Quick Summary
Sakarya University is a public research university in Serdivan, Sakarya Province, Turkey, established in 1992 under Law No. 3837, with roots tracing back to a School of Engineering and Architecture founded in 1970 and affiliated with Istanbul Technical University. It enrolls approximately 80,974 students, including 6,549 international students from 109 countries, making it one of Turkey's largest public universities by enrollment. Eight of its engineering programs hold MUDEK/EUR-ACE accreditation, and the university's quality office states it is the only Turkish university to hold the EFQM Excellence Award (received 2015). It sits within Turkey's automotive-manufacturing corridor alongside Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey and Otokar, and maintains an active industry-partnership and internship pipeline with Toyota Otomotiv Sanayi Turkiye.
01
Institutional Profile
Who they are
Sakarya University enrolled 6,549 international students from 109 countries as of 2025, with new international student registrations rising 56% year-on-year even as international enrollment declined at many other Turkish universities, making it one of Turkey's more actively growing destinations for international study. Its main Esentepe Campus in Serdivan sits roughly an hour from Istanbul, within Sakarya province, which is a hub of Turkish automotive manufacturing including the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey plant and Otokar's headquarters, giving engineering students proximity to major regional employers. Eight of the university's engineering programs carry MUDEK/EUR-ACE accreditation, an external quality benchmark for engineering education. The university's Academic Evaluation and Quality Improvement Committee states that Sakarya is the only Turkish university to hold the EFQM Excellence Award, which it received in 2015 after Turkey's National Excellence Award (2010) and Sustainability in Excellence Award (2013).
Founded1992
TypePublic
Total Students80,974
Intl Studentsapproximately 8% (6,549 international students from 109 countries as of 2025, against a total enrollment of approximately 80,974)
Faculty Ratio36.6:1
CampusMain campus (Esentepe Campus) in Serdivan, Sakarya Province, with additional satellite locations including the Hendek Campus (Faculty of Education).
Campus SizeNot Available
Affiliated HospitalsSakarya University Training and Research Hospital
AccreditationMUDEK/EUR-ACE accreditation for eight engineering programs (Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Food Engineering, and Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, most valid through 30.09.2025); institutional member of the European University Association (EUA) and International Association of Universities (IAU).
02
Global Standing
Three independent ranking systems
QS World 2026
#1401+
Quacquarelli Symonds
Times Higher Ed
#1201-1500
THE World University
ARWU Shanghai
Not Available
Academic Ranking
03
Academics & Research
What you can study
Associate degree, undergraduate, graduate (master's), and doctoral programs across faculties including Engineering, Computer and Information Sciences, Medicine, Law, Business, Political Sciences, Theology, Fine Arts, Communication, Sport Sciences, Technology, and Tourism.
Programs
Yes. Doctoral programs are offered through the university's graduate institutes (including the Institute of Social Sciences and the Institute of Natural Sciences), with international applicants able to apply in both fall and spring intake cycles.
PhD Programs
Yes. The Distance Education Research and Application Center (SAUZEM/UZEM) delivers master's programs, combined-education undergraduate programs, associate degree programs, and certificate programs through distance learning.
Online Programs
Sakarya Economic and Social Research Center (SESAM); Distance Education Research and Application Center (SAUZEM/UZEM).
Research Centers
According to EduRank's field-level analysis, Sakarya University's engineering output totals approximately 9,634 publications generating about 168,974 citations, while its economics output totals roughly 2,335 publications with about 26,619 citations. In 2023, Sakarya University was selected for Turkey's Council of Higher Education (YOK) Research Universities Candidate Monitoring Program. University faculty have received TUBA-GEBIP (Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist) and TUBITAK research incentive awards. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject (2025 cycle), Sakarya placed in the 801+ band for Business and Economics.
Research Output
MUDEK/EUR-ACE accreditation for eight engineering programs (Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Food Engineering, and Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, most valid through 30.09.2025); institutional member of the European University Association (EUA) and International Association of Universities (IAU).
Accreditation
04
Admissions Brief
What it takes to get in
Entry Requirements
Acceptance RateNot Available
IELTS6.5 (IELTS Academic, minimum for English-taught programs; valid for 2 years)
TOEFL90 (TOEFL iBT, minimum for English-taught programs; valid for 2 years)
Min GPA2.5 out of 4.0 (minimum stated for master's degree applicants via the International Student Office)
GRENot Available
GMATNot Available
SATNot Available
ACTNot Available
Key Dates
FALLApplication Deadline ยท Online applications for Fall 2025-2026 undergraduate admission (via the YOS pathway for international students) ran from May 26 to July 13, 2025; exact dates are set annually by the International Student Center (studyatsau.sakarya.edu.tr).
SPRINGApplication Deadline ยท Graduate (master's/PhD) Spring 2024-2025 applications closed January 24, 2025, with admitted-applicant announcements on January 15, 2025 and registration on February 17-18, 2025; undergraduate admission via YOS is fall-only.
MAR-APRDecisions Released
Required Documents
TranscriptsSOPEnglish ScoresLORsPassport
Insider Tip
International undergraduate applicants must take a recognized YOS (foreign student) exam or an equivalent accepted exam/diploma; the university explicitly rejects online-only YOS exams and those without a verifiable results page, so applicants should confirm their exam is on Sakarya's accepted list before applying. Accepted exam results are treated as valid for two years, so students should check the current cycle's list of valid exams and minimum scores on studyatsau.sakarya.edu.tr before applying. English-taught programs require IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90, or PTE Academic 75 (or equivalent secondary schooling in English), while graduate applicants are generally expected to hold at least a 2.5/4.0 GPA. Because Sakarya's international application window is relatively short (roughly six to seven weeks for the 2025-2026 fall cycle) and documents must be translated, applicants should assemble transcripts, diplomas, and language certificates well before the window opens.
05
Cost Ledger
Amounts in Turkish Lira
UG Tuition
โบ9,223,372,036,854,775,807/yr
per year ยท TRY
Living Cost
โบ9,223,372,036,854,775,807/yr
per year ยท TRY
Total Estimated Annual Cost
โบ132,000,230,000/yr
tuition + living + essentials ยท TRY
Scholarships AvailableInternational students may apply for the Turkish government's Turkiye Scholarships (Turkiye Burslari) program, a fully funded national scholarship open to applicants seeking to study at Turkish universities including Sakarya, which covers tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation, health insurance, and Turkish-language instruction.
Financial AidDomestic students can access Turkey's national KYK (Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution) education loans and subsidized state dormitories; international students' primary financial-aid pathway is the national Turkiye Scholarships program rather than a Sakarya-specific aid fund.
Work-StudyNo dedicated on-campus work-study program for international students was found in official Sakarya University materials; under Turkish regulations, international students on a student residence permit are generally restricted from off-campus employment during their first year of study and require a separate work permit thereafter.
06
Featured & Popular Programs
A sample from Associate degree, undergraduate, graduate (master's), and doctoral programs across faculties including Engineering, Computer and Information Sciences, Medicine, Law, Business, Political Sciences, Theology, Fine Arts, Communication, Sport Sciences, Technology, and Tourism. programs total
| Program | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| Industrial Engineering | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | PHD | 3-5 YRS |
| Civil Engineering | MBA | 12-24 MO |
| Mechanical Engineering | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| and Medicine. | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
07
Career Outcomes
Where graduates land
Not Available
Average Salary After Graduation
Not Available
Employment Rate
Internship PlacementSakarya University's location in Turkey's automotive-manufacturing corridor supports structured internship pathways for engineering students, including Toyota Boshoku Turkiye's long-term 'Career Dojo' internship program at its plant in Arifiye, Sakarya, and factory-visit and internship activities arranged through the university's ongoing partnership with Toyota Otomotiv Sanayi Turkiye.
Industry Connections
Sakarya province is one of Turkey's major automotive-manufacturing centershome to both the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey plant and Otokar's headquarters in Arifiye. Toyota Otomotiv Sanayi Turkiye maintains an ongoingmulti-year collaboration with Sakarya University that has included expert guest lectures and factory visitswith Toyota sharing its production and management systems with engineering students and academics. Toyota Boshoku Turkiye separately runs its long-term 'Career Dojo' internship program at its ArifiyeSakarya facilitydrawing on the regional student talent pool. The university's MUDEK-accredited engineering programs (including IndustrialMechanicaland Electrical-Electronics Engineering) are positioned to feed graduates into this regional manufacturing base.
08
Campus & Student Life
Life beyond lectures
Housing
Yes. Students can apply to state-run KYK dormitories or private student housing in Serdivan/Sakarya; for the 2025-2026 academic year, dormitory fees ranged from approximately 725 to 1,200 TRY per month depending on room type and standard, with deposit fees between 1,700 and 2,700 TRY.
Sports Facilities
Not Available
Student Clubs
Not Available
Library Resources
Not Available
Exchange Programs
Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), and the Orhun Program (student and staff mobility with Turkic-world partner institutions), coordinated through the university's International Relations Office alongside other bilateral agreements.
Summer Programs
Not Available