Do I have to learn Turkish to study in IMU?
Yes, if you are admitted to a department where the language of instruction is Turkish (except for certain programs where language of instruction is 100% English). The proficiency levels in Turkish of the newly admitted international students are determined through the “Turkish Proficiency Exam for Foreign Students” administered by Istanbul Medeniyet University or according to the scores they obtained in a Turkish test administered by a Turkish Teaching Center (TÖMER) run by a Turkish university.
Candidates who are admitted to an undergraduate program without a Turkish proficiency certificate are exempt from their studies for one year to improve their Turkish proficiency levels and they can start their studies in their respective programs only after they retake and pass the Turkish proficiency exam following their training in a Turkish Teaching Center (TÖMER).
For which departments is the preparatory foreign language training compulsory?
Preparatory foreign language training applies to the students of the departments where the language of instruction is fully English and to students of the undergraduate program in Spanish language and literature. Of the undergraduate students newly admitted to these departments, those who are not exempt (i.e., those who cannot present a proficiency certificate for the language in question which is accepted by the university) are to take the English/Spanish Placement Exam (DBS) administered before the beginning of the academic year. Students who cannot obtain the minimum score in the DBS exam are registered in preparatory class. Students who are successful in the DBS exam then take the English/Spanish Proficiency Exam (İYS). If they fail the İYS exam, they start their one-year foreign language preparatory training.
Do you offer any fully English programs?
Yes. As of 2022, the undergraduate programs in which the language of instruction is 100% English are History, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Economics, International Relations, Management, and Political Science & Public Administration. Please see the “Undergraduate Programs” section under Programs to learn more about these programs. For the fully English graduate programs, please see the “Graduate Programs” section under Programs in the menu.
Can I transfer from one department to another after I register?
You can transfer to the departments of your faculty in-house and between institutions, as well as with the Central Placement Score (Annex-item 1). Application dates for undergraduate transfers are published in the Academic Calendar of our university every year. Quotas, application dates and process information are announced on the web page of the Registrar’s Office in time periods determined according to the Academic Calendar.
Are there any double major and minor education opportunities?
Our students have the opportunity to receive double major or minor education in some departments of our university within the quotas reserved for their departments. However, information on the quota of each department for double major and minor education and information about which departments accept students is announced at the end of each academic year for the next academic year. Applications are evaluated according to the GPA.
Is attendance compulsory in preparatory foreign language training?
Students are obliged to attend the classes in preparatory foreign language training (English and Spanish) with a mandatory minimum 80 percent attendance requirement. Students who exceed 20 percent of total class hours in absenteeism are considered unsuccessful and cannot take any of the English/Spanish Proficiency Exams (EPE/SPE) within the academic year.
Is student attendance to classes compulsory?
Students are obliged to attend the classes with a mandatory minimum 70 percent attendance requirement, pursuant to the relevant regulation (Istanbul Medeniyet University Education and Exam Regulation).
Do you offer any two-year undergraduate programs?
No, we do not. The normal duration of study is a minimum of four years in all our undergraduate programs, except for the undergraduate program in dentistry and medicine, for which the normal study period is 5 years and 6 years, respectively. Please note that one-year preparatory training for foreign language studies or one-year Turkish language course for foreign students is not included in this normal duration of study.