Aim

ARTICLE 1- (1) The aim of this directive is to regulate the principles concerning the special student status at Middle East Technical University.

Scope

ARTICLE 2- (1) This directive incorporates the provisions concerning the special student status at Middle East Technical University. 

Definition

ARTICLE 3- (1) Special students are those who are allowed to participate in a limited number of courses without being enrolled in one of the academic programs at METU. Special Students can not benefit from the rights granted to full-time students. Special students benefit from the rights determined by the University Administrative Board.

Application and registration

ARTICLE 4- (1) Application requirements for special students, necessary documents, the registration procedure, and other similar information are announced on the Registrar's Office website.  

(2) Procedures for application and registration for special students are carried out on the dates indicated in the academic calendar.

(3) 

a) Those who will take courses from a bachelor's program as a special student must be registered or graduated from a higher education program in order to apply.

b) Those who will take courses from a graduate program as a special student must be registered to a master's, doctorate, or proficiency in art program in another higher educational institution, and they should get the official approval of their institution for taking the course as a special student at METU.

(4) Approvals from the following academic units are required for the admission of special students to courses:

a) For undergraduate courses, approval of the instructor(s) and the concerned department chair,

b) For graduate courses, approval of the of the instructor(s) and the concerned graduate school department chair and decision of the concerned administrative board.

(5) Students

(a) who take undergraduate-level courses as a special student, must present the decision of the Faculty Administrative Board of the higher educational institution at the time of application

(b) who take graduate-level courses as a special student, must present the decision of the Graduate School Administrative Board regarding the approval for taking the course as a special student at METU. In case of successful completion of the course, transfer and exemption procedures will be carried out by the higher educational institution to which the student is originally registered.

(6) Students admitted to courses apply with the required documents to the Registrar's Office in order to complete the registration procedure.  

(7) The University Administrative Board determines special student application and tuition fees.

(8) Students who are enrolled in another higher education institution that will take courses in summer school as a special student at METU will be charged twice as much as the fee (on a faculty basis) paid by METU students for summer school. The University Administrative Board determines the tuition fee amounts for those who will take courses from the Department of Modern Languages, the Department of Turkish, and the Department of Fine Arts.

(9) Students studying in the degree programs in which the language of instruction is Turkish must certify their foreign language proficiency. Candidates may submit their exam results obtained from METU EPE (English Proficiency Exam) or other international exams recommended by the METU School of Foreign Languages and deemed equivalent by the Senate.

(10) Students who are already enrolled in a higher education institution in Turkey can remain as special students for a maximum of two semesters throughout their degree program. This period can be extended by the decision of the Council of Higher Education upon the student's request if either of the following conditions is met:

(a) The student is diagnosed with a severe illness after enrolling in a higher education institution or an existing illness of the student worsen (this must be certified with a medical board document taken from a state hospital or the hospital of a state university), and their treatment cannot be administered in the city where the student resides for education purposes.

(b) There is a proposal from the university administrative board stating that the student cannot continue his/her education in the institution in which s/he is enrolled due to incidents they experienced such as beating or violence.

(11) Turkish citizens studying in a higher education institution abroad can remain as special students for a maximum of two semesters.

Provisions about special students

ARTICLE 5 – (1) Enrollment as a special student is limited to a total of two semesters.

 (2) Special students may take two courses with credit at most in a semester and may take a total of 4 courses with credit during their period of study.

(3) Special students can not withdraw from courses.

(4) Special students must follow the rules specified in the regulations and procedural principles of the University. 

(5) Male special students are not entitled to the postponement of military service. 

(6) Special students are not awarded diplomas. However, they are given a document indicating the courses they have taken and the grades they have earned.

(7) The special student enrollment procedure is semester-based, and candidates who will apply in the next semesters should do all the procedures again.

Northern Cyprus Campus

ARTICLE 6 – (1) The procedures and principles concerning the application of this directive to the programs conducted in METU Northern Cyprus Campus are determined by the Senate.

Validity

ARTICLE 7 - (1) This directive takes effect on December 19, 2017, the date it was approved by the Middle East Technical University Senate.

Implementation

ARTICLE 8 - (1) This directive is implemented by the President of Middle East Technical University.

Amendments numbered 9, 10, 11 to Article 4 of this directive come into force as of December 29, 2021, the date when they were approved by the Senate.