Level Determination and Grade Placement for Students With Missing School Documents

The relationship between level determination, equivalence and record correction

What question does equivalence answer?

Equivalence is the assessment of school documents within its scope in terms of grade, field or education level in Türkiye. Where an equivalence review can be carried out on the basis of documents, it cannot be said that every student will additionally be required to take an exam. What is examined first is the nature of the report card, transcript, leaving or graduation certificate issued by the school, the status of the issuing institution and the achievement information in the document.[1]

The preparation of an application based on documents, and the distinctions between translation and verification, are explained in detail in the article MEB school equivalence application. The focus here is on the situation in which a document review is not sufficient or in which the legislation separately provides for level determination.

What function does level determination serve?

Level determination is the assessment of the student’s knowledge at the education level determined in accordance with the legislation. The result is used in equivalence and placement procedures. The subject of the examination is not whether a school fulfilled all of its obligations in the past. For this reason, the liability that may arise from a school’s failure to keep records and the level at which the student will continue their education are separate subjects of the file.

This distinction clarifies the purpose of the application: the family may on the one hand want the child to continue their education and on the other want the past education to be shown correctly in the official records. Applying through the exam route does not make it unnecessary to request documents from the school or to investigate a specific record error.

MEB level determination and the YÖK level determination exam are different

MEB equivalence level determination concerns primary and secondary education. The YÖK (Council of Higher Education) level and qualification determination system, by contrast, falls within the framework of the equivalence of higher education diplomas obtained abroad. The fact that the same abbreviation “STS” is used on the internet should not lead to the application authorities, courses or success criteria being carried over from one to the other. The score threshold of an exam relating to a university diploma cannot be used in the equivalence procedure of a lower secondary school student.[1] [2] [7]

First, the nature of the missing document must be determined

If the document is lost, its official copy must be searched for

There is a difference between the original of a report card or diploma being lost but available in the school archive, and its never having been issued. The official explanations of the TTKB (Board of Education and Discipline) also show the situations in which a procedure can be carried out with certified copies that meet the conditions. In addition, where the grade promotion status cannot be understood from the report card, a document showing promotion to the next grade may be requested.[3]

For this reason, merely requesting a letter from the school stating “he/she is our student” may not be sufficient. The requested document must explain the school year, grade, attendance, courses, marks, and the status of grade promotion or completion of the stage. Any confirmation requested from the school should address the point on which the application is deficient.

Actual education evidence must be distinguished from the official certificate of achievement

Payment receipts, timetables, correspondence with teachers and work on a learning platform may help in investigating the claim that the child took part in educational activities. However, the evidentiary value of these documents is not the same as the function of officially showing that a particular grade was completed successfully. That a document offers a strong explanation does not mean that it is a grade promotion certificate issued by the competent authority.

The table is an order of assessment for preparing the application; it does not create an unconditional right of acceptance for each row. The separate evidentiary regime of record disputes is dealt with in the article missing e-Okul records.

Who may fall within the scope of the equivalence level determination exam?

The 2026 Guide has different application groups

The purpose section of the 2026 Guide contains provisions for holders of migrant documents, persons who cannot submit documents because of war, disaster or asylum, persons for whom there is doubt about certain school documents from abroad, persons who were allowed temporary attendance but could not submit documents within three months, and persons of compulsory primary education age who cannot submit a school document within the country and have no e-Okul record.[2]

The application should explain which of these groups it relies on. Being a foreigner is not in itself a sufficient ground, and Turkish citizenship does not in every case close the exam route. Identity, education history and the specific scope conditions are assessed together. The citizenship distinctions explained in the article “School Enrolment in Türkiye for Children with a Blue Card and Dual-Citizen Children” retain their importance at this stage too.

Having no e-Okul record at all must be distinguished from having an old record

The requirement in the Guide that there be no record should not be taken to mean merely that the student does not appear active in recent times. It should be investigated whether the student was registered under a previous identity number, under a foreign identity number from before a change of citizenship, or under a different name and surname. Failing to find a current record on the screen does not always show that there is no education history at all.

If the record shows the 6th or 7th grade

In this case, the existing record must be preserved and the reason why later years of education were not entered must be established. Asking to be advanced two grades directly, without assessing the foreign programme documents in the family’s hands, the school’s authority to keep records and the student’s status in those years, does not resolve the legal problem. Deleting or ignoring the old record is not the right method of application.

If no record was ever created

The inability to submit a school document, being of compulsory primary education age and the absence of an e-Okul record must be explained separately. The existence of these conditions calls for an examination of the assessment route in the Guide. Which grade will result depends on whether the exam is to be taken, the level determined and the relevant legislation.[2]

The legal status of the institution is also important

The Equivalence Regulation separately imposes a limitation for documents of private schools and institutions outside the scope of Law No. 5580. The special level determination provision relating to certain institutions abroad also requires the opinion of the Presidency. The inability to grant equivalence to a document and the investigation of the route that can be applied for the child’s continuation of education must be assessed separately from each other. An unfavourable result on the first point must not be turned into a failure to act, without reasons, on the second.[1] [2]

The 2026 transfer application must be distinguished from the STS route

MEB’s announcement of 17 August 2026 gives students who will move from the intermediate grades of unlicensed foreign schools in Türkiye to Turkish schools affiliated with MEB the possibility of an equivalence application with their parents until 17:00 on 31 December 2026.[8] No conclusion that everyone must take the STS or that no exam is required can be drawn from this announcement. The scope of the special transfer arrangement must be assessed first. The preparation of the application and the limits of its scope are in the guide MEB school equivalence application.

Does an exam appointment make the application conditions final?

Article 9.2.1 of the 2026 Guide provides that the exam of a candidate who takes the exam without meeting the application conditions is deemed invalid. For this reason, payment, the issuance of an exam entry document or actual participation in the exam does not remove all doubts about the scope of the application.[2]

It must be clear in the file which scope group was applied at the time of application, and which grade level and courses the student will be examined in. In particular for a student who studied in a foreign programme in Türkiye and has an old e-Okul record, the explanation “the system gave an appointment” should not be relied on; it should be seen that the earlier record and the documents submitted were examined. If an unfavourable action is later taken on the question of scope, the reasons for and basis of the action are obtained and the appropriate route of application is assessed separately. This check does not make it unnecessary for the family to keep the school documents or to explain the existing records.

Temporary school attendance and the three-month document completion process

The scope of the parent’s declaration

The Regulation contains a provision on temporary attendance on the basis of a parent’s declaration, so that a student who arrives during the school year without a school document does not remain away from education. The declaration must explain in which country, school and grade the student studied, and the completion of the requested documents within three months must be followed up.[1] [3]

When preparing the declaration, what is known for certain should be separated from what is still awaiting confirmation from the school. The dates of attendance, the last official grade, the later grades claimed and the reason the document could not be obtained can be stated clearly. The applications requesting documents and the school’s replies are important for the assessment that will arise later.

The expiry of three months does not create automatic grade approval

The start of temporary attendance, the date the document was requested and the period given must be traceable from the file. When the period expires, what will be done about the student should be asked in writing, and the application should be assessed together with the relevant group of the Guide. Attending classes during temporary attendance does not show that all the past years claimed have been accepted. On the other hand, the risk that the child will be left outside education for an indefinite period because the file has not been concluded must also be set out concretely.

Where and with which documents is the application made?

Application to the equivalence centre by the parent or guardian

The procedure is carried out through the competent provincial/district equivalence centre; for candidates under 18, the application of the parent or guardian is the rule. Doubts about custody must be resolved with identity documents and documents from the competent authority. The exam appointment is created when a suitable application is processed by the equivalence centre.[2]

The family’s file should contain together the student’s identity, the identity and the basis of representation of the parent/guardian, residence information, previous school documents, former equivalence decisions and the record history. Correspondence showing why a missing document could not be obtained should also be prepared. Instead of merely writing the requested grade in the application papers, the chain of education that supports that request should be shown.

Consistency of identity and education information

If the student’s name, date of birth, identity number or citizenship has changed, an official basis linking the old documents with the current identity must be added. Different spellings may cause the education history of the same person to be fragmented. The TTKB provides for incompatibilities between the school document and the identity to be resolved by official correction or explanatory documents.[3]

It is equally important at this point that another student’s record is not used by mistake. The check is carried out not only so that the application is accepted, but so that the result document is linked to the right person and the right education history.

Does a change of surname always prevent admission to the exam?

Article 7.5 of the 2026 Guide provides that, where a candidate’s surname has changed, the identity is accepted if the photograph and identity number on the valid identity card are the same as on the entry document. In a file where the identity number has also changed, this provision alone is not sufficient. Under Article 7.6, an entry document with a photograph, stamp/seal and signature is also required.[2] The link between the old and the new identity should be clarified before the exam.

Appointment, exam entry document and the 2026 fee

The student, course, grade level, centre, date and time on the exam entry document must be checked together. The absence of a valid identity card and a duly issued exam entry document affects admission to the exam. An identity error that the student notices for the first time on exam day makes correction that could have been made in advance more difficult.[2]

The 2026 Guide states the e-Exam fee as TL 1,250 including VAT for each exam session. This amount cannot be assumed to be fixed for later years. Payment should be made under the correct exam name and with the candidate’s details, and the receipt should be kept. Because the Guide sets separate conditions for changing an appointment, for excuses and for refunds of the fee, payment alone does not in every case give a right to a new exam or to a refund.[2]

Which time limit is followed for an excuse and for changing an appointment?

Changing an appointment and uploading to the system a document of excuse for exam day are different procedures. Article 6.2 of the 2026 Guide provides for changing the appointment with a documented excuse up to 24 hours before the exam time, while Article 5.6 provides that the equivalence centre uploads excuse documents to the e-Equivalence module within the first 5 working days from the exam date.[2]

The table is a checking tool for the family’s follow-up of procedures. The five-working-day upload provision must not be read as meaning that every appointment not changed in time will be renewed unconditionally or that every excuse will be accepted. The parent should deliver the excuse to the competent unit without delay and should follow not only that a petition has been submitted but also how the application was concluded.

Change of province of residence and exam centre

In applications for children, the equivalence centre of the province where the residence is located should be used. Requests to change the centre by those who are in another province for reasons of force majeure are assessed before the exam on the basis of a petition and documents. In particular for candidates under temporary protection status, a difference between the province of residence on the identity card and the exam province is regulated in the Guide as a reason for not admitting the candidate to the exam. The family’s having actually moved to another province does not resolve this problem by itself; identity and residence procedures and exam centre procedures must be brought into line through the competent units.[2]

In which grade level and in which courses is the exam taken?

The exam level must be explained separately from the requested grade

For procedures carried out under Article 15 of the Regulation, the 2026 Guide provides that age, the parent’s declaration and the dates of identity application registration are taken into account, and provides for the assessment relating to one level below the stated grade. For this reason, the parent should clarify with the equivalence centre the relationship between “the grade I requested in the application”, “the level at which I will be examined” and “the equivalence that will be issued if I am successful”.[2]

This clarity is particularly important where grade names or school starting ages differ in different countries. The exam should not be prepared for on the assumption that a country’s grade number is in every case identical to the same number in the Turkish system. The education level taken as the basis and the courses to be assessed should be visible in the application file.

Applicants outside compulsory education and compulsory education age

Article 11.4 of the Guide provides, within the assessment scope it regulates, for the grade level of persons outside the compulsory education and compulsory schooling age to be determined after the second-stage certificate of a public education centre is submitted.[2] The route explained for young students should therefore not be applied with the same document list to every older applicant.

The applicant’s age, education history, the documents that can be submitted and the provision to be applied should be assessed together by the equivalence centre. Obtaining a second-stage certificate cannot be presented, by itself, as a general method that results in graduation from lower secondary school or high school. At what level and within what procedure the assessment will be made should be clarified at the outset.

Special distinctions for primary school, the 5th grade and the 9th grade

The Regulation does not provide for a level determination exam for students to be admitted to primary school grades 1–4. In addition, Article 11.5 of the 2026 Guide contains a special route under which, for candidates in intermediate grades who must take the e-Exam, equivalence to the 5th and 9th grades without an exam may be issued on the written application of the parent/guardian.[1] [2]

This provision cannot be explained as meaning that everyone without a document will be enrolled in a high school unconditionally. What matters is that the applicant falls within the relevant scope, that the file is assessed by the competent centre and the conditions of the school where enrolment will take place. The possibility of equivalence without an exam and admission to a particular high school are not the same legal procedure. The detailed examination of the transition between stages is in the article transfer from a foreign school to a Turkish school and to high school.

Summary of the 2026 course structure

The table is a summary of the course plan in the 2026 Guide. The Guide states 20 questions and 40 minutes for each course. The special application of vocational field courses and the provisions on assessment without an exam must also be taken into account. The exam is held in Turkish; having studied in a foreign language does not by itself create a right to a different exam language.[2]

Pass score, resit and problems on exam day

The 2026 success criterion is course-based

For lower secondary level, at least 70 is required in Turkish and at least 50 in Mathematics; for high school level, at least 50 points are required in each course in which the exam is taken. A sufficient overall average does not by itself turn a result below a separate course threshold into a pass.[2]

There is a difference worth noting from the source check: the explanation of the pass mark on the TTKB’s FAQ page and Articles 14.1 and 14.5 of the 2026 Guide are not the same. The 2026 score information in this article is based directly on the 2026 exam Guide. When a different practice is communicated, families should request in writing the date of the guide used and the relevant provision.[2] [3]

In case of failure, the time limit and the right to resit must be followed together

The Guide gives an unsuccessful candidate two additional exam rights. If the candidate is still unsuccessful despite using all three rights, an exam process from a lower grade level is provided for. For a resit, the minimum interval of 15 days and the condition that the rights be used within the same academic year must be considered together.[2]

Not using a right and academic failure are not in every case the same event; however, not going to the appointment or not following up the process during the academic year is linked in the Guide to unfavourable consequences. For this reason, the family should not leave the appointment open-ended with the thought “we will apply again later”. The rights used, the excuses and the remaining sessions should be confirmed from the equivalence centre’s records.

Article 14.6 of the Guide also provides that a candidate who has made an appointment but does not take the exam within one academic year will be deemed to have used the right at the relevant grade level and to have failed, and that if the candidate applies in the new academic year, he or she will be examined at one grade level below.[2] The follow-up schedule should show not only the session day but also the academic year in which the exam rights will be used.

How should a technical problem and an excuse be documented?

In a problem arising from electricity, the network, computers or the operation of the exam centre, the record of the officer on duty is important. When the candidate’s problem started, which course was affected and whether the exam was completed should be recorded. For exams that could not be held for technical or administrative reasons, the Guide provides that a new appointment may be given after examination; not every disruption automatically leads to a resit.[2]

The student must check before starting that the identity details on the exam screen are their own. Rules such as lateness, prohibited items, signature and the handing in of documents may affect the validity of the exam regardless of academic knowledge. It is advisable that the candidate rules in the Guide be read in advance together with the child, in a manner appropriate to the child’s age.

How is non-admission to the exam distinguished from an invalidity record?

Article 7.18 of the Guide has a separate record and minutes arrangement for a candidate who does not attend and for a candidate who is not admitted to the exam because of a document. Article 9.2.3 also treats a missing signature or failure to hand in a document as a ground of invalidity.[2] In the application, the question should be asked under which cancellation option the incident was recorded. In addition, under Article 7.11, switching to the correct computer after the exam has been started with someone else’s details does not cure the cancellation.[2]

Special education needs, disability and language difficulty

The RAM assessment should be requested at an early stage of the application

The 2026 Guide regulates cooperation between the equivalence centre and the Guidance and Research Centre (RAM) for candidates with special education needs or special talents. The necessary health and assessment documents should be submitted in advance; the administration of the exam and the measures to be taken should be determined by the competent units.[2]

Provision 13.1.5 of the Guide also provides for disability information to be entered into the system and for the Disability Health Board Report to be delivered to the equivalence centre. For which assessment the child’s existing report will be used should be clarified during the application; the existence of a health document should not by itself be accepted as meaning that an exam measure has been entered into the system.[2]

The education and non-discrimination provisions of Law No. 5378 also require the student’s individual situation to be taken into account. Instead of merely stating the name of the diagnosis in the application, it is useful to make concrete the need that affects participation in the exam. The document that supports the need relating to vision, hearing, movement, use of devices or the assessment method should be explained.[6]

How are health devices distinguished from prohibited electronic items?

Article 7.7 of the Guide excludes devices such as hearing aids and insulin pumps, whose use has been determined by a doctor’s report, from the scope of prohibited items. Under Articles 13.1.1–3, the parent’s opinion is obtained, the measure determined by the RAM is notified to the ÖDSGM (General Directorate of Measurement, Evaluation and Examination Services) and the candidate brings the device themselves.[2] The report and the system notification should be checked separately; it should not be assumed that every candidate will be given the same extra time.

A request for accommodation does not predetermine the result

An exam measure aims to enable the student’s knowledge and skills to be assessed under suitable conditions. Examining a request for a measure and awarding a particular score or grade are not the same thing. It should be followed up that the measure decided to be applied is reflected in the entry document and in the knowledge of the units on duty. In a dispute that arises after the exam, the difference between the measure requested in advance and the one actually provided must be shown concretely.

The difficulty with Turkish caused by having studied in a foreign language is also important for the education plan; however, this situation cannot by itself be characterised as a disability. The language of education, special education needs and academic level should be assessed separately. Informing the school about the necessary educational support contributes to the adaptation process after the exam result.

How does the exam result turn into grade placement?

Course result, equivalence certificate and school registration are separate stages

It should not be assumed that the whole grade level has been finalised as soon as the result of a single course is seen. All the relevant courses, the equivalence centre’s assessment and the certificate issued should be followed together. The identity, exam level, score and education status in the result document should be checked.[2]

The Equivalence Regulation provides for the student to be admitted to the grade stated in the certificate; the age limits and the registration provisions relating to school type are also important. Obtaining an equivalence certificate therefore does not remove the need to follow the registration procedure at the school principal’s office. In particular on the transition from lower secondary school to high school, it must be clear which stage the result shows to have been completed.[1]

As what mark is the STS score written in the equivalence certificate?

Under Article 14.4 of the Guide, the average of the success scores obtained in the exam is stated in the equivalence certificate as the end-of-year achievement score for a candidate in an intermediate grade and as the primary or secondary education graduation score for a candidate in graduate status. It should therefore be checked for what purpose the score in the result document is written.[2]

This provision cannot be extended to mean that all of the apparently missing past 6th, 7th and 8th grade marks can be filled in with the same score. The link between the score in the certificate and the school achievement information to be used in high school placement should be clarified from the competent authority in accordance with the relevant registration and placement rules. Checking marks and placement information on the transition to high school deals with this separate stage.

How is a parent’s request for enrolment one grade lower distinguished?

Article 14 of the Equivalence Regulation provides that, where the parent asks by a written application to the school principal for the student to be admitted to one grade below the grade stated in the equivalence certificate, this request is to be met.[1] This request should be made consciously, after assessing the student’s adaptation to the new educational environment, and the grade requested should be written clearly.

This distinction prevents the provision on the parent’s request from being used as a power of the school to lower a student’s grade unilaterally and without reasons. In the application, the student’s need to adapt and a possible objection to the accuracy of the equivalence certificate should not be confused with each other. If the student has been enrolled in a lower grade, it should be clear from the file on which application and provision this is based.

What can be said about past years of education?

It cannot be claimed that the result of level determination retroactively confirms all the records that a past school kept incompletely. The procedure in the certificate must be assessed within its own legal scope. The family’s claims against the previous school relating to the issue of documents, fees or liability may rest on separate evidence.

While the student’s continued education is secured, the dispute file arising from the missing record must also be protected. A petition accepting the exam result should not contain wording that, though not intended, would amount to a waiver of the earlier record errors or of other claims. The scope of the administrative procedure requested and of the other rights should be written clearly.

Objecting to the level determination procedure or its result

The subject of the objection must be determined first

A decision that the application is outside the scope, being directed to the wrong exam level, a malfunction in the conduct of the exam, the score result and the equivalence certificate issued are different procedures from one another. Submitting a single petition headed “equivalence objection” does not mean that the same authority and the same time limit will apply to all of the procedures.

On disputes about exam questions, answer keys and results, the 2026 Guide expressly states the 10-day time limit for bringing an action under Article 20/B of the Administrative Procedure Law (İYUK) and that an administrative objection does not suspend this time limit. A general “first wait for the result of the objection” direction can lead to loss of rights in this area.[1] [2]

A reasoned procedure and preservation of records

It should be ensured that the requested procedure, the documents relied on and the reasons for refusal are in writing. An explanation given only by telephone may not show which provision was applied and how. Within the framework of the constitutional right to education and the guarantees of access to justice, it is important that the application be assessed on the child’s specific situation and that the available routes of application be determined.[5]

In a doubtful situation, or one not expressly regulated in the legislation, the mechanism of the Presidency’s opinion in the Regulation and the 2025 Directive should be considered. This mechanism does not guarantee a particular grade result; it is aimed at obtaining a competent assessment.[1] [4] The type of action, the start of the time limit and requests for a stay of execution are explained separately in the article objecting to an equivalence decision and the administrative action.

How should the application file be built so that education is not interrupted?

The child’s continued education should be at the centre of the file. For this reason the application should answer not only what happened in the past but also which specific procedure is requested to be carried out today. The assessment of the requested grade, the investigation of the records, level determination if considered necessary, and how continuation of education will be secured while the procedure is pending can be explained as linked but separate requests.

• Education chart: For each year, show the country, school, grade, document and official record in the same order.
• Explanation of the deficiency: State whether the document is lost, was never issued or is awaiting verification; attach the attempts made to obtain the document.
• Basis of scope: Give reasons for which group in the 2026 Guide is requested to be applied; do not hide the old record.
• Current education need: Make concrete the start date at the school, the courses attended, the school awaiting registration and the upcoming procedures.
• Follow-up of results: Record the application number, notification date, exam appointment, score and objection procedures separately.

This arrangement makes it easier for the administration to assess the student within the right legal category. It also helps to show at which stage a missing or erroneous procedure arose. The resolution of the specific case should be built without treating the lack of documents in advance as the absence of education, and without accepting actual attendance as official graduation.

Conclusion

For students with missing school documents, a legally effective solution begins with a correct diagnosis of the document and record position. The 2026 level determination system contains various application groups and special assessment routes. In particular, the file of a child who has no e-Okul record at all cannot be handled by the same method as that of a child who has an earlier grade record.

For the family, the priorities are to preserve the existing documents, explain the deficiency, choose the appropriate application route and turn the child’s continued education into a concrete request. The scope of the exam, the success criterion, the right to resit and the objection time limits must be followed together. Level determination is an assessment tool; it should not be presented as a procedure that removes all past legal problems or secures an unconditional higher grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can every child without a school document take the level determination exam?

No automatic right to an exam can be concluded for every file. The reason for the missing document, the education history and the scope group in the 2026 Guide must be determined. In some files equivalence or record correction on the basis of documents is examined; in others, level determination. The application must show all of the student’s existing records.[1] [2]

Can a child who is a Turkish citizen also apply for MEB equivalence level determination?

Citizenship alone does not determine all the possibilities. The scope conditions of the Guide and the application documents are examined for the specific student. In particular, the provision relating to persons of compulsory primary education age who cannot submit a school document in Türkiye and have no e-Okul record should not be narrowed to foreign nationals only.[2]

Is a student who appears in the 6th grade in e-Okul treated as a child with no record?

An existing 6th-grade record is not the same as having no record at all. The documents for later years of education, the reason the record was not entered and any change of identity must be investigated. Whether another application route in the Guide applies can be examined separately; ignoring the existing record is not correct.

Can a parent’s declaration alone close a two-year gap in education?

The parent’s declaration is important for temporary school attendance and assessment within the scope of the relevant provision. However, it does not by itself officially prove that all the past grades were completed successfully. The declaration should be supported by school documents and a record search, and the necessary procedures should be carried out by the competent equivalence centre.[1]

If the document cannot be brought within three months, will the child necessarily be removed from school?

This result should not be reached automatically at the end of the period. The Regulation links the situation in which a document cannot be submitted with the provisions on level determination, and the 2026 Guide also regulates the group that cannot submit documents after temporary attendance. By which provision the file will be concluded and how continued education will be secured should be assessed in writing.[1] [2]

Is a level determination exam also applied to primary school students?

The Regulation does not provide for an exam for students to be admitted to primary school grades 1–4; it provides for the grade level to be determined on the basis of age and the parent’s declaration. This should not be taken to remove all the procedures required for registration. The scope under which the student applies and the identity details remain important.[1]

Is equivalence to the 5th or 9th grade without an exam possible?

Article 11.5 of the 2026 Guide provides for this possibility for a certain group of candidates on the written application of the parent or guardian. The provision should not be interpreted as an unconditional grade transfer for everyone. In particular, the equivalence assessment relating to the 9th grade should be distinguished from admission to a particular high school and placement procedures.[2]

What score is needed in the exam in 2026?

According to the 2026 Guide, at lower secondary level at least 70 is required in Turkish and at least 50 in Mathematics. At high school level, at least 50 points are required in each course in which the exam is taken. Explanations based only on the overall average may overlook these course-based conditions.[2]

Can a student who fails the exam sit it again?

The Guide provides two additional rights for an unsuccessful candidate. The period within which the rights are to be used and the minimum interval between resits are also important. If the candidate is unsuccessful after three rights, there is an assessment process from a lower level. The family should follow from the equivalence centre how non-attendance at the appointment and academic failure are recorded in the file.[2]

Can a child who studied in a foreign language take the exam in that language?

The 2026 Guide provides for the exam to be held in Turkish. A different language of prior education does not by itself create a right to an exam in another language. The child’s need for language support should be discussed with the school and the equivalence centre; any special education need should be assessed separately, without confusing it with this.[2]

Can an exam accommodation be requested for a student with a disability?

The student’s individual need should be notified at an early stage of the application with the appropriate documents. The assessment and measures to be applied are determined through cooperation between the equivalence centre and the RAM. The request should not be limited to the name of the diagnosis; care should be taken to explain concretely the need that affects participation in the exam and the arrangement required.[2] [6]

Does an objection to the exam result suspend the time limit for bringing an action?

The 2026 Guide states that an objection to exam questions and results does not suspend the 10-day time limit for bringing an action under Article 20/B of the İYUK. For this reason, the time limit for the action must be followed separately while the five-calendar-day e-Objection procedure is carried out. The three-month administrative objection time limit relating to the equivalence certificate and the time limits of the exam dispute must not be confused with each other.[1] [2]

Does a successful result make all of the past school’s records valid?

The exam result serves the level and equivalence assessment within its own scope. The previous school’s deficiency in permission, records or the issue of documents is examined separately. Holding a result document does not show that the record correction requested for all past years of education has automatically been made; the completion of the document and record procedures should be followed.

Can the STS appointment be changed because of an excuse?

According to the 2026 Guide, with a documented excuse the appointment can be changed up to 24 hours before the exam time by applying to the provincial/district directorate of national education to which the exam centre is affiliated. The uploading by the equivalence centre of excuse documents relating to exam day to the system within the first 5 working days is a separate procedure. The submission of the petition and the result in the system should be followed together.[2]

Can the STS result be used as the mark for all past grades?

Article 14.4 of the Guide provides that the average of the exam success scores be written in the equivalence certificate as the end-of-year score in intermediate grades and as the graduation score in graduate status. This provision does not mean that the same score will be copied to every past grade. The basis for the mark record for the missing years and for the placement calculation should be clarified from the competent education unit.[2]

Can a parent request enrolment one grade below the grade in the equivalence certificate?

Under Article 14 of the Equivalence Regulation, the parent can make this request by applying in writing to the school principal. This procedure is not the same as being examined from a lower level after failing the STS, or as the conditional 5th and 9th grade equivalence route in the Guide. The requested grade and the parent’s intention should be shown clearly in the petition.[1] [2]

Does issuing an exam entry document ensure that the result remains valid in every case?

No. Article 9.2.1 of the Guide brings the exam of a candidate who takes the exam without meeting the application conditions within the scope of invalidity. For this reason, the student’s application group, earlier records, exam level and courses should be examined before the exam. Payment and the appointment record should not be treated as an independent document of right that makes the application conditions final.[2]

Can a person outside compulsory education and compulsory schooling age apply under the same procedure?

Age and the scope of the application are assessed separately. In the situation it regulates, Article 11.4 of the Guide provides for the grade level to be determined after the second-stage certificate of a public education centre is submitted. This provision is not a general route that directly gives all older persons without documents a lower secondary school or high school graduation.[2]

Does a hearing aid fall under the ban on electronic items in the exam?

The Guide contains an exception for a device whose use has been determined by a doctor’s report. The report, the notification of the measure and the candidate bringing the device themselves must be followed together.[2]

Sources and legal bases

1. Ministry of National Education Equivalence Regulation (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Denklik Yönetmeliği), Official Gazette dated 09.07.2024 and numbered 32597; in particular Arts. 4–6, 11–15 and 18 — official MEB PDF copy.
2. MEB, Equivalence Level Determination e-Exam Application and Implementation Guide 2026; in particular sections 1.1, 4–7, 9 and 10–15.
3. Board of Education and Discipline (Talim ve Terbiye Kurulu Başkanlığı), Frequently Asked Questions — Equivalence Procedures. As regards the explanation on success scores, this article is based on the 2026 exam Guide.
4. Directive on the Equivalence and Document Verification Branch and Equivalence Centres of the Ministry of National Education (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Denklik ve Belge Doğrulama Şubesi ile Denklik Merkezleri Yönergesi), Ministerial Approval dated 24.09.2025.
5. Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye, in particular Arts. 40, 42 and 125 — Constitutional Court legislation page.
6. Law No. 5378 on Persons with Disabilities, in particular Arts. 4/A and 15 — Ministry of Family and Social Services.
7. YÖK, Procedures and Principles on the Level and Qualification Determination System — scope of the higher education equivalence system.
8. MEB, Equivalence Opportunity for Transfer From Unlicensed Foreign Schools to Turkish Schools, 17 August 2026; application for transfer from an intermediate grade, the final application date and the limit of the arrangement.