Kindergarten (Not compulsory) age 1-3, Pre-School age 3-5, age 5 Primary Education (Compulsory) 4 years of Primary School plus 4 years of Middle School Secondary Education (High School) (Compulsory) 4 years (In some schools plus 1 year of English Preparatory Class) Vocational Schools (Associate Degree) 2 years Undergraduate ( Bachelor’s Degree)4 years Graduate Master’s Degree: 2 years Doctorate Degree: 3-5 years

The Turkish education system is divided into three levels which make up 12 years of compulsory education. 1. The first level in the education system is primary school education consisting of four years (1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th grades). 2. The second level is middle school education consisting of four years (5 th, 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grades). 3. By entering a nationwide test we step up to the third level which is high school education consisting of four years (9 th, 10 th, 11 th and 12 th grades).

Primary education, starting at the age of 5, is composed of a four-year primary school and a four-year middle school with different programs including schools with religious affiliations. Primary education is compulsory. Students at the first four years take 6 hours of teaching in a day.

MIDDLE SCHOOL students take 2 hours of supplementary courses after school in addition to their 7 hour learning in a day. It is very important to mention that a strictly grammar based English language learning starts at the 2 nd grade.

After finishing 8 th grade, students take a nationwide exam which determines the school they will study at. Secondary school education, which has an age span of 14 – 18, covers (from the most important to the least) technical high schools, general and vocational, and is compulsory. There are 40 hours of weekly courses (8 hours a day) in high schools in Turkey, and they are mostly supported by 10 hours of weekly non – compulsory supplementary courses (2 hours a day).

These graduates receive a high school diploma. The courses taken in the first 2 years are same at all school types. The students take Turkish Language and Literature, English and German Languages, Math, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, PE, Music and Art, History, Geography….etc.) At the start of 11 th grade the students start taking courses specific to the school types (especially at vocational high schools)

These high schools are for students who have a deep interest in the Sciences, and require a high degree from the nationwide test. Students studying at these high schools generally choose Science or Engineering departments at the universities.

These high schools are for students who are interested in the Social Studies. The most significant difference of these schools is that they have a Language Preparatory Class for a year at the beginning of the school. Students studying at these high schools can choose departments related to Language skills or Human Studies at the universities.

The graduates of vocational high schools can study at vocational schools at the universities without taking any exam. The students at these schools take specific courses for their choice of field of study. The vocational high schools can be grouped as the following:

These high schools are for students who have a special interest and talent in fine arts or sports. After finishing 8 th grade and passing a skills test, students get into these schools and get trained according to their talents.

These high schools are also called colleges in Turkey. At some of these high schools, classes like Mathematics and Science are taught in a foreign language which is the medium of instruction at those schools. Parents pay a tuition fee to these schools and admissions to some private high schools are highly competitive. They are generally preferred by foreigners residing in Turkey. Examples of these high schools are Robert College, Saint Joseph College, Austrian High School, etc.

These types of schools can be referred as general high schools. Our school is an example of these schools. We have all types of courses but vocational studies at our curriculum. Our graduates can take the university placement exams Higher Education Exam (YGS) and Undergraduate Placement Exam (LYS), and according to their points they can choose different departments for their university studies.

In our school, we have: 380 students in total 9 th Grades 4 Classes (All Courses) 10 th Grades 3 Classes (All Courses) 11 th Grades: Social Studies Science Studies Turkish and Math Class 12 th Grades: Social Studies, Science Studies, Language Studies, Turkish and Math Class

Students who graduate from these high schools have the right to continue to higher education. To continue into higher education, students have to take the university entrance exams YGS and LYS given by the Assessment, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) and receive a certain score. The scores students receive from YGS and LYS and their high school GPA play an important role in being placed at higher education institutions.

After taking the YGS, some universities may want students to take a special talent exam. The higher education system in Turkey is composed of universities, institutes of technology, vocational schools, and other higher education schools like the military or the police academy.

Turkish Team