TÖMER: Turkey's Turkish Language Proficiency Test for University Admission
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Feb 05, 2026 • Education Planning, Study in Europe
TÖMER tests your Turkish from A1 to C1 on the CEFR scale, and Turkish public universities ask for it before you start a Turkish-medium degree. It only checks language, not academic aptitude, so it is a separate step from YÖS.
🎓 Universities set their own required level, commonly B2 or C1
💶 Exam fees vary by center, one public university center charges 1,750 Turkish lira per sitting
📩 You can sit TÖMER at university centers inside Turkey or through online sittings abroad
⏱️ TÖMER checks reading, writing, listening and speaking in one session
🏠 YÖS is a separate exam for academic aptitude, required alongside or instead of TÖMER at public universities
What TÖMER is
TÖMER stands for Turkish and Foreign Language Research and Application Center. Ankara University set up the original TÖMER program decades ago to teach Turkish to foreigners, and the name stuck as a general label for Turkish-language courses and proficiency exams, even though many public universities now run their own centers under it.
The TÖMER exam grades your Turkish across five levels on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: A1, A2, B1, B2 and C1. A single sitting tests reading comprehension, writing, listening and speaking, and results normally come back within about a week (Erciyes University TÖMER ).
Level you need for admission
Turkish public universities that teach in Turkish ask for a TÖMER certificate, or an equivalent Turkish proficiency certificate from a recognized center, before you enroll. The exact level is set by each university and often by each faculty, not by a single national rule, so check the international admissions page of your target university directly rather than assuming one level applies everywhere.
| Program type | Typical language expectation |
|---|---|
| Turkish-medium bachelor's degree | Faculty-set level, commonly B2 or C1 |
| Turkish-medium master's or PhD | Faculty-set level, often C1 |
| English-medium program | English proficiency proof instead, Turkish not usually required for admission |
If you arrive below the required level, most universities that run their own TÖMER center let you enroll in a preparatory Turkish-language year first, then take the exam again before your degree program starts.
Cost and where to sit the exam
Fees differ between centers, so treat any figure as an example rather than a fixed national price. At Erciyes University's TÖMER center, a single exam sitting costs 1,750 Turkish lira (Erciyes University TÖMER ). Confirm the current fee directly with the center where you plan to test, since prices move with inflation and differ between public and private centers.
You can take TÖMER at university-run centers across Turkey, including in Istanbul, Ankara and other major cities. Some centers also run the exam online for candidates outside Turkey, useful if you want to certify your level before you travel for a preparatory course or a degree program.
How TÖMER differs from YÖS
TÖMER and YÖS answer two different questions, and confusing them is a common mistake among applicants.
TÖMER measures your Turkish language level. It has nothing to do with math, science or general academic ability.
YÖS (Yabancı Öğrenci Sınavı, the Foreign Student Exam) measures academic aptitude, mainly mathematics and general reasoning. Many Turkish public universities require YÖS, or accept an equivalent like the SAT, A-levels or the IB diploma, for undergraduate admission regardless of the teaching language.
In practice, an applicant to a Turkish-medium program at a public university often needs both: an academic qualification such as YÖS to gain admission, and a TÖMER certificate at the faculty's required level to prove you can follow lectures in Turkish. English-medium programs usually only ask for the academic qualification plus an English test, skipping TÖMER entirely.
How to prepare
Enroll in a TÖMER language course before sitting the exam if your Turkish is not already strong. Universities that run TÖMER centers usually offer graded courses from A1 through C1, with the exam available once you finish your target level. Private language schools in Istanbul and Ankara also prepare students for TÖMER outside a university setting.
Check the exact document list, exam dates and accepted certificate types on your target university's international student office page before you register, since requirements and accepted equivalent certificates change between institutions and academic years.