School Enrolment and Education Rights of Foreign Students in Türkiye

What is the legal basis of a foreign child’s right to education?

While Article 42 of the Constitution guarantees the right to education and instruction for everyone, it also states that the scope of education will be regulated by law and that it will be carried out under the supervision and control of the State. Articles 2, 3 and 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child address together the prevention of discrimination, the protection of the best interests of the child and access to education. This framework is among the basic legal grounds that prevent a foreign child’s application from being left unassessed merely on the ground of nationality. [1] [2]

The effect of these guarantees on a concrete application is as follows: the administration must determine which enrolment or placement route the child may use; it must explain what the missing document is and by which procedure it can be completed; and it must give concrete reasons for a decision that results in the child being kept away from education. On the other hand, the right to education does not mean that every period spent at an unlicensed institution will be accepted automatically, or that the child will be placed unconditionally in a particular high school that admits students by examination.

The status, under Law No. 5580, of the institution operating in Türkiye must be determined first. For documents issued by private institutions outside this scope, Article 12/2 of the Equivalence Regulation (Denklik Yönetmeliği) prevents equivalence based on documents. The temporary attendance facility in Article 4/5 is intended to prevent a student within the equivalence regime from being kept away from education; it does not remove a deficiency in the institution’s status or an obstacle to the recognition of the document. [6]

The aim of enabling the child to continue education and the requirement that the school operate in compliance with the legislation must be considered together. While a violation concerning the institution’s permit or registration is being examined, it should be separately requested that the student’s study file be preserved, that alternative enrolment options be identified and that any temporary attendance facility be assessed.

Related article: Right to Education: Access to Education, Disciplinary Proceedings and Remedies.

Do primary school, lower secondary school and high school fall under the same enrolment regime?

In Türkiye the first four grades are primary school, grades 5–8 are lower secondary school and grades 9–12 are high school. Completing grade 8 means completing lower secondary school, not secondary education. A grade number in a foreign country is not treated as directly equal to the same number in Türkiye; the starting age of the school, the total duration of education and the student’s record of achievement must be examined together. Article 6 of the Equivalence Regulation forms the basic framework of this comparison. [6]

The provisions on students without documents regulated in primary education institutions by the 2025 amendment must be read together with the registration and identity update of 28 July 2026. In high school procedures, Articles 28 and 29 of the Secondary Education Institutions Regulation are particularly important. [3] [4] [12]

The first step is to determine the child’s own legal status

The parent’s citizenship does not by itself show the child’s citizenship

Not all members of a family are necessarily in the same legal position. A child whose mother or father is a Turkish citizen may hold Turkish citizenship even if the child uses a foreign passport. The fact that a parent holds a Blue Card likewise does not show that the child automatically has the same status. The information to be relied on in the application must be established from the child’s population and citizenship records. As regards acquisition by birth, acquisition by decision of the competent authority and the scope of the Blue Card, Articles 7, 20 and 28 of Law No. 5901 are taken into account separately. [15]

The school file should record the citizenship document, identity number, date of birth, previous first names and surnames and, if applicable, the date of acquiring or losing citizenship. Establishing this information correctly from the outset makes it easier later to examine both the suitability for the type of school and the years of education.

Related article: Enrolment in School in Türkiye of Children Holding a Blue Card and Dual Citizen Children.

A residence document and school enrolment are different procedures

Under Article 34 of Law No. 6458, a family residence permit provides the right to primary and secondary education until the age of eighteen without the need for a separate student residence permit. Article 38 of the same Law regulates the grant of a student residence permit, with the consent of the legal representative, to foreigners who will study at primary and secondary level and whose care and expenses are assumed. It is therefore not correct to recommend the same type of residence permit for every foreign child. [5]

The child’s valid status, the validity period of the document, and the registered province and address must be examined separately. Obtaining a letter of admission from a school does not mean that a right of residence arises automatically. Nor does the continuation of the residence procedure make it unnecessary to look for the education documents and to choose a suitable school.

Children under protection status are assessed separately

Not all the document requirements in the ordinary foreign student file can be applied unchanged to the procedures of children under temporary protection or international protection. Article 28 of the Temporary Protection Regulation links educational activities to the relevant regulations of the Ministry of National Education (MEB). The Presidency of Migration Management separately explains the possibility of enrolment in primary and secondary education for persons for whom a temporary protection identification document has been issued. For applicants for or holders of international protection status and their family members, the provision on benefiting from primary and secondary education in Article 89/1 of Law No. 6458 is also taken into account. [5] [9] [16]

For this group, the identity document, registered province, address, family unity and the reason why education documents cannot be obtained should be assessed together. If a move to another province or a change of school is planned, the education procedure and the province/address procedures at the migration administration should be carried out simultaneously. The inability to obtain documents because of war or asylum should not be treated like an ordinary missing-paperwork file.

Which schools can foreign students enrol in?

State schools and private schools applying the Turkish curriculum

Identity and address information plays the main role in primary education enrolment. The 28 July 2026 amendment states that the enrolment of foreign children who have obtained an identity number through a document issued by the Ministry of the Interior will be carried out according to the identity document and the place-of-residence information in the national address database. When a T.C. identity number is obtained during the process of admission to Turkish citizenship, the identity information in e-Okul must be updated. [3]

In private schools, the type of the institution, its quota, its curriculum, the fee contract and the student admission conditions are also examined. That a school teaches in a foreign language does not by itself make it an international school. The family should find out the official name of the institution and its type of permit, not its trade name.

International schools and embassy schools

The international private educational institutions under Law No. 5580 are a separate category based on foreign students. The possibility, for a student who acquires Turkish citizenship while studying at such an institution, of completing the current educational stage is also separately regulated. This transitional provision must not be overlooked when the 2026 sanctions are assessed. The status of institutions connected with embassies or foreign missions is researched separately on the basis of the relevant regulation, the agreements and the institution’s current admission conditions. [10]

Where a central examination score exists, the result may differ in high school placement

For foreign students coming from abroad, Article 29/4 of the Secondary Education Institutions Regulation provides two routes within the framework of equivalence, programme compatibility and enrolment and admission conditions. Students without a central examination score are placed in schools that admit students by preference in their enrolment area or in vocational education centres; those with a score are placed in the school for which their score is sufficient, without a quota condition. The procedure is carried out by the student placement and transfer committee. While this special provision exists, the same quota rule cannot be applied to all foreign transfers. [4]

Nor should this provision be read as a general privilege applying automatically to every transfer of every foreign student in Türkiye. The student’s status of arriving from abroad, the nature of the score held, the type of application and the school’s admission regime must be determined.

Related article: Can Turkish Citizens Study at Foreign Schools? School Types and the 2026 Regulation.

Which documents should be prepared for school enrolment and equivalence?

The first file should be built under the headings identity, authority to represent, address, education and target school, instead of submitting a large number of random papers. The list below is adapted to the nature of the file; it does not mean that all the documents are mandatory for every student.

Article 5 of the Equivalence Regulation provides different document groups for primary education, starting high school, intermediate high school grades and graduation. Translation and apostille are not required in the same way for every document. The language of the education document, whether the centre has sufficient staff in that language, the type of document and the submission of a copy instead of the original are assessed separately. A notarised translation does not create the educational validity of a document; nor is an apostille a decision on grade or diploma equivalence. [6]

If it is claimed that education was received abroad, under Article 5/1-f of the Equivalence Regulation, the entry and exit pages of the passport or a document showing presence in the relevant country during the period of education are also assessed. The fact that education actually received in Türkiye merely bears the name of a foreign school does not prove that education was received abroad. [6]

The representation file must be examined with particular care where there are foreign custody decisions, the death of a parent or a dispute between the parents. In which country each document was issued, the need for authentication and translation, and the effect of the decision in Türkiye are determined according to the concrete document. Being in Türkiye with the child does not, in every case, mean on its own that one has authority to enrol the child.

How is an equivalence application conducted?

The e-Equivalence (e-Denklik) application and the examination of original documents

Primary and secondary education equivalence is carried out through the MEB’s e-Equivalence system. The application form and documents are uploaded to the system, and the originals of the documents are submitted to the competent equivalence centre. The competent units in Türkiye are the provincial directorates of national education and the designated district directorates; abroad, they are the education counsellorships and attaché offices. The electronic records of the application and of the notification of the result should be kept. [6] [11] [14]

The loss of an original document is different from a school’s not having issued any education document at all. In the first case, obtaining a certified copy in accordance with the legislation from the issuing institution is explored. In the second case, the student’s school records, record of achievement and the conditions of alternative level assessment are examined together.

How is the content of an equivalence decision checked?

The document should not be checked only for the resulting grade. The first name and surname, identity number, the country and type of the school, the completed year of education, the field/branch, the diploma grade and any explanations should be reviewed. Where a student has attended grade 8 but not completed it, that fact and the fact of having successfully completed grade 8 may not lead to the same result.

The grade number of a foreign school does not, by itself, determine the grade level in Türkiye. Where education systems differ, equivalence is established according to the total duration of education and the education system of the country concerned. In case of doubt, it may be requested that the country guide and the education document relied on be explained.

For which students is equivalence not required?

Not every foreign education file is subject to the equivalence procedure. Article 10 of the Equivalence Regulation exempts from the equivalence procedure students coming from schools opened abroad by the Republic of Türkiye, schools operating abroad under Türkiye Maarif Foundation Law No. 6721, and public or private schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education of the TRNC. The enrolment of these students in schools of the same type is carried out according to the certificate of attendance, the diploma and other education documents; their files are requested from their previous schools. The enrolment and transfer conditions of schools that admit students by central examination or by aptitude test are applied separately. [6]

For the exemption to apply, it must be verified that the school genuinely falls within the legal category set out in the article. That a school teaches in Turkish, has “Maarif” in its name or is located in the TRNC is not by itself a sufficient examination. In addition, Article 11/2 contains a separate equivalence exemption for students who complete the whole of an education stage in international institutions that apply the Turkish curriculum and weekly course schedule. In this provision, the whole of the stage and the curriculum applied are both important. [6]

How are grade skipping or early graduation abroad assessed?

Article 16 of the Equivalence Regulation protects the right of a student who has completed a school stage in a shorter time in the country of origin and has thus acquired the right to continue to higher education, or who has skipped a grade and acquired the right to continue in a higher grade. For this, documentation by an official letter obtained from the ministry of education or the embassy of the relevant country is required. The equivalence file should include not only the last school report but also verification showing the right to skip a grade or to complete early and its basis. [6]

This provision does not mean that two years spent in Türkiye without official registration are treated automatically as grade skipping. First, it is determined whether a right to higher education legally acquired within the foreign education system exists. If such a right exists, it must not be disregarded by looking at the general duration of education; if it does not, the search of records and the conditions of level assessment are examined separately.

What can be requested if the procedure is delayed?

The Directive on the Equivalence and Document Verification Branch and Equivalence Centres, dated 24 September 2025, provides that equivalence applications are to be concluded within five working days at the latest from the date of the appointment. This period relates to the administration’s obligation to process the application; positive equivalence does not arise automatically on its expiry. If there is a missing document or a doubt, it should be asked in writing what examination is awaited. [11]

The application should state the last enrolment date of the target school and the student’s attendance problem. Instead of a vague request such as “why has our application not been completed?”, it should be requested that the deficiency be notified, that the opinion of the Board of Education and Discipline be sought where necessary, and that the continuation of education be decided on separately.

What should be done if there is no education document, or if two years of education do not appear in the records?

First a search of the records, then the appropriate legal route

That a child who is actually in grade 8 appears on the screen as being in grade 6 does not stem from a single cause. The identity number may have changed, the record may be held in another system, the procedure of passing the grade may not have been completed, or the school may have provided education without creating an official record. Turning the application into a “grade skipping” request without separating these possibilities may cause documents that favour the student to be overlooked.

For international schools, MOBİS is a separate official information system. Article 4/1-gg of the Private Educational Institutions Regulation defines this system. Accordingly, for a period that does not appear in e-Okul, the school’s MOBİS record, the institution file and the documents for the period must also be searched. [8]

Does payment of school fees prove that an academic year has been completed?

A bank receipt, a contract, correspondence, a school-bus record or a screenshot of the student portal may show the child’s relationship with the institution and actual attendance. However, these documents do not all carry the same evidentiary value. Attending classes and successfully completing a grade are separate facts. Courses, grades, terms and the result of passing the grade should, as far as possible, be established through the school’s authorised records.

In the written application to the school, the student’s enrolment date, student number, the programme in which education was received, the grade attended each year, the statement of courses and grades, the pass status and the leaving certificate should each be requested separately. If the school has closed, it is investigated to which institution or national education unit the records were transferred. Building the student’s file and investigating the school’s possible administrative or contractual liability can be carried out in parallel.

The table is a file-organising tool for assessing the documents together; it is not a prior determination of proof or equivalence. The transfer of the archive of a closed school, the securing of evidence against the loss of records and claims relating to fees are addressed in detail in the article on the MEB permit and the validity of the programme. Where there is an error between the former foreign identity number and the new T.C. identity number, the route of application to the data controller and of correction under the KVKK (Personal Data Protection Law) described in the article on the rights of a student who acquires citizenship should also be considered. None of these routes should be used as a request to create an education or achievement record that does not exist.

Temporary attendance of a student without documents

Article 4/5 of the Equivalence Regulation governs the temporary attendance at school, on the basis of the parent’s written declaration of the country, school and grade, of a student who arrives during the school year without an education document, and the submission of the documents within three months. If the documents cannot be submitted, the framework of Article 15 is assessed. This provision provides temporary attendance in order not to be kept away from education; on its own it is neither final equivalence nor the acceptance of all past years. [6]

In the application, it should be asked clearly in which grade and at which school temporary attendance will be provided, the list of missing documents, the follow-up date and the route of the final assessment. If the period for bringing the documents is allowed to pass, the matter is not deemed resolved automatically; the parent must follow the process.

For whom is the 2026 level assessment regulation important?

Article 1.1 of the 2026 Equivalence Level Assessment e-Exam Guide (STS) covers, in addition to groups unable to submit certain documents, persons who cannot submit an education document in Türkiye, who are of compulsory primary education age and who have no e-Okul record. This express provision may make it arguable to say “there is no route at all” for every application without documents. However, whether the conditions in the Guide are present in the particular student is examined first. [7]

A student with an old grade 6 or 7 record

An old or passive e-Okul record cannot automatically be treated as the same as having no record at all. In this file, the matching of identities and the correction of records should first be investigated; then it should be asked, with reasons, which provision of the Guide may apply. Having a genuine record deleted, declaring that there is no record, or presenting a past date differently is not a legal solution.

From which grade level is the exam taken?

Article 11.4 of the Guide provides that, in an exam held within the scope of Article 15 of the Equivalence Regulation, the level one grade below the stated grade is taken as the basis, having regard to age, the parent’s declaration and the registration dates of the identity application. It also contains a condition on submitting the second-stage certificate of a public education centre for those outside the compulsory education age. The application should therefore not state only the requested grade; the scope provision relied on and how the exam level is determined should be clarified. [7]

Equivalence to grade 5 or 9 without an exam

Article 11.5 of the Guide contains a route providing for the issue of equivalence to grade 5 or 9 without an exam, at the written request of the parent/guardian, in level assessment applications for intermediate grades within its scope. This provision cannot be interpreted as a right of every student without documents to be moved directly to grade 9. After the age, stage, previous education and scope of the application have been determined, the matter must be assessed by the competent equivalence centre. [7]

In files where level assessment is applied, the 2026 Guide also sets success thresholds: in basic education, 70 for Turkish and at least 50 for mathematics; in secondary education, at least 50 points in each subject taken. The need for Turkish-language support, exam preparation and special education needs should be made visible at the application stage. [7]

Do failure and non-attendance lead to the same result?

Under Articles 14.5–14.6 of the Guide, a candidate who fails the first exam is given two additional exam rights. If the candidate has not succeeded after the three rights, the exam is held at the level of one grade lower; if failure continues, this route is followed down to the lowest grade of the relevant stage. A resit can be taken at the earliest 15 days later, and the three rights must be used within the relevant academic year. If, despite an appointment having been made, the exam is not taken at all throughout that academic year, the right at the relevant grade level is deemed used and failed; in the following year the exam is taken from one level lower. Missing a single appointment and not taking the exam at all throughout the whole academic year must not be confused. [7]

How should language, special education needs and the child’s adaptation be addressed?

A child’s need to learn Turkish and the child’s academic achievement in earlier grades are not the same matter. When placement is made, the education history in a foreign language, the level of Turkish, the period of attendance and difficulties of social adaptation should be assessed separately. The family may ask in writing about the school’s language support, guidance and adaptation plan; it should add these needs to the file without confusing them with a deficiency of documents.

Where there is a special education need, the health or educational assessment, the referral by the guidance and research centre and the type of school to be applied are addressed separately. The 2026 primary education amendment regulates transfer possibilities for certain groups of students according to their documented circumstances. This should not be understood as the address requirement being removed altogether for every student. The child’s interest is protected by making the education need concerned concrete. [2] [3]

What route is followed if the enrolment or equivalence request is refused?

Turning an oral explanation into a reasoned decision

Oral statements such as “the system does not accept it”, “this document is invalid” or “the age is not suitable” are not sufficient to determine the legal route to be followed. The application should be made by obtaining a registry number; the reasons for the refusal, the provision relied on, the missing document, the competent authority and the remedies should be requested in writing. The date of the electronic notification of the result should also be kept; the Equivalence Regulation attaches the effect of service to electronic announcements and results. [6]

The subject of the application must be framed correctly. A request for matching of identities, an objection to an equivalence document, an objection to an exam result and a request for placement in a particular high school are not the same procedure. It should not be assumed that the authority that handles one must also resolve the others.

Time limits must not be merged into a single calendar

The statement in Article 6/3 of the Equivalence Regulation that the Presidency’s decision is final expresses finality within the chain of administrative applications; it does not mean that judicial review has been removed. In ordinary acts, the effect on the time limit of an application that meets the conditions of Article 11 of the İYUK and is made within the period for bringing an action is calculated separately. It must not be assumed that every objection made within three months restarts an action period that has been missed. [6] [7] [13]

The danger of losing a school year must be made concrete

Bringing an action does not automatically stop the refusal decision or the consequences of the enrolment problem. In a request for a stay of execution, the obvious unlawfulness and the damage that is difficult or impossible to compensate in Article 27 of the İYUK are argued together. An approaching high school enrolment, the possibility of applying for an exam, the risk of absence and the student’s having to repeat the same grade should be shown with documents. [13]

The request for judicial protection should be framed consistently with the concrete request for action addressed to the administration. Where a correction of records is needed, requesting only a refund of the school fee does not solve the education problem; and asserting a contractual claim against a private school does not by itself remove an equivalence decision of the MEB.

When does an application to TİHEK come into play for an allegation of discrimination?

If there is an allegation of discrimination in access to an education service on the basis of language, race, ethnic origin, disability or another ground listed in Article 3 of Law No. 6701, an application to the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TİHEK) may be considered separately. Education is among the service areas in Article 5 of the Law. However, citizenship alone is not one of the grounds of discrimination listed in Article 3; Article 7/1-g also contains a special provision on differences in treatment arising from foreigners’ entry into and residence in the country and their legal status. It cannot be said that every citizenship requirement is automatically removed by TİHEK. The concrete conduct, the legal rule on which it is based and the alleged ground of discrimination are examined together. [17]

As a rule, the relevant party is first asked to correct the practice. If the request is refused, or if no reply is given within 30 days, the Institution can be applied to; where there is a risk of damage that is difficult or impossible to compensate, the Institution may not require this precondition. Under Article 17/3 of the Law, an application to TİHEK made within the period for bringing an action suspends the action period that has begun to run. This special effect cannot be generalised to every school correspondence or every complaint channel. The scope of the application, the date on which it was made and the action period remaining after the decision must be monitored separately. An application to TİHEK does not on its own replace an equivalence decision or a decision on enrolment in a particular school. [17] [18]

An application sequence the family can follow

The first stage is the correct diagnosis of the file. The child’s status, age, official and actual grade, the type of school and the timeline are shown on a single page. Old and new identity numbers are recorded together.

The second stage is the search for records and documents. The education file, e-Okul/MOBİS information, grade-passing records and an explanation of missing terms are requested from the school and the competent national education unit. Receipts and correspondence in hand are arranged as supporting evidence.

The third stage is making the right request. Depending on the file, requests for correction of records, equivalence based on documents, temporary attendance, level assessment or placement are submitted with reasons and, where necessary, as linked alternatives. For each request, the unit that will decide is identified.

The fourth stage is monitoring time limits and the continuation of education. The notification of the result, the period for missing documents, the objection/action periods and the target school’s calendar are recorded separately. Where and under what legal status the student will continue education while the application is pending is also followed separately.

Conclusion

A strong application for the school enrolment of a foreign student does not consist merely of a request that “my child should attend school”. The right status, the right type of school, a verifiable education history and the right application route must be built together. For years that appear to be missing, identity and system records should first be searched; then recognition based on documents, or alternative assessment routes where their conditions are met, should be pursued.

In a file where there is a danger of losing a school year, timely assessment of the options of correction of records, temporary attendance, equivalence and judicial protection is decisive. Although the result to be reached may vary in each file, preparing the application on the basis of documents, with reasons and with regard to time limits serves to protect the student’s right to education.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreign child enrol in a state school?

An application can be made, with the appropriate identity and status documents, within the framework of the relevant enrolment and placement conditions. In primary education, address and identity information matter; in high school, equivalence, programme compatibility and enrolment and admission conditions are also important. Being a foreign national alone is not a sufficient reason for an application not to be assessed.

Does a child with a family residence permit need to obtain a student residence permit as well?

Article 34/4 of Law No. 6458 provides that a family residence permit gives the right to primary and secondary education until the age of eighteen without a separate student residence permit. The completion of the age of eighteen and other special situations are examined separately. [5]

Is a notarised translation of every foreign document mandatory for school enrolment?

The conditions in Article 5 of the Equivalence Regulation are taken into account. The language of the document, whether the competent centre has sufficient staff in that language and the nature of the document are important. Instead of applying the same list of translations and authentications to every document, an explanation about the concrete document should be obtained from the equivalence centre. [6]

Does a student’s not appearing in e-Okul mean that the student was never enrolled?

No. The previous foreign identity number, a change of first name and surname, a file at a different institution and, for international schools, the MOBİS record should be searched. However, if no record is found in any system, the documentation of actual education and the appropriate alternative route are assessed separately. [3] [8]

Does a receipt for two years of school fees show that two grades were completed?

A receipt is supporting evidence showing the financial relationship with the school. To establish the grade completed successfully, records such as the statement of courses and grades, the decision on passing the grade and the education document must be searched.

Can a student attend school temporarily without an education document?

For students within the scope of Article 4/5 of the Equivalence Regulation, temporary attendance on the basis of the parent’s declaration and the submission of documents within three months are provided for. The completion of final equivalence and, if the documents cannot be submitted, the assessment of the relevant alternative route are required. [6]

Can every student without documents take the level assessment exam?

The scope of persons and situations in the 2026 Guide is the basis. In particular, for the group that cannot submit documents in Türkiye, the conditions of compulsory primary education age and the absence of an e-Okul record appear together. The situation of a student with an old record must be argued separately with reasons. [7]

Is an equivalence document sufficient for enrolment in the desired high school?

Equivalence determines the grade and stage corresponding to education. The high school’s enrolment and admission conditions, programme compatibility and the applicable placement provisions are examined separately. For foreign students with a central examination score who come from abroad, the special provision in Article 29/4 is also taken into account. [4]

Can one wait for three months to object to an equivalence document?

Three months is the period for administrative objection provided from the issue of the document. The period for bringing an action is calculated differently. Because of the risk of loss of education and the general 60-day period for bringing an action, postponing the application merely because the three-month period exists may result in a loss of rights. [6] [13]

What should be done after a school’s oral refusal?

A written request should be submitted by obtaining an application registry number; the reasons for the refusal, the regulation relied on, the missing documents and the applicable enrolment/equivalence route should be explained. If there are written or electronic decisions, the application and action periods must be calculated separately from those documents.

Is a student who fails the level assessment exam immediately placed in a lower grade?

The 2026 Guide provides two additional exam rights after the first failure. If failure continues after the three rights, an exam at a lower grade level comes onto the agenda. The rules of at least 15 days for a resit and of using the rights within the same academic year must be followed together. [7]

Is the right of a student who skipped a grade abroad protected?

Under Article 16 of the Equivalence Regulation, the right to continue in a higher grade or to higher education must be documented by an official letter from the ministry of education or the embassy of the relevant country. Actual education without official registration in Türkiye is not the same as a grade-skipping right legally acquired in a foreign system. [6]

Does the action period always stop when a discrimination complaint is made?

Not every complaint has the same result. Article 17/3 of Law No. 6701 specifically provides that an application to TİHEK made within the period for bringing an action suspends the period that has begun to run. Whether the application falls within the Institution’s scope, the precondition of prior application and the remaining action period must be assessed in the concrete file. [17] [18]

Sources and legal bases

1. Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye: Articles 10, 16, 42 and 125; official legislation text of the Constitutional Court. anayasa.gov.tr
2. Convention on the Rights of the Child: in particular Articles 2, 3 and 28; UNICEF Türkiye text. unicef.org
3. Amendment to the MEB Regulation on Pre-School Education and Primary Education Institutions: 28.07.2026, Official Gazette (RG) 33323; provisions on identity and record updates in Article 11/3, official text on an MEB school page. conerortaokulu.meb.k12.tr
4. MEB Secondary Education Institutions Regulation: in particular Articles 28–29; legislation publication of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. For Article 29/4, the consolidated text incorporating the amendment of 08.09.2023 has been used. aile.tr
5. Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection: in particular Articles 34, 38 and 89; current legislation record of the Ministry of Justice. mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr
6. MEB Equivalence Regulation (Denklik Yönetmeliği): 09.07.2024, RG 32597; in particular Articles 4–6, 10–16 and 18; text published by the Nevşehir Provincial Directorate of National Education. nevsehir.meb.gov.tr
7. MEB Equivalence Level Assessment e-Exam Application and Implementation Guide 2026: in particular sections 1.1, 11.4–11.5, 14.5–14.6 and 15; Presidency of the Board of Education and Discipline. ttkb.meb.gov.tr
8. MEB Private Educational Institutions Regulation: in particular Articles 4/1-gg and 46/19; definition of MOBİS and the relevant record provisions; legislation publication of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. aile.gov.tr
9. Presidency of Migration Management, Temporary Protection Frequently Asked Questions: explanations on education services and change of registered province. Also Article 28 of the Temporary Protection Regulation. goc.gov.tr
10. General Directorate of Private Educational Institutions (ÖÖKGM), letter No. E-16915068-010.99-167785270 of 03.09.2026: enrolment in international schools and change of citizenship under Articles 5/a and 7/2-ğ of Law No. 5580. ookgm.meb.gov.tr
11. MEB Directive on the Equivalence and Document Verification Branch and Equivalence Centres: approval of 24.09.2025, No. 141272219; in particular Articles 4–6 and 9. ttkb.meb.gov.tr
12. MEB Regulation on Pre-School Education and Primary Education Institutions: Articles 13–14; publication of the Tut District Directorate of National Education incorporating the amendments of 17.01.2025. For the 2026 amendments, [3] has also been used. tut.meb.gov.tr
13. Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577 (İYUK): in particular Articles 7, 10, 11, 20/B and 27; legislation record of the Ministry of Justice. mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr
14. MEB e-Equivalence system: explanations on applications and documents. For the conditions of the exam, the current 2026 exam guide has been used. edenklik.meb.gov.tr
15. Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901: in particular Articles 7, 20 and 28; legislation record of the Ministry of Justice. mevzuat.adalet.gov.tr
16. Temporary Protection Regulation: in particular Article 28; text published by the Presidency of Migration Management. goc.gov.tr
17. Law No. 6701 on the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye: in particular Articles 3, 5, 7/1-g and 17; legislation publication of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. aile.gov.tr
18. TİHEK Applications page: official explanation of the grounds of discrimination, the precondition of prior application and the application procedure. tihek.gov.tr