On this page, you can find the Equivalence Certificate process from start to finish: in what order to do it, what to have certified, what to have translated and where to apply in person.
READ THIS FIRST - Enrol at İZÜ before applying. You cannot apply for equivalence without being an enrolled student. First enrol at İZÜ, apply for equivalence during your studies, and then submit the certificate to Student Affairs within the period given to you by the university.
SEVEN STEPS, IN ORDER
Step 1:
As the first step, complete your enrolment at İZÜ. (letter of acceptance, passport, diploma and other registration documents) An equivalence certificate is not required for enrolment and you cannot apply for equivalence without being enrolled. After enrolment, apply for a residence permit and, once the procedures are successfully completed, obtain your residence permit document; this is the identity document on which the application is based.
Step 2:
Check whether equivalency applies to you. (four exemptions - see section 02) Equivalency is required for everyone who completed secondary education outside Türkiye, except for the four exceptions in Articles 10 and 11.
Step 3:
Have your documents certified. (if possible, do this while you are still in your country) An Apostille is required for the diploma and transcript; if your country is not a party to the Apostille Convention, certification by the ministry of education, ministry of foreign affairs or embassy/consulate of the issuing country is required. Both must bear the school's signature and stamp.
Step 4:
Have them translated if necessary. (not in Turkish or English? have them translated and notarised) A translation made abroad also requires approval by a Turkish consulate (Notaries Law No. 1512) - so we recommend having the translation done here.
Step 5:
Apply via e-Denklik. (MEB Equivalency Application Form (ANNEX-1), then book an appointment) Everything runs through edenklik.meb.gov.tr. Announcements and results published in the system count as official notifications, so check it regularly.
Step 6:
Go in person. (with the original documents - for İZÜ students, a centre in Istanbul) Copies are not enough and power of attorney is not accepted. Apply in the province where you live or where your university is located.
Step 7:
Submit the certificate to Student Affairs. (with the original of your diploma and its certified translation, if any) Submit it within the period the university gives you. If you disagree with the result, you can appeal to the centre that issued the certificate within three months.
1. WHO IS NOT SUBJECT TO EQUIVALENCY
If one of the situations below applies to you, you do not need to apply for equivalency.
- A school opened abroad by the Republic of Türkiye.
- A school abroad affiliated with the Türkiye Maarif Foundation under Law No. 6721.
- A public or private school affiliated with the TRNC Ministry of National Education.
- Having completed an entire level of education at an International school that applies the Turkish curriculum and weekly course schedule.
2. STAMPS, APOSTILLES AND TRANSLATION
Your diploma
Requires an Apostille. If an Apostille is not possible, it must be certified by the ministry of education, ministry of foreign affairs or embassy/consulate of the issuing country.
Transcripts and report cards
Must be signed and stamped by the school you graduated from and uploaded separately for each academic year.
OUR RECOMMENDATION: HAVE THE TRANSLATION DONE IN TÜRKİYE. If your documents are not issued in Turkish or English, they must be translated and notarised. If you have this done here, a Turkish notary is enough. A translation made abroad must also be approved by a Turkish consulate.
3. WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING
Upload each one to e-Denklik and bring the originals to your appointment.
MEB Equivalency Application Form (ANNEX-1), completed in the e-Denklik system.
The original high school diploma. It must bear an Apostille. If the country you graduated from is not a party to the Apostille Convention, it must be certified by the ministry of education, ministry of foreign affairs or embassy/consulate of the issuing country.
Transcripts and report cards. Signed and stamped by the school and uploaded separately for each academic year.
Residence permit document. For applications made in Türkiye, this is the identity document; a passport is not accepted instead.
Entry-exit pages of your passport, for the country where you studied; or a document proving that you were there during your studies.
Notarised translation of all documents. If your documents are not in Turkish or English, they must be translated in Türkiye with notarisation. If they were translated abroad, they also require approval from the Turkish consulate/embassy.
Parent/guardian identity document. If you are under 18, your parent fills in the form and uploads their identity document.
Other documents the centre may request; for example, a marriage certificate if your name differs from the one on your diploma.
4. WHERE TO GO AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ORIGINALS ARE LOST
In Türkiye
The equivalency units at Provincial Directorates of National Education and the district directorates of national education designated by the Board of Education. Students studying in Istanbul can access the selected centres in Istanbul here.
If you return to your country
Your equivalency application is made through the Education Counsellor's Office or Education Attaché at the Turkish Embassy or Consulate in your country.
If your original documents are lost
Certified copies can be used provided that the full chain of certification is ensured:
1. They must be obtained from your school or the institution that issued the original document.
2. Their conformity with the original must be certified by that institution and then by the ministry of education of the relevant country.
3. They must bear an Apostille - if there is no Apostille, certified by the embassy of the relevant country.
5. WHEN EQUIVALENCY IS NOT GRANTED
✗ Distance education - equivalency is not granted for certificates and diplomas obtained where part or all of the education was completed through distance education (Art. 12/3).
✗ Outside the scope of Law No. 5580 - equivalency is not granted for certificates obtained from private schools/institutions in Türkiye that fall outside the scope of Private Education Institutions Law No. 5580 (Art. 12/2).
✗ Forged or falsified documents - equivalency is refused, cancelled if already granted, and the matter is reported to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
6. GOOD TO KNOW
• An appointment is compulsory and you must come in person. E-mail, post and power of attorney are not accepted.
• An Apostille on a photocopy is valid only if the copy carries an authorised "Aslı Gibidir" (true copy) certification.
•Keep your residence permit valid throughout the process; your application depends on it.
• Equivalency evaluates primary and secondary education as a whole, so keep your school documents from previous years as well.
Prepared for information purposes only. In all cases, the current legislation and guidance of the Ministry of National Education prevail - MEB Equivalency Regulation, Official Gazette dated 9 July 2024 and numbered 32597. · İZÜ International Office