa approval to any applicant. Scholarship amounts, deadlines and rules change between cycles; the figures above were checked against the official Türkiye Scholarships website at the time of writing, and you must always confirm the current call on the official website before applying.