PART I

Aim, Scope, Basis and Definitions of Terms

 

Aim

ARTICLE 1 – (1) The aim of this document is to regulate the procedures and principles for student admissions and registration to the undergraduate programs offered at Middle East Technical University, and the conduct of undergraduate education, examinations, and assessment.

 

Scope

ARTICLE 2 – (1) This document comprises the provisions concerning student admissions and registration to the undergraduate programs offered at Middle East Technical University, and the conduct of undergraduate education, examinations and assessment.

 

Basis

ARTICLE 3 – (1) This document has been drawn up based on article Articles 14, 43, 44 and 46 of the Higher Education Act 2547 dated 4 November 1981.

 

Definitions of Terms

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

a) The concerned faculty board: Middle East Technical University faculty boards

b) The concerned administrative board: Middle East Technical University faculty administrative boards

c) EPE: Middle East Technical University School of Foreign Languages English Proficiency Exam

d) Undergraduate program: a higher education program consisting of a minimum of eight semesters

e) The RO: Middle East Technical University Registrar’s Office

f) The President: President of Middle East Technical University

g) The Senate: Middle East Technical University Senate

h) DBE: Middle East Technical University Department of Basic English

i) International joint-degree program: an undergraduate program jointly carried out with an institution of higher education abroad 

j) The University/METU: Middle East Technical University

k) The University Administrative Board: Middle East Technical University Administrative Board.

l) SFL: Middle East Technical University School of Foreign Languages

m) Regulation: Middle East Technical University Rules and Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies

 

PART II

The Principles Concerning Education

 

Medium of Instruction

ARTICLE 5 – (1) The medium of instruction in METU’s undergraduate programs is English. Yet, courses that are to be conducted in Turkish or any other language are determined by the Senate.

 (2) Students are registered to the undergraduate programs after their proficiency in English is documented.

 (3) The assessment of the English proficiency level of students placed in, admitted or transferred from another institution to undergraduate programs, and the education at the DBE Preparatory Class are conducted in accordance with the provisions of Middle East Technical University School of Foreign Languages Department of Basic English Regulations for DBE Preparatory Class.

 

Duration of Education

ARTICLE 6 – (1) The duration of a program is four years (eight semesters), and this duration is five years (ten semesters) for programs offering a master’s degree along with an undergraduate degree.  

(2) The maximum duration of an undergraduate program is seven years (fourteen semesters), and this duration is nine years (sixteen semesters) for programs offering a master’s degree along with an undergraduate degree.   

(3) The period of study which is spent at the DBE is not included in the normal and maximum durations of study.

(4) The semesters for which students are granted a leave of absence by the concerned administrative board are not included in the normal and maximum durations of study.

(5) All the semesters during which the students have been registered since they first enrolled in an undergraduate program or which have been spent unregistered due to failure to re-register are included in the normal and maximum durations of study.

(6) The semesters which have been spent in institutions of higher education in the country or abroad as part of student exchange programs are included in the normal and maximum durations of study.

 

Academic year

ARTICLE 7 – (1) One academic year consists of two 16-week semesters including the final examination periods.

(2) Summer School may be offered within an academic year. The principles regarding the conduct of education in Summer School are determined by the Senate.

(3) The duration and dates of the registration, courses, examinations and other similar activities within an academic year are arranged through the academic calendar. 

(4) The weekly course schedules within a semester and summer school are prepared and announced by the concerned department chairs in coordination with the RO. 

(5) The courses to be offered in a semester and Summer School are determined by the concerned department chairs and approved by the concerned administrative boards. The course sections, capacities and criteria are determined by the concerned department chairs.

 

An undergraduate program

ARTICLE 8 – (1) An undergraduate program is drawn up by the concerned department(s), and offered by recommendation of the concerned faculty board, decision of the Senate and approval by the Higher Education Council.  

(2) The curriculum of an undergraduate program comprises the distribution among semesters of studies such as course work, laboratory work, practical work, workshop(s), studio work, practical training.

(3) The changes to the title and duration of an undergraduate program are drawn up by the concerned department, and determined / resolved by the Senate by recommendation of the concerned faculty board.   

(4) The amendments to the curriculum of an undergraduate program and the guidelines for the adaptation of students to these are prepared by the concerned department and resolved by the concerned faculty board.     

 

An international joint-degree program

ARTICLE 9 – (1) International joint-undergraduate degree programs may be offered in collaboration with institutions of higher education abroad.

(2) The principles governing international joint-undergraduate degree programs are determined by the Senate.     

 

A double major program

ARTICLE 10 – (1) Students enrolled in an undergraduate program at METU may concurrently enroll in another undergraduate program. The second undergraduate program is called a “Double Major Undergraduate Program”. The students who complete this program are awarded a “Double Major Diploma” in addition to the diploma they receive from the undergraduate program in which they are enrolled. The principles governing the double major programs are determined by the Senate.

 

A minor program

ARTICLE 11 – (1) Students enrolled in an undergraduate program at METU may additionally enroll in a “Minor Program” which incorporates a certain number of courses offered by another undergraduate program at METU, or a certain number of interdisciplinary courses. A minor program is not an undergraduate program. The students who complete this program receive a certificate. The principles governing minor programs are determined by the Senate.

 

Exchange programs

ARTICLE 12 – (1) Within the framework of mutual agreements, exchange programs may be arranged between METU and institutions of higher education within the country or abroad. The principles governing such programs are determined by the Senate.  

 

Certificate program

ARTICLE 13 – (1) The principles concerning certificate programs are determined by the Senate.

 

Special students

ARTICLE 14 – (1) Special students are students who are not enrolled in any program at METU, but who are expected to fulfill the requirements of the limited number of courses they are registered to. The principles governing these programs are determined by the Senate. 

 

Admission to undergraduate programs

ARTICLE 15 – (1) Admission to undergraduate programs is carried out in accordance with the principles determined by the Senate within the framework of the Higher Education Act 2547 dated 04 November 1981 and of the regulations and decisions of the Higher Education Council.

(2) The principles governing applications to quotas for students from, and their admission and registration procedures are determined by the Senate.

(3) The principles governing applications for external or internal transfers, and their admission and registration procedures are determined by the Senate.

 

Initial enrollment

ARTICLE 16 – (1) The registration of students placed in or admitted to undergraduate programs is carried out by the RO on the dates indicated in the academic calendar.

(2) The below-mentioned requirements are sought for the finalization of student enrollment to the university:

a) Holding a document certifying that the student is qualified to receive a diploma from a high school in Turkey, or a school within Turkey or abroad whose equivalence to a high school is recognized by the Ministry of Education.

b) Fulfilling the provisions related to tuition and education fees.

c) For international students, fulfilling the requirements for a student visa.

d) Fulfilling other requirements as announced by the University.

(3) Only the originals of the documents required for registration, or their approved copies upon presentation of the originals to the University are accepted. Regarding compulsory military service and judicial records, the application is processed based on the candidate’s declaration. In case students who have earned the right for registration with false or misleading declarations and documents are detected, they will not be registered. If they have already been registered, the registration will be cancelled regardless of the semester they are in. All documents issued to them, including diplomas, will be declared null and void, and legal action will be taken against them. Those in this position are deemed not to have earned a student status and cannot enjoy any rights granted to students in the future.

 (4) Students who have completed their registration procedures are provided with a student ID card. The ID cards contain the students’ personal information.

(5) Those who fail to complete their registration within the declared period are deemed to have waived their student rights and thereafter may not claim any rights.

 

Courses and Course Credits

ARTICLE 17 – (1) The courses within undergraduate programs are of two types: compulsory and elective. Compulsory courses are those that are specified in the curriculum and  must be taken. Elective courses are courses whose numbers and types are specified in the curriculum and are selected by students.

(2) The course titles, codes, contents, credits, categories, prerequisites, co-requisites, midterm exams, final exams and other similar features and amendments to be made to these features are determined by recommendation of the concerned department and the decision of the concerned administrative board.

 (3) Pre-requisite and co- requisite courses may be specified in order for a course to be taken.

a) A course to be taken prior to another course and in which at least the letter grade DD or S is to be earned is called the pre-requisite of that course.

b) A course which must be taken together with another course in the same semester is called the co-requisite of that course. The co-requisite requirement is deemed fulfilled in the event that a letter grade (excluding the letter grades NA and W) has been previously obtained in a co-requisite course.

(4) Apart from the pre-requisite and co-requisite courses, additional requirements may be specified by the department chairs in order for a course to be taken.

(5) In case of exemption from the pre-requisite or co-requisite course of any course, the pre-requisite or co-requisite requirement of that course is deemed fulfilled.

(6) The credit value of a course consists of all of its weekly theoretical course hours plus half of the weekly hours of laboratory, practical applications, studio, practical training and other similar work related to that course. 

 (7) Weekly theoretical and practical course hours of non-credit courses are specified; however, a credit value is not allocated for such courses. 

 

Course Load

ARTICLE 18 – (1) The normal course load of a program is the number of credit courses in the semester where the highest number of credit courses exist in the curriculum of that program.

 (2) A student’s course load in a semester is limited to the normal course load. The normal course load:

a) may be increased by only one course upon the students’ request and with the approval of the advisor, if their Cumulative Grade Point Average is at least 2.00. 

b) may be increased by up to 2 courses at most upon the students’ request and with the approval of the advisor, if their Cumulative Grade Point Average is at least 2.50. 

 (3) The minimum course load of students in a semester is three credit courses. In justifiable situations, this load may be reduced with the approvals of the advisor and the chair of the concerned department.

(4) For students who are able to fulfill the requirements for graduation at the end of the registered semester, the minimum course load provision is not sought. 

 

Counting courses towards an undergraduate program

ARTICLE 19 – (1) The procedures for counting the courses taken in any institution of higher education towards the program the student is enrolled in are carried out by the concerned faculty administrative board upon recommendation of the concerned department chair.

(2) The procedures for counting courses are carried out according to the current curriculum.

(3) In course counting procedures, which of the courses with the grades CC and above, S or with equivalent grades are to be counted towards the program is determined. 

(4) The semester(s) spent are calculated according to the courses counted towards the program and are deducted from the students maximum duration. In this procedure, the normal course load of the concerned program is taken into consideration as corresponding to one semester.

(5) Other principles related to counting courses are determined by the Senate.

 

 Extra-curricular courses

ARTICLE 20 – (1) Extra-curricular courses are credit courses that do not exist in the curriculum of the undergraduate, or double-major/minor program a student is enrolled in, but which the student additionally takes. The following rules apply for extra-curricular courses:

a) Such courses are taken in the NI (not included) status.

b) The courses taken in the NI status are counted towards the course load of the student in the related semester.

c) Maximum two courses may be taken in NI status per semester.

d) The status of courses falling into the NI status cannot be altered after the registration process of the concerned semester is completed.

e) The status of courses cannot be rendered NI after the registration process of the concerned semester is completed. 

f) Courses taken in NI status may be repeated only once in the same status.

g) Courses taken in the NI status are not included in Grade Point Average calculations.

h) The courses taken in NI status are indicated in the transcript along with the earned letter grade.

i) A course taken in NI status cannot be counted towards the program or programs in which the student is enrolled within the semester it is taken.

 

Semester registrations

ARTICLE 21 – (1) Students are liable to re-register each semester on the online registration dates indicated in the academic calendar. However, in their initial enrollment to an undergraduate program, students may also register in the add/drop week indicated in the academic calendar. Students who fail to register on the designated dates are deemed unregistered and may not enjoy the rights of registered students.  

(2) Semester registration procedures consist of the following phases:

a) Payment of the tuition or education fee and fulfilment of any other financial obligation (dormitory fee, library fee, etc.) pertaining to previous years, if any.

b) On-line registration for courses.

c) Obtaining approval for the online semester registration following a one-on-one meeting with the advisor.

(3) Students must register for all the courses in the curriculum of the concerned semester excluding courses they are exempt from.

(4) The following priorities are observed in determining the courses to be taken during semester registrations provided that the pre-requisites requirements are met. However, these priorities may be changed with the approval of the academic advisor.

a) Courses which must be repeated.

b) Courses pertaining to previous years but which were not taken.

c) Courses which must be taken in accordance with class order in the curriculum, courses students want to take in order to increase their grade and/or in NI status.   

 (5) Students who have completed their semester registration during the online registration period may add or drop courses or change course sections during the add/drop period stated in the academic calendar. Advisor approval is required in order for the changes to be valid.

(6) Among students who fall into the unregistered status, those who wish to register for a semester must apply to the chair of the concerned department by stating and documenting a valid reason before the termination of the designated add/drop period for that semester. The student whose excuse is accepted by the concerned administrative board and who meets the requirements for the semester registration is re-registered by the RO.

 (7) Students who fall into the unregistered status may register for ensuing semesters on dates indicated for the online registrations in the academic calendar. These students must submit a petition to the RO latest by the date online registrations start.

(8) The status of students who have not renewed their registration in four consecutive academic years (eight semesters) is terminated with the decision of the concerned faculty executive board and approval of the Council of Higher Education.

 

Course withdrawal

ARTICLE 22 – (1) Students may withdraw from courses they are enrolled in according to the following rules:

a) Course withdrawal is processed within the tenth week of the concerned semester.

b) Course withdrawals are processed and advisor approvals are given online.

c) An advisor approval is given following a one-on-one meeting with the advisor.

d) Information is given to the instructor of the course online.

e) Course withdrawal may be processed for only one course in a semester.

f) Course withdrawal may be processed for maximum six courses throughout the duration of education.

g) Course withdrawal is not possible in the first two semesters of the curriculum.

h) Course withdrawal is not possible for repeated courses, previously withdrawn courses, courses in NI status or non-credit courses.

i) Course withdrawal is not allowed for students taking the minimum course load or below in a semester. 

 

PART III

Examinations, Assessment and Graduation

 

Attendance and Examinations

ARTICLE 23 – (1) Students must attend the theoretical and practical class hours, examinations and other academic studies as required by the instructors. 

(2) The attendance records of students are kept by the instructors.

(3) The effect of student attendance on the right to take mid-term and final examinations and on the letter grades for a semester; mid-term examinations, homework assignments, practical applications and other similar studies for which the students are responsible and the effect of these on the letter grades for a semester; the requirements to take the final examination, if any, are determined by the instructors and announced to the students in the course schedule at the beginning of the semester.     

(4) At least one mid-term examination and one final examination are given for each course. The courses which do not require a mid-term and/or final examination are determined by the department concerned and the RO is informed of these.

(5) Students are informed of their success in each course within a semester by the instructor of that course. While doing so, instructors follow the principle of privacy of personal information.

(6) The examination dates of the courses for which mid-term examinations are given are determined by the instructors offering the course, or by department chairs upon the recommendation of the course instructors. Mid-term dates are announced within the first four weeks of a semester. In compulsory multi-section courses offered for different undergraduate programs, the examination dates are determined and announced by the concerned department chairs in coordination with the RO.   

(7) All exams other than mid-term and final examinations may be administered with no predetermined date. 

(8) In courses for which final examinations are given, the arrangement of the final exams is made as follows:

a) The dates and times of the final examinations are determined and announced by the RO following opinions received from the concerned departments.

b) The pre-announced final examination dates may be changed by the RO upon the justified request of the concerned department provided that the new dates are within the period of final examinations. This procedure is carried out before the period of final examinations starts.  

(9) If deemed necessary, courses and exams may be held after weekly working hours and/or on Saturdays and Sundays. 

(10) The concerned instructors and proctors are responsible for the administration of the exams in accordance with the rules.

 (11) The principles regarding the procedures to be applied for students who have failed to sit an examination are determined by the instructor offering the course, or department chairs by recommendation of the concerned instructors. 

 

Assessment and Grades

ARTICLE 24 – (1) Students are given a letter grade for each course at the end of the semester they are registered.

(2) This letter grade is at the discretion of the instructor offering the course.

(3) In determining the letter grade, the students’ mid-term and final examination grades, their success in their studies within the semester and their attendance during course and practical work are taken into consideration.     

(4) The courses for which an exemption exam is to be administered, the requirements for exemption and the implementation principles are determined by the Senate upon the recommendation of the concerned faculty board.

(5) The coefficients of the letter grades, the score intervals used in the calculation of Grade Point Average and the standings related to success are indicated below:  

a)

Letter Grade	Coefficient	Score intervals
AA	4,00	90-l00
BA	3,50	85-89
BB	3,00	80-84
CB	2,50	75-79
CC	2,00	70-74
DC	1,50	65-69
DD	1,00	60-64
FD	0,50	50-59
FF	0,00	0-49
NA	0,00	*
Letter Grade	Standing
S	Successful
U	Unsuccessful
EX	Exempt
I	Incomplete
W	Withdrawn

 

b)  The grade NA is designated due to one of the conditions below. The grade NA is processed as FF in the calculation of the Grade Point Average.

1) Not fulfilling the attendance requirements for the theoretical and practical course hours as indicated in the course schedule.

2) Not qualifying to take the final exam due to failure in fulfilling the provisions regarding course practices.  

3) Having taken none of the mid-term and final examinations.

(c) Grades which are not included in the Grade Point Average are as follows:

1) The grade S (satisfactory) is designated to students who are successful in non-credit courses 

2) The grade U (unsatisfactory) is designated to students who are not successful in non-credit courses. 

3) The grade EX (exempt) is designated to students who have been exempted from certain courses in the curriculum.  

4) The grade I (incomplete) is designated to students who are not able to complete the course requirements by the end of the semester or the summer school for a reason found valid by the course instructor. The grade “I” must be converted to a letter grade within a week from the last day of grade submissions for the semester or summer school. In special cases, however, this period may be extended latest until the date registrations start for the following semester, when it must be converted to a letter grade. These special procedures are conducted by recommendation of the department chair offering the course and the approval of the concerned administrative board. In case of failure to convert the grade “I” to a letter grade within the required period, the grade “I” will be automatically converted to the grade “FF” or “U”. The dates concerning the letter grade “I” are indicated in the academic calendar.(*)

5) The grade W (Withdrawn) is designated to students who withdraw from a course.

 

Submission and announcement of grades and grade corrections

ARTICLE 25 – (1) Final grades for the semester are submitted by course instructors on the dates stated in the academic calendar.

(2) Letter grades are made accessible to students at the related Internet address on the date indicated in the academic calendar.

(3) Any errors in grading are corrected with the approval of the concerned department chair upon the course instructor’s application for correction within a week from the last day for the submission of semester or summer school final grades. In cases where this period is exceeded, the correction of errors must be made by recommendation of the chair of the department which offers the course and the approval of the concerned administrative board. The dates concerning grade corrections are indicated in the academic calendar.

 

Repeating a course

ARTICLE 26 – (1) Courses for which the letter grades FF, FD, NA, U, W have been earned must be repeated.

(2) Other elective courses within the framework of the curriculum may be taken instead of those which are to be repeated on condition that these courses fall into the same category / type and are approved by the advisor.

(3) Courses from which the letter grade DD or above has been earned may be repeated within the three consecutive semesters following the semester in which the courses were taken. This provision is not applicable to students in probation, and those who have passed all their courses for graduation but do not have the required GPA.

(4) The grade earned in the repeated course is valid regardless of the previous grade.

 

Grade Point Averages

ARTICLE 27 – (1) Students’ semester Grade Point Averages and Cumulative Grade Point Averages are calculated at the end of each semester and their standing related to success is determined.  

(2) The total credit points obtained from a course are calculated by multiplying the credit value of the course and the coefficient corresponding to the letter grade earned from the course at the end of the semester.

(3) The Semester Grade Point Average is calculated through the division of the total credit points obtained from all the courses the student has taken in the concerned semester by the total credit values of those courses. 

(4) The Cumulative Grade Point Average is calculated through the division of  the total credit points obtained from all the courses the student has taken up to that time, the semester concerned inclusive, by the total credit values of those courses.   

(5) The Grade Point Averages obtained in these calculations are expressed by rounding them off to the second digit after the decimal point. In rounding the numbers off, the second digit after decimal point does not change if the third digit is smaller than 5, but it increases by 0.01 if the third digit is 5 or greater.

 

Successful students

ARTICLE 28 – (1) Students whose Cumulative and Semester Grade Point Averages are at least 2.00 and who have not earned the letter grades FF, FD, NA or U in the concerned semester are qualified as follows according to their Semester Grade Point Averages:   

a) Of the students who are within their maximum period of study and  who have taken at least three credit courses in the semester concerned, those whose Semester Grade Point Averages are 3,50 – 4,00 are qualified as High Honor Students, and those whose Semester Grade Point Averages are  3,00 – 3,49 are qualified as Honor Students. Students who fulfill the Grade Point Average requirement but who fail to fulfill the requirement for three credit courses are considered Satisfactory in their standing.   

b) Students who are within their maximum period of study and whose Semester Grade Point Averages are 2,00 – 2,99,  or students who have exceeded the maximum period of study and whose Semester Grade Point Averages are at least 2,00 are considered Satisfactory in their standing.  

(2) Students whose Cumulative Grade Point Averages and Semester Grade Point Averages are at least 2,00 but who have earned the letter grade FF, FD, NA or U in any course in the semester concerned are considered Sufficient in their standing.

 

Unsuccessful students

ARTICLE 29 – (1) Students whose Cumulative Grade Point Averages and/or semester Grade Point Averages are below 2,00 are considered Unsatisfactory in their standing.

 

Probation students

ARTICLE 30 – (1) Students whose Cumulative Grade Point Averages are below2,00 in two consecutive semesters are qualified as Probation students.

(2) Probation students may not enroll in the courses which they have not previously taken, or from which they have earned the letter grade W. These students must first repeat the courses they have previously taken, primarily those which they have earned the letter grades FF, FD, NA, U.

(3) Probation students may enroll in other elective courses within the framework of the curriculum instead of those which are to be repeated on condition that these courses fall into the same category / type and are approved by the advisor. Conditions which require justification are evaluated by the concerned faculty administrative board by recommendation of the concerned department chair.

 (4) The minimum course load requirement is not valid for probation students. 

 (5) The CGPA must be at least 2.00 for the probation status to end.  

 

Graduation requirements and the graduation date

ARTICLE 31 – (1) The following requirements must be fulfilled in order to be eligible for graduation from an undergraduate program:

a) All the courses included in the curriculum must be completed with at least the letter grades DD or S.

b) The Cumulative Grade Point Average must be at least 2,00.

c) With the exception of the international joint undergraduate-degree programs conducted with contracted universities abroad, students are required to have obtained at least half of the total credit points of the curriculum from the courses offered at METU.

d) With the exception exchange programs and international joint undergraduate-degree programs conducted with the contracted universities abroad, the last two semesters must be spent at METU on registered status.

(2) The date of graduation from undergraduate programs is determined as follows:

a) In undergraduate programs, the graduation date is the announcement date of the letter grades for the concerned semester or Summer School as indicated in the academic calendar. For those who graduate after the announcement of grades as a result of the correction of an erroneous grade, the conversion of the grade “I” to a letter grade, or by exercising the right for a make-up, the graduation date is the date on which the letter grade is finalized.

b) For students who wish to leave the university by receiving an Associate Degree Diploma before becoming eligible for graduation from an undergraduate program, the graduation date is the announcement date of the letter grades for the semester in which the student has obtained the right to receive an Associate Degree Diploma. 

 

Resit examinations

ARTICLE 32 – (1) The principles regarding resit examinations are determined by the Senate.

 

Procedures to be carried out at the end of the maximum duration of the study

ARTICLE 33 –  (1) Actions to be taken regarding the students who cannot fulfill the graduation requirements at the end of the maximum duration of study are carried out according to the procedures and principles determined by the Senate in line with paragraph (c) of the Article 44 of the Law on Higher Education No. 2547."

 

Diplomas, certificates, and other documents

ARTICLE 34 – (1) Diplomas, certificates awarded and other documents issued to students, and the provisions regarding the issuance of these are as follows:

a) Undergraduate Diploma: This diploma is awarded to students who meet the graduation requirements of an undergraduate program.

b) Double Major Diploma:  This diploma is awarded to students who are deemed eligible for an undergraduate diploma and who also meet the graduation requirements of the double major program they are registered in. 

c) Associate Degree Diploma: This diploma is awarded to students who wish to leave the University before being entitled to graduation provided that they apply for it and complete the registration cancellation procedures. In order to qualify for an Associate Degree Diploma, students must have earned the letter grades of at least DD or S in all the courses in the curriculums of the first four semesters, and their Cumulative Grade Point Averages must be at least 2,00.  

d) Provisional Certificate of Graduation: This document is issued only once as a substitute for a diploma to students who are deemed eligible for graduation, and it is valid until the date of the commencement ceremony of the concerned academic year.

e) Diploma Supplement: This is a document accompanying diplomas which aims at the international recognition of the academic and professional competences of its holder.

f) Certificate of High Graduation Achievement: This is a certificate which is awarded to high ranking graduates in undergraduate programs. The principles regarding the rank ordering of such students are determined by the Senate.

g) Minor Program Certificate: This certificate is awarded to students who are deemed eligible for an undergraduate diploma and who also successfully complete the minor program they are registered in. This certificate is not a diploma.

h) Transcript: This document is a complete official record of the courses taken each semester, their credit values and the grades earned, the grade point averages for the concerned semesters, the cumulative grade point averages and the standing of a student starting from the student’s admission to the university. 

i) Semester Success Certificate: This is a document given to “Honors” or “High Honors” students at the end of a semester.

j) Student Certificate: This is a document which shows the University registration status of a student.

(2) Diplomas, certificates and other such documents are signed by the below-mentioned authorities:

a) Associate degree, undergraduate degree, double-major degree diplomas and minor certificates are signed by the President and the concerned Deans and the Heads of Departments. 

b) Provisional certificate of graduation is signed by the concerned Department Chair and authorized RO staff. 

c) Certificates of High Achievement and Semester Success Certificates are signed by the President.  

d) Diploma supplements, transcripts and student certificates are signed by authorized RO staff.    

(3) The faculties, departments and programs of students are indicated on the diplomas, certificates and other documents.

(4) Students who complete undergraduate and/or double major programs with Grade Point Averages of 3,00 – 3,49 are qualified as “Honors” and those with Grade Point Averages of 3,50 or  above are qualified as “High Honors” graduates. These qualifications are stated on the diplomas. 

(5) The format, size and information to be written on diplomas are specified by the Senate.

(6) In the event of the loss of a diploma, a replacement copy is issued once only. The replacement copy bears the annotation “second copy”.

(7) In the event of a change in the name and/or surname of the graduate after the graduation date, replacement copies of diplomas and/or certificates are not issued, nor is the information on them changed.

 

PART IV

Advisorship, Disciplinary Procedures, Student Grants, Health Service, Tuition fees, Student Leave, Registration Cancellation and Student Notifications

 

ARTICLE 35 – (1) Department chairs assign an academic advisor from among full time faculty to each student registered in an undergraduate program.

(2) The duties/responsibilities of the academic advisors are stated below:

a) They inform the students about the courses they are to take each semester and provide guidance in choosing them.

b) They approve semester registrations after evaluating the courses to be taken with the student according to her/his academic standing.

c) They provide information and guidance to the student in adapting to university life, professional development and career choices. 

 

Disciplinary Procedures

ARTICLE 36 – (1) The disciplinary procedures regarding students are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Rules and Regulations Governing the Disciplinary Procedures in Institutions of Higher Education published in the Official Gazette No. 28388 dated 18 August 2012. (*)

 

Student grants and aids

ARTICLE 37 – (1) The provisions governing the distribution of student grants and aids obtained from various sources are determined by the Senate.

 

Health service

ARTICLE 38 – (1) The provisions governing the health services offered to students are determined by the Senate.

 

Tuition and other fees

ARTICLE 39 – (1) Tuitions, education fees other fees are determined by the University Administrative Board within the framework of the Presidential Decision.   

 

Leaves of absence

ARTICLE 40 – (1)

Students may be granted leaves of absence from the University for a maximum period four semesters, and without exceeding two consecutive semesters each time, with the decision of the concerned administrative board based on obligations related to health, military service, education in an institution of higher education in Turkey or abroad, or financial and familial obligations.

(2) Students who wish to be granted a leave of absence must apply to the chair of the concerned department with a petition stating valid grounds for the request and the necessary documents latest by the end of the add-drop week of the related semester. However, no time restrictions exist for application in the event that the grounds for permission arise after the end of the add-drop week.

 (3) If the date of a student's petition for a leave of absence is before the deadline of the interactive registrations for the relevant semester, the student is not required to have completed their course registration, paid the tuition fee, and received approval from their advisor while applying for leave. If the date of a student's petition for a leave of absence is after the deadline of the interactive registrations for the relevant semester but within the add-drop period, the student is required to have completed their course registration, paid the tuition fee, and received approval from their advisor with no issues; otherwise, the student is not listed as a registered student and thus cannot be permitted leave. In order for a student to apply for a leave of absence after the add-drop period for the relevant semester ends, they must be listed as a registered student.

(4) The concerned administrative board sends their decision to the RO, which processes the decision and notifies the student and the concerned academic and administrative units.

 (5) Students who wish to return to University earlier than the termination of the leave period must apply with a petition to the concerned department  chair before interactive registrations start. The application is resolved with the decision of the concerned administrative board upon the opinion of the student’s advisor and recommendation of the department chair, and it is sent to the RO.

 

Registration Cancellation

ARTICLE 41 – (1) Students who wish so may cancel their registration by applying to the RO.

(2) Students who cancel their registration or are dismissed on any grounds must follow the procedures for registration cancellation specified by the university and fulfill their financial obligations (tuition or education fee, dormitory fee, library debt, etc.) in order that they may receive their personal documents in the RO files.

(3) Students who cancel their registration in an undergraduate program by receiving an Associate Degree Diploma or due to failing to fulfill the graduation requirements forfeit all their rights in the university and may never again enroll in the program they have cancelled their registration. 

 

Notifications

ARTICLE 42 – (1) All types of notification are sent to the students’ postal address in the official records or to the e-mail addresses provided to them by the University. 

(2) Students are obliged to follow the messages sent to the e-mail address provided by the University.

 

PART V

Miscellaneous and Final Provisions

 

Northern Cyprus Campus

ARTICLE 43 – (1) The procedures and principles regarding the implementation of these rules and regulations in the undergraduate programs carried out at the Northern Cyprus Campus are determined by the Senate.

 

Invalidated Regulation

ARTICLE 44 – (1) The regulation entitled Middle East Technical University Rules and Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies published in the Official Gazette no. 28387 dated August 17, 2012, has been invalidated. 

 

Provisions Governing the Transition Period

TEMPORARY ARTICLE– (1)  In determining the maximum duration mentioned in articles 6 and 33 in this bylaw for students who earned the right to register to undergraduate programs in the first semester of the 2014-2015 academic year or earlier, the second semester of the 2014-2015 academic year is considered the starting point.

 

Validity

ARTICLE 45 – (1) This regulation is effective as of the date of its publication in the Official Gazette and is to be implemented as of the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year.

 

Implementation

ARTICLE 46 – (1) The provisions of this regulation are implemented by the President of Middle East Technical University.