1. How can I be exempted from Turkish Preparatory?
If you are a student enrolling for the first time in one of our University's undergraduate programmes that include a compulsory foreign language preparatory class, you may be exempted from the compulsory foreign language preparatory class by passing the foreign language proficiency examination held on the date announced in the academic calendar (at the beginning of the academic year), and you may proceed directly to the undergraduate programme in which you are enrolled.
Students who obtain a score equivalent to level B2 in national exams recognised as equivalent by ÖSYM that measure all four language skills, or in international exams such as the TYS (Turkish Proficiency Exam) prepared and administered by the Yunus Emre Institute, must submit the originals of these documents to the Coordinatorship of Foreign Languages within the registration period. Whether the relevant certificate or document qualifies for exemption is determined by a decision of the Unit Coordinatorship.
2. What is the Placement Test (STS)?
It is the examination held on the university campus to determine the module/level in which students will be placed within the foreign language preparatory programme.
3. How will my language level be assessed when I start the Preparatory Program?
The foreign language levels of students newly enrolled at the University are determined by the Placement Test administered by the Preparatory Unit Coordinatorship at the beginning of the academic year in which they enrol. Our students are placed in classes at the levels determined and receive their language instruction in these classes.
Students who do not sit the Placement Test are deemed to have accepted placement in the A1 module of the foreign language preparatory class. No make-up exam is held for this test.
4. If my level is determined as B2 or above in the Placement Test, will I be exempt from the preparatory program?
No. Students whose level is determined as B2 or above are only entitled to sit the Proficiency Exam.
5. What is the Proficiency Exam? What does it cover?
The Foreign Language Proficiency Exam measures all four language skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) and assesses students' listening and reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and written and oral expression skills and competence.
6. How many times is the Proficiency Exam held during a preparatory year?
A total of three (3) Proficiency Examinations are held per year on the dates specified in the academic calendar.
7. Is there a fee for the Proficiency Exam?
Students are entitled to one (1) free attempt at the Proficiency Exam. If a student fails the exam and wishes to sit it a second or third time, a fee of 100 USD is charged for each exam.
8. What score is required to pass the Proficiency Exam?
Students who score at least 70 out of 100 in the Foreign Language Proficiency Examination are exempted from the compulsory foreign language preparatory class and are entitled to begin the undergraduate programmes to which they have been admitted.
Students studying on a scholarship from the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) may proceed to their department provided that they sit the C1 Proficiency Exam and obtain a score of 80.
9. When are the Proficiency Exam results announced?
The results of the Foreign Language Proficiency Examination are announced within three days of the examination at the latest.
Examination results are valid for two (2) years.
10. What happens if I successfully complete the B2 final exam but fail the Proficiency Exam?
Students may sit the Proficiency Exam again, subject to payment of a fee, by following the exam dates set out in the academic calendar. While waiting for that date, they may, if they wish, apply by petition to study at C1 level.
11. If I complete level B2 in the first semester, can I move on to my department in the second semester?
If you complete B2 in the Fall Semester, you may move on to your department after sitting and passing the Proficiency Examination scheduled in the academic calendar. If you do not pass, you cannot move on to your department.
12. How many levels does the preparatory program consist of? How long does one level last?
A preparatory year consists of four (4) levels in total. Each student starts at the level determined by the Placement Test and continues their education until they complete the B2 level
Each level consists of 8 weeks of instruction and a 3-day examination schedule in the 9th week.
13. How many class hours per week are there in the preparatory program?
There are 25 class hours in total.
14. Is attendance compulsory in the preparatory program?
Attendance of 85% is compulsory in each level. Excuses such as illness are included within this rate. Detailed information is available in the Preparatory Class Directive.
Instructors monitor and check attendance by having students sign an attendance sheet in every class and/or by recording the data electronically. Students' attendance records are entered into the student automation system by the course instructor on a weekly basis.
15. What happens if we do not comply with the attendance rule in the preparatory program?
If a student's absence exceeds the specified rate, the student may not sit the end-of-module examination for that level and must repeat the level.
16. Are medical reports valid in the preparatory program?
It is not valid for absences. Absences arising from illness or any other reason are counted within the 15% absence allowance.
17. Is special leave granted to preparatory program students in the event of the death of a first-degree relative?
In the event of the loss of a first-degree relative (mother, father, spouse, child) or of a second-degree relative, namely a sibling, ten (10) days of excused leave is granted upon submission of supporting documentation, and make-up exams are held for exams missed during this period.
18. Is there a break between levels?
Between the levels within the Fall and Spring Semesters, the days following the end-of-module examination are holidays, while there is a fourteen (14) day break between the Fall and Spring Semesters.
19. What is the Modular System?
The modular system is a system consisting of consecutive levels in which progress is observed as students succeed, reinforced through examinations. In the event of failure, progress is not possible and the student repeats the level or programme in which they were unsuccessful.
This system has been designed on the basis of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), comprising four (4) levels, each of which lasts eight (8) weeks. The levels covered in Turkish Preparatory are as follows:
A1: Beginner (Elementary)
A2: Elementary (Pre-intermediate)
B1: Intermediate (Intermadiate)
B2: Upper Intermediate (Upper Intermediate)
20. What is required to complete a level successfully in the preparatory program?
Having fulfilled the attendance requirement,
Having an average of at least 70 for in-level examinations and assignments,
Obtaining at least 70 in the end-of-level examination.
21. What happens if a student fails a level?
If a student fails a level, that level is repeated.
22. How does the exam system work and how frequently are exams held in the program?
In order to monitor and measure the development of students' language skills during the academic year, quizzes are held, and an "End-of-Module Exam" is administered to determine module proficiency and eligibility to progress to the next module. The End-of-Module Exam is held once for each module, on the dates announced in advance in the academic calendar. End-of-Module Exams consist of listening/reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and written and oral expression sections. Students who do not meet the attendance requirement may not sit the End-of-Module Exam held at the end of that module.
In addition, quizzes are prepared and administered by the instructors in the number and on the dates determined by the coordinatorship for each module, covering listening, reading and writing skills, and are assessed by the relevant teaching staff. Where necessary, these exams may also be conducted in an internet-based classroom environment using online tools. No make-up or excused exam is held for students who miss a quiz.
23. What is the End-of-Module Exam?
The End-of-Module Exam is held once for each module, on the dates announced in advance in the academic calendar, and is prepared by an Examination Committee made up of the teaching staff giving classes in that module, chaired by the Preparatory Unit Coordinator.
End-of-Module Exams consist of listening/reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, writing and speaking skills.
A student who does not fulfil the attendance requirement may not sit the End-of-Module Examination held at the end of that module.
For students who meet the attendance requirement but fail to achieve the required average in the end-of-module assessment and are therefore academically unsuccessful, if no class is opened at the level they need to repeat, an End-of-Module Exam at their own level is administered on the dates on which the end-of-module exams are held, and their achievement status is determined in accordance with the Preparatory Program Directive and its procedures and principles.
End-of-Module Exam results are announced on the notice board, in the student automation system and on the university website within five (5) days of the exam at the latest.
In foreign language preparatory class language teaching, achievement is measured on the basis of end-of-module assessment. In order to be included in the end-of-module assessment, students must obtain at least 70 (seventy) points out of a full score of 100 (one hundred) in the End-of-Module Exam held at the end of each module. For students who meet this requirement and are included in the assessment, the end-of-module achievement grade is calculated as the sum of 50% (fifty per cent) of the End-of-Module Exam, 30% (thirty per cent) of the average of the quizzes, and 20% (twenty per cent) of the average grade for assignments, in-class activities and/or portfolio work. The lower limit for the end-of-module achievement grade is 70 (seventy). Students whose end-of-module achievement grade is 70 (seventy) or above have successfully completed that module and progress to the next module.
24. What is a quiz?
Quizzes are administered and assessed three times per module in the Turkish preparatory unit by the instructors giving the classes, under the direction of the Preparatory Unit Coordinator.
The quiz schedule is announced at the beginning of each level.
Where necessary, these exams may also be conducted in an internet-based classroom environment using online tools.
No make-up and/or excuse examination is held for students who miss a quiz.
25. Is there a minimum score requirement for the quizzes held within a level in the preparatory program?
There is no such minimum. However, each quiz accounts for 10% of the achievement average. Given this, sitting the quizzes is of great importance for monitoring your progress and determining your success in the level.
26. What should I do if I am unable to sit an exam?
Students who are unable to sit the End-of-Module Examination for valid and justifiable reasons must notify the Coordinatorship of Foreign Languages in writing of their excuse within 5 (five) days following the examination date. Students whose excuses are accepted by their advisor and the Preparatory Unit Coordinator exercise their right to sit the examination during the make-up examination period determined by the Preparatory Programme Unit Coordinatorship.
The Examination Committee submits the results of make-up exams to the Coordinatorship of Foreign Languages within five (5) days of the exam date.
Students may appeal against exam results on the grounds of a material error by submitting a petition to the Preparatory Program Unit Coordinatorship within five (5) days of the announcement of the results.
Appeals made on the sixth day, that is, five (5) days after the examination, are not accepted.
Upon appeal, the exam paper is reviewed within five (5) days at the latest by an assessment committee made up of at least 2 members of teaching staff appointed by the Preparatory Unit Coordinator, and the outcome is reported in writing to the Preparatory Program Unit Coordinatorship. The result is communicated to the student by e-mail by the Unit Coordinatorship.
27. Can I appeal against exam results?
Students may appeal against exam results on the grounds of a material error by submitting a petition to the Preparatory Program Unit Coordinatorship within five (5) days of the announcement of the results. Appeals made after this period are not accepted.
28. What happens if a student fails the same level more than once?
If a student fails the same level twice in a row, they apply by petition to move up to the next level and continue their studies with conditional registration. They sit the end-of-module exam for both levels:
If they pass the upper-level exam, they are also deemed to have passed the lower level,
If they pass the lower level but fail the upper level, they repeat the upper level.
29. After how many consecutive years of failing the preparatory program is my enrolment terminated?
If a student fails the preparatory program two (2) years in a row, their enrolment in the preparatory program is terminated.
30. What can I do if I cannot complete my preparatory education within one year?
Students who attend the compulsory foreign language preparatory class but fail to meet the achievement requirement at the end of the first year may, upon request, enrol in an equivalent program at the university whose language of instruction is English/Arabic.
A student who fails to meet the achievement requirement at the end of the second year in the compulsory foreign language preparatory class has their enrolment at the University terminated.
Students studying in the optional foreign language preparatory class begin their studies in the undergraduate degree programmes in which they are enrolled in the following academic year, even if they do not meet the achievement requirement at the end of the first year.
31. Can I receive a language certificate when I successfully complete the preparatory program?
No separate certificate is issued. However, detailed information about the language education received is included in the student transcript, which can be obtained with an electronic signature. This transcript is recognised by different institutions.
32. Can I choose the class of a particular instructor in the preparatory program?
As classes are formed by the coordinatorship according to specific criteria, this is not possible.
33. Can I change my class in the preparatory program?
As classes are arranged to create a heterogeneous learning environment, class changes are not made.
34. Are refunds given for modules I do not attend?
In such a case, a petition must be submitted to the Financial Affairs Office. Once the petition has been submitted, Financial Affairs makes the necessary calculation and the fee for the module not attended is deducted from the fee for the following academic term.
35. How does the summer school work?
Summer instruction in the foreign language preparatory class is delivered as a module programme.
The summer instruction module of the foreign language preparatory class comprises 200 class hours and 8 weeks, including the in-module and end-of-module examinations.
36. Is there a fee for the summer school?
Yes, the summer school fee is determined each year by the Board of Trustees.
37. Do I have to pay for course materials in the preparatory program, and where can I obtain them?
Teaching and learning materials are announced to you on the orientation day held at the beginning of the year. Students may obtain the relevant materials from the bookshop on campus or from physical or online retailers off campus.
Note: It is important that the materials are original editions in terms of the online assignments.
38. Can I use the PDF version of the course materials?
Copied materials other than the original source (whether physical or electronic) are unlawful. They render the completion of online assignments invalid.