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- General Information
IstanbulUniversity has been the locomotive of Turkey’s Higher Education with its 15faculties, 12 institutes, 2 vocational schools, 2 Schools, 2 departments, 74 researchand application centres and 216 student clubs.
There areover 300,000 students, 3,337 academics and 7,067 administrative staff. Thenumber of Istanbul University alumni is reaching almost 1 million. IstanbulUniversity is the only university in Turkey whose alumni have been awarded twoNobel Prizes. (The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2015, Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar andThe Nobel Prize in Literature, 2006, Orhan Pamuk)
IstanbulUniversity has 675 diploma programmes; 20 Associate degrees, 124 Bachelor’sdegrees, 329 Master’s degrees and 202 PhD degrees.
IstanbulUniversity has a great library collection consisting of approximately 1.5 millionbooks.
· A Short History of IstanbulUniversity
The historyof Istanbul University dates back to the conquest of Istanbul by Sultan MehmetII the Conqueror in 1453. The Sahn-ı Seman Madrasahs (Conqueror Madrasahs),established after the scientific meetings in Zeyrek a day after the conquest,constitute the first ring of this scientific journey. The madrasahs, wheretheological and environmental sciences were taught together, became centers ofattraction with the reconstruction of Istanbul and the invitation of foreignscholars by the Conqueror. Flourishing with the support of the sultans, themadrasahs reached proficient status as higher education institutions particularlyin the 16th and 17th centuries. They were transformed into Darülfünun by SultanAbdülmecid in 1846. The Darülfünun works carried out by Grand Vesir Sait Pashawho tried to keep abreast with the speed of the Industrial Revolution.
Followingthe proclamation of the Republic, the young Republic of Turkey, in an effort toestablish educational system that is based on rationale and science, acknowledgedthe legal personality of Darülfünun and accepted the scientific andadministrative independence of the institution on October 7th, 1925. After thisdate, the higher education system tried to meet the needs of the new system interms of academics and materials. The infrastructure for a modern university wasset up with the support of foreign scholars invited to the country. With the 1933University Reform, conducted under the leadership of Atatürk, IstanbulDarülfünun was transformed into Istanbul University. Istanbul Universitystarted to accept students on November 18th, 1933, as the “first and only”university of the Republic of Turkey.
· Our Mission
The missionof Istanbul University is to produce valuable knowledge to our country andhumanity and to train competent individuals by bringing together the east andthe west, the past and the future.
· Our Vision
The visionof Istanbul University is to become a leading university with its education atglobal level and its research shaping the future.
· Core Values
Scientificand Research Oriented, Inventiveness, Innovativeness, Entrepreneurship, QualityOriented and Sustainability, Compliance with Ethics and Universal Values,Transparency and Accountability, Social Sensitivity and Student Oriented
About Istanbul University
- General Information
IstanbulUniversity has been the locomotive of Turkey’s Higher Education with its 15faculties, 12 institutes, 2 vocational schools, 2 Schools, 2 departments, 74 researchand application centres and 216 student clubs.
There areover 300,000 students, 3,337 academics and 7,067 administrative staff. Thenumber of Istanbul University alumni is reaching almost 1 million. IstanbulUniversity is the only university in Turkey whose alumni have been awarded twoNobel Prizes. (The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2015, Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar andThe Nobel Prize in Literature, 2006, Orhan Pamuk)
IstanbulUniversity has 675 diploma programmes; 20 Associate degrees, 124 Bachelor’sdegrees, 329 Master’s degrees and 202 PhD degrees.
IstanbulUniversity has a great library collection consisting of approximately 1.5 millionbooks.
· A Short History of IstanbulUniversity
The historyof Istanbul University dates back to the conquest of Istanbul by Sultan MehmetII the Conqueror in 1453. The Sahn-ı Seman Madrasahs (Conqueror Madrasahs),established after the scientific meetings in Zeyrek a day after the conquest,constitute the first ring of this scientific journey. The madrasahs, wheretheological and environmental sciences were taught together, became centers ofattraction with the reconstruction of Istanbul and the invitation of foreignscholars by the Conqueror. Flourishing with the support of the sultans, themadrasahs reached proficient status as higher education institutions particularlyin the 16th and 17th centuries. They were transformed into Darülfünun by SultanAbdülmecid in 1846. The Darülfünun works carried out by Grand Vesir Sait Pashawho tried to keep abreast with the speed of the Industrial Revolution.
Followingthe proclamation of the Republic, the young Republic of Turkey, in an effort toestablish educational system that is based on rationale and science, acknowledgedthe legal personality of Darülfünun and accepted the scientific andadministrative independence of the institution on October 7th, 1925. After thisdate, the higher education system tried to meet the needs of the new system interms of academics and materials. The infrastructure for a modern university wasset up with the support of foreign scholars invited to the country. With the 1933University Reform, conducted under the leadership of Atatürk, IstanbulDarülfünun was transformed into Istanbul University. Istanbul Universitystarted to accept students on November 18th, 1933, as the “first and only”university of the Republic of Turkey.
· Our Mission
The missionof Istanbul University is to produce valuable knowledge to our country andhumanity and to train competent individuals by bringing together the east andthe west, the past and the future.
· Our Vision
The visionof Istanbul University is to become a leading university with its education atglobal level and its research shaping the future.
· Core Values
Scientificand Research Oriented, Inventiveness, Innovativeness, Entrepreneurship, QualityOriented and Sustainability, Compliance with Ethics and Universal Values,Transparency and Accountability, Social Sensitivity and Student Oriented
University information
Scholarships
Selecting the right scholarship can be a daunting process. With countless options available, students often find themselves overwhelmed and confused. The decision can be especially stressful for those facing financial constraints or pursuing specific academic or career goals.
To help students navigate this challenging process, we recommend the following articles:

Scholarship Applications: Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to all your questions about scholarship applications, including tips on how to find scholarships and chances of success.

Scholarships to study abroad
Find scholarships to study abroad with our lists of international scholarships – categorized by country, by subject, and by type of student.

How to get a full scholarship
Looking for a fully-funded scholarship to see you into university? Find out how to boost your chances of getting one.
Rankings & Ratings
Istanbul University is one of the top public universities in Istanbul, Türkiye. It is ranked #=628 in QS World University Rankings 2026.
- #=628
QS World University Rankings
- #51-120
QS WUR Ranking By Subject
- #1141-1160
QS Sustainability Ranking
- #8
Europe University Rankings - Western Asia
- 2012#551- 600
- 2014#651-700
- 2015#601-650
- 2016#701+
- 2017#701+
- 2018#801-1000
- 2019#801-1000
- 2020#801-1000
- 2021#801-1000
- 2022#801-1000
- 2023#801-1000
- 2024#711-720
- 2025#621-630
- 2026#=628
- #=628
QS World University Rankings
- #51-120
QS WUR Ranking By Subject
- #1141-1160
QS Sustainability Ranking
- #8
Europe University Rankings - Western Asia
- 2012#551- 600
- 2014#651-700
- 2015#601-650
- 2016#701+
- 2017#701+
- 2018#801-1000
- 2019#801-1000
- 2020#801-1000
- 2021#801-1000
- 2022#801-1000
- 2023#801-1000
- 2024#711-720
- 2025#621-630
- 2026#=628
Campus locations

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