(Senate Decision dated 17.12.2019)

PART 1

Aim, Scope, Basis, and Definition of Terms

Aim

ARTICLE 1 – (1) This directive aims to regulate the principles that govern the procedures concerning international student applications, admissions and registrations to undergraduate programs at Middle East Technical University.

Scope

ARTICLE 2 – (1) This directive comprises provisions concerning international student applications, admissions, and registrations to undergraduate programs at Middle East Technical University.

Basis

ARTICLE 3 – (1) Procedures concerning international student applications, admissions and registrations are carried out within the framework of the “Principles Governing International Student Admissions” drawn up by the Council of Higher Education and “Middle East Technical University Rules and Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies” and its related directives.

Definition of terms

ARTICLE 4 – (1) Wherever the following terms appear in this document, they shall be taken to refer to:

a)    CoHE: Council of Higher Education,
b)    GCE: General Certificate of Education,
c)    IB-Diploma: International Baccalaureate Diploma
d)    ISO: International Students’ Office
e)    METU: Middle East Technical University,
f)    TR: Turkish Republic,
g)    TRNC: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,
h)    SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test,
i)     UEC: The University Education Commission comprising the Assistant to the President in charge of student affairs and Associate Deans.

PART 2

Quotas, Application, and Evaluation

Quotas

ARTICLE 5 – (1) International student quotas are set by recommendation of the Department Chairs and decision of the Faculty Administrative Board.
(2) The CoHE is notified of these quotas after their approval by the METU Senate.
(3) METU is free whether or not to fill the announced quotas. When deemed necessary, quotas may be transferred among programs.

Application requirements

ARTICLE 6 – (1) Only the candidates whose eligibility is defined in the “Principles Governing International Student Admissions” drawn up by the Council of Higher Education can apply to these quotas. 

The application procedure

ARTICLE 7 – (1) Applications are made within the period announced in the academic calendar.
(2) Applicants must present the documents mentioned in the application announcement in full and in the manner announced.

Evaluation criteria

ARTICLE 8 – (1) Examinations that bear the features of a university entrance exam and diplomas that are to be taken into consideration as well as the relevant minimum eligibility scores are determined by the Senate, notified to the Higher Education Council, and announced in the university website each year.

(2) Having fulfilled the application requirements does not necessarily mean being accepted to a program. 

(3) The validity of exams that bear the features of a university entrance exam (such as SAT) is two years. The period of validity of scores obtained in exams which are of the status of a high school exit exam (such as GCE-AL, IB Diploma, and Baccalaureate) or high school graduation degrees/diplomas is unlimited.

Preliminary evaluation

ARTICLE 9 – (1) Applications undergo preliminary evaluation at the ISO within the framework of the requirements announced. The applications of candidates who fail to fulfill the application requirements are not further evaluated. 

Evaluation

ARTICLE 10 – (1) In the review of applications, criteria such as the applicants’ success in national/international examinations, their diploma scores and the position of the high schools they have finished in national and international rankings may be taken into consideration.
(2) The UEC evaluates the applications of candidates who have fulfilled the application requirements and successfully pass the pre-evaluation. The UEC finalizes the evaluation of each application as “Accept” or “Reject”.
(3) Applicants who have been accepted are sent a letter of acceptance by the ISO via e-mail and the online application programs and are asked to declare whether or not they will be present for registration. 
(4) Applicants declaring that they will be present for registration are sent an official letter of acceptance so that they might receive a visa.

PART 3

Miscellaneous and Final Provisions

Registration

ARTICLE 11 – (1) It is mandatory that international students register for the first semester they are admitted to a program.
(2) Submission of all the necessary documents in full during registration is imperative. In case of failure to do so within the announced dates of enrollment, the student cannot register to the university even if he/she has received acceptance.

Scholarship opportunities

ARTICLE 12 – (1) The principles concerning exemptions from or discounts in tuition fees for international students are determined by the University Administrative Board.

Health insurance

ARTICLE 13 – (1) It is required that students who have been admitted to the Ankara Campus have to obtain health insurance unless they have social security which is valid in Turkey in order to get residence permit according to the Law No. 6458.

Northern Cyprus Campus

ARTICLE 14 – (1) The procedures and principles regarding the implementation of this Directive in the undergraduate programs conducted at the Northern Cyprus Campus are determined by the Senate.

Conditions for which provisions do not exist in this directive

ARTICLE 15 – (1) In conditions for which provisions do not exist in this Directive, the provisions of the University’s other regulations apply.

Validity

ARTICLE 16 – (1) This Directive is effective as of December 17, 2019, the date it was approved by the University Senate.

Implementation

ARTICLE 17– (1) This Directive’s articles are implemented by the President of Middle East Technical University.