Private School Fee Refund: Enrolment Cancellation, Transfer and Deductions

The first question in a fee refund: from which institution, and for what reason?

The same calculation cannot be used for a private school, a course and a university

Article 56 of the Regulation contains an arrangement based on days of schooling for pre-school institutions, primary schools, lower secondary schools, special education schools and upper secondary schools that set an annual fee. For institutions that set a fee by lesson hours, the term and the lesson hours actually attended are the basis. It is not correct to apply the same 10% calculation directly to a foundation university, a school in a foreign country or a care institution subject to other legislation. What must be established is the type shown on the institution’s licence and the true subject matter of the contract, not the name the institution uses in its advertising. [1]

A parent who obtains services from a private school for the child’s education, for a purpose that is neither commercial nor professional, is as a rule engaged in a consumer transaction. The MEB’s special regulation does not remove the protection against unfair terms and defective services under Law No. 6502. By contrast, in different relationships, such as a company purchasing training for its own commercial organisation, consumer status is examined separately. [3]

The reason for leaving changes the calculation that applies

The practical consequence of this distinction is as follows. If the parent relies on the school’s breach of contract, signing a ready-made form that merely says “I am deregistering of my own free will” may make the event harder to prove. The real reason for leaving, any deficiencies notified earlier and the outcome requested should be stated clearly. On the other hand, a mere statement of dissatisfaction or financial hardship does not give rise to an uninterrupted right to a refund in every case. [1] [3] [4]

How are enrolment cancellation and the departure date determined?

In calculating a refund, the relationship between the start of the school year and the date the student leaves is important. For this reason, the date of the enrolment contract, the date of payment, the start of the school year, the date the notice of departure reached the school, actual attendance and the official registration procedures must be examined together. The date on which the school’s accounting office processed the request later and the date on which the parent’s intention to leave reached the school are not always the same. It must be clarified by which document the concept of departure in the Regulation is proved in the concrete case. [1]

Not sending the child to classes for a period does not by itself show that the contract has been terminated. Absence and departure are different things. Conversely, it cannot be accepted that a school that leaves a properly delivered notice of departure unprocessed gives rise to an unlimited claim for additional service fees merely through its own delay. If the date is disputed, the notice, the proof of delivery, the school’s reply, the transfer application and the student records are assessed together. [1] [4]

The application must be addressed to the competent unit of the school and to the institution named in the contract. A copy of a petition submitted by hand that bears the date and a registry number, an electronic correspondence whose receipt can be verified, or a notary notice can be used as proof. It cannot be said that a notary is required for every refund application; however, if the content or delivery of the notice is disputed, it is useful to choose the stronger method of proof. If the transfer timetable is approaching, the student’s enrolment at the new school should also be followed separately while the financial application is being made.

How is the fee refund calculated before the school year begins?

The base of the 10% is the annual tuition fee in the student’s contract

By the amendment of 5 September 2025, the fee to be taken as the basis in Article 56 of the Regulation was expressed explicitly as the annual fee set in the student enrolment contract. It is therefore not correct to make a school’s higher general list price, the following year’s fee or the total package covering all services other than education the automatic base for the deduction. The tuition fee, the amount set for the student after any scholarship or discount, and the additional items must be separated out of the contract. [1] [5]

In an ordinary departure before the school year begins, the amount the school may keep is 10% of the applicable annual tuition fee. If the parent has paid the entire fee, the remaining 90% is refunded. However, if only a down payment has been made, the refund is not 90% of the annual fee; it is the difference between the money paid and the amount that may lawfully be retained. An amount that was never paid is not claimed as a cash refund claim. As to the unpaid balance, what must be clarified is that the part exceeding the calculation is not owed. [1] [3]

Example: If only half of the annual fee has been paid

Suppose the annual tuition fee is TL 300,000 and the payment made is TL 150,000. In an ordinary departure before the school year begins, the 10% amount is TL 30,000. On the assumption that there is no other ground of justified termination or full refund, the refund calculation is 150,000 − 30,000 = TL 120,000. The parent need not be paid TL 270,000 in cash, because that amount has not been collected in full. The remaining instalments and promissory notes must also be brought into line with the same final calculation.

Example: If the down payment is less than 10%

If only TL 20,000 has been paid for the same annual fee, the comparison in an ordinary departure is made with TL 30,000. In that case there may be no cash refund, and the question whether the TL 10,000 difference is owed may arise. The result should not be finalised without examining the reason for departure, how the contract was formed, any statutory right of withdrawal and any arrangement agreed in favour of the parent. Neither the idea “I paid a small down payment, so I cannot owe anything else” nor the idea “the school can demand the whole year’s fee” is correct on its own. [1] [3]

These examples relate to the tuition fee only. In the accounting calculation, the display of the fee as inclusive or exclusive of tax, the collection and the invoice should be compared on the same basis. The use of tax or of different fee names does not provide grounds for going beyond the total obligation set in the contract. The MEB’s current form shows the fees announced and applied to the student and the tax information in separate columns. [2]

How much may be deducted after instruction has begun?

The price of the days of schooling is added to the 10%

If an ordinary departure takes place after the school year has begun, the Regulation provides for the refund of the part other than 10% of the annual fee set in the contract and the amount calculated according to the days the student attended school. The school’s calculation thus has two components: 10% of the annual fee and the price of the past period of schooling. A school simply looking at the number of monthly instalments and demanding all the remaining instalments does not take the place of this calculation. An instalment is, in many cases, the payment schedule of a debt; it does not mean that the education service is separately priced for each month. [1]

The Regulation also states that the fee to be taken from a student who leaves after instruction has begun may not exceed the institution’s tuition fee. If the sum of the 10% and the price of the days exceeds the annual fee, that sum cannot be applied mechanically. For example, in a departure near the end of the year, collection above the annual tuition fee cannot be made merely because 10% is added. [1]

Which data should be used in the day calculation?

The Regulation refers to the days of schooling; it does not explicitly lay down a single 365-day or 180-day division formula to be applied to all events. The school should therefore be asked from which annual amount and which teaching calendar the daily price was found, and which start and end dates were taken into account. A method in the contract must also not circumvent the mandatory regulation to the parent’s detriment. [1]

The school year, preparatory or orientation activities, a summer school purchased separately and periods when the school actually provided no service must not be confused with one another. A student’s absence for personal reasons while the education relationship continues does not automatically create a refund right for each absent day either. What is examined here is the consideration for the education provided under the contract and the legislation. In a disputed calculation, a method that can be verified must be established on the basis of the calendar, the attendance records and the scope of the service.

A verifiable calculation table

This table is a model for an ordinary departure. If there is a statutory right of withdrawal, a defective service, a full-refund exception or a valid contract provision in the parent’s favour, that ground is assessed first. Using the model in every case removes the legal distinction. [1] [3]

Example: Leaving mid-term

Suppose the annual tuition fee is TL 300,000, the payment made is TL 150,000 and the price of the verified past days of schooling is TL 60,000. The 10% deduction is TL 30,000. The total tuition fee the school may retain is TL 90,000, and the cash refund is TL 60,000. The TL 60,000 for past service here is given hypothetically; it is not stated that a certain number of months produces the same amount at every school.

Example: The upper limit at the end of the year

Suppose that, for the same annual fee, the day calculation comes to TL 285,000. Even though adding 10% gives an arithmetic total of TL 315,000, a tuition fee exceeding TL 300,000 cannot be taken because of the annual fee limit. Whether there is a refund is determined on the basis of the amount paid and of any other legal grounds. [1]

Does enrolment at a state high school after the LGS give a full refund?

Article 56 of the Regulation provides for a refund of the entire annual fee in the contract for those who document that they have enrolled in the ninth grade of state schools that admit students by examination before the school year begins. This provision requires timing, the nature of the school, the grade level and documentation together. Merely having sat the examination, having a school on the preference list or an expectation of placement that has not yet been finalised is not the same thing. [1] [2]

A move to another private high school, a transfer to a state school that admits students without an examination, or an enrolment after instruction has begun cannot automatically be included in this special exception. Nevertheless, another ground for a refund may exist; those grounds are examined separately. The application should include the new state school’s enrolment document, the date of enrolment and information showing that the student has been admitted to the ninth grade.

The provision “the entire annual fee is refunded” does not mean that the school will pay the parent money it has not collected. If the annual fee is TL 300,000 and TL 150,000 has been paid, then in this example, where the conditions are met, the tuition fee of TL 150,000 is refunded without deduction and the remaining tuition debt ends. The position of other services purchased separately, delivered or used is examined on their own legal bases. [1] [3]

Does the refund calculation change for a student with a scholarship or discount?

The deduction cannot be enlarged by reverting to the list price

If a discounted tuition fee was applied to the student in the contract, a reversion on departure to the school’s higher list price, for that reason alone, is separately scrutinised. It is important that current Article 56 takes the annual fee set in the student enrolment contract as its basis. The condition of an early-enrolment, sibling, staff or advance-payment discount, and which period the loss of it affects, must be read separately. [1] [2]

For example, where a student was enrolled at TL 300,000 instead of an announced fee of TL 500,000, it is not an acceptable method for the school, without any other explanation, to calculate the 10% on TL 500,000 in an ordinary departure. The student’s real contract fee and, if there is a provision on loss of the discount, the lawfulness of that provision are determined first. A provision on the ending of a discount that functions as a retroactive penalty may also call for an unfair-terms review. [1] [3]

Related article: Private School Enrolment Contract: Parents’ Rights and Unfair Terms.

A scholarship cannot be turned into a debt for the past period of schooling

Article 62 of the Regulation provides that a student on a scholarship who leaves the school cannot be charged a fee for the period of schooling received. There is also a restriction concerning the taking of additional documents that place a scholarship student under a financial obligation. A clause such as “if you move to another school, you will pay back the scholarships of the previous years” therefore cannot be regarded as enforceable merely because the parent signed it. [1]

However, the scope of the scholarship must be determined. A scholarship covering the whole tuition fee, a scholarship at a given percentage, a support that also includes meals and transport and a scholarship relating only to the tuition fee are not the same. A later demand for repayment of the past portion covered by the scholarship must be distinguished from the calculation of the non-scholarship share that the parent has legally assumed from the beginning. The areas for scholarship, discount and free education in the MEB contract can be used to document this distinction. [2]

How are meals, transport, books, stationery and digital packages refunded?

The 10% of the tuition fee is not applied across the board to all items

The Regulation and the MEB contract distinguish the tuition fee from other optional services. If tuition, meal, transport, uniform and book charges are kept in a single total, a detailed breakdown should therefore be requested first. There is no automatic ground for applying the ordinary-departure rule for the tuition fee to all services that are not separately offered. For each item, the contract, the service provider, and the position of use and delivery are determined. [1] [2] [3]

These headings are not a list of automatic refunds or automatic deductions. For example, the price of a stationery package never delivered to the parent cannot be treated in the same way as the price of products delivered in full and used. For a digital licence, the statement “it was activated” does not by itself justify keeping the whole annual fee either; what the activation provided, the duration of the service, the applicable contract condition and the relevant consumer rights must be investigated. [3]

The coursebook ban is assessed separately

Article 53 of the Regulation prohibits charging a fee under the name of coursebooks. A claim for the refund of an amount that should not lawfully have been charged in the first place differs from the calculation for unused services made when a student leaves the school. A school’s showing this amount within “books and stationery” or an “education support package” does not prevent examination of the real nature of the charge. [1]

However, it cannot be assumed that all auxiliary resources, stationery or digital content count as coursebooks. Rather than reaching a conclusion about the whole package without a product list and a basis, the items must be defined one by one. Likewise, a service obtained from an outside company cannot be used to circumvent the MEB’s fee rules; the application of the rules on fee setting to outsourced services must also be borne in mind. [1]

If the school is at fault or does not give the promised education, is 10% deducted?

An ordinary departure and a defective service are different

Under Law No. 6502, a service that does not have the characteristics stated in the contract, the advertisement or the promotion, or that lacks the qualities objectively required, calls for an assessment as a defective service. The offering of a programme that cannot lawfully be provided, the failure to perform a substantial education commitment or the failure to provide a significant part of the service at all may be examined in this framework. Dissatisfaction with a student’s examination performance is not by itself a service defect. [3]

In a defective service, the consumer has elective rights. In the concrete case, the service may be requested to be performed again, the work produced to be repaired where its conditions are met, a price reduction in proportion to the defect or rescission of the contract; damages may also arise under the general provisions. These rights do not disappear simply because the school contract says “10% is deducted on departure.” [3]

For this reason, it cannot be said that the 10% will be retained in every case once the school’s breach of contract is proved. Yet the opposite proposition, that “for any deficiency the whole year’s fee and all additional charges are recovered,” is not correct either. What is assessed is which right was chosen, the seriousness of the deficiency, the service already properly performed, the continuing nature of the contract and the scope of the claim. Price reduction, termination and a separate claim for damage must not be used interchangeably at random. [3] [4]

Evidence is more decisive than a narrative of dissatisfaction

The programme at the time of enrolment, dated advertisements and correspondence, any commitment on class or campus, lesson timetables, requests for the deficiency to be remedied and the school’s replies must be preserved. Instead of “the quality of education fell,” it must be explained which service has been provided contrary to which commitment, and since what date. The school’s offer to remedy the deficiency, and whether it is workable for the student, are also taken into account.

For example, if enrolment was made with the promise of a foreign diploma but it later emerges that the institution had no authority to run that programme or to enrol the student concerned, a fee calculation alone is not enough. The student’s official registration, the recognition of the school year, equivalence and the move to alternative education are examined separately. In such a case, additional losses may arise alongside the refund claim; however, the heads of loss, the school’s obligation and the causal link must be proved concretely. [3] [4]

In this context, the MEB’s announcement of 17 August 2026 stated that students wishing to leave the intermediate grades of unlicensed foreign schools and move to Turkish schools could apply for equivalence until 17.00 on 31 December 2026. This opportunity does not bring the school’s activity into compliance with the law and does not by itself decide the fee refund. While the fee dispute continues, the student’s right to this time-limited transfer must also be protected separately. [8]

Related article: Legal Liability of a School That Causes an Equivalence Problem: A Lost School Year and Compensation.

What is the outcome on school closure, health, relocation and financial hardship?

A school never opening or being unable to continue the service differs from the parent’s ordinary change of school preference. What is determined here is whether the cause lies within the school’s sphere of responsibility, whether performance is legally or actually possible, whether an offer of alternative service meets the same contract, and the position of the services already provided. The provisions of the Turkish Code of Obligations on breach of obligation, termination of a continuing-obligation contract, impossibility and excessive difficulty of performance contain different conditions. [4]

The Regulation’s special provisions on closure should also not be overlooked. Article 20 provides that, as a rule, when a founder closes a school, this takes effect at the end of the school year, with at least three months’ written notice and with the approval of the competent authority; the article also contains special cases. Article 22, in the case of a closure that does not follow the procedure, refers to the refund of the relevant year’s fees under Article 56, while preserving the parent’s right to sue under the general provisions. In a closure file, therefore, both this special regulation and the concrete claims arising from consumer law and the law of obligations must be assessed together. [1] [3]

A parent’s relocation, loss of income or a student’s health problem are important facts; but it should not be argued that for each of them the Regulation contains a general and automatic exception giving a refund without deduction. The contract may grant the parent a special right. The particular features of the event may also lead to a different result under the general provisions. For this purpose, the effect of the health condition on education, foreseeability, commitments and the other options available are assessed. [1] [4]

It is also not correct to apply to every event, unchanged, a solution seen in older regulation texts or in decisions on the past pandemic period. The date a provision entered into force, the subject of the decision, the type of school and the real ground of termination must be determined. For example, the existing explicit exception for enrolment in a state high school by examination and a decision given on a past health event do not have the same legal basis.

What happens if payment was made by promissory note, credit card or education loan?

The refund calculation and the unwinding of the means of payment should be done together

When an enrolment is cancelled, it is not enough to determine only the cash to be refunded. The promissory notes remaining with the school, post-dated payment instructions, card instalments and any bank loan must also be determined. The departure calculation the school accepts and the future instalments it demands must match. If the same amount is collected by promissory note and also deducted again from the refund, a problem of double collection arises.

Under Article 4 of Law No. 6502, in consumer transactions promissory notes must be made out to a named payee and a separate note issued for each instalment. A note that does not comply is invalid as regards the consumer. However, the invalidity of a note should not be presented as a result that wipes out the entire underlying education debt. The debt that genuinely remains after departure and the form of the note and the enforcement route are examined separately. In a refund agreement, it should be shown clearly which notes will be handed over or which debts are closed. [3]

Leaving the school does not automatically end the bank loan

Not every loan used for education is a linked credit agreement. For the purposes of Article 30 of Law No. 6502, what matters is that the loan finances only a specific service and that the economic unity required by the statute exists between the loan and the service contract. In a linked credit agreement whose conditions are met, the lender’s liability may arise where the service is not performed at all or not performed properly; the scope and limits are determined separately. The same outcome does not arise automatically for a freely usable personal loan. [3]

Payment by credit card should likewise not be treated as the same as the school’s own instalment service contract. The refund to the card, the closing of the bank’s instalment plan and the correction of the school’s debt record may be separate movements. A parent should not assume that the termination notice given to the school has reached the bank; the request to be addressed to the bank and the outcome in the payment plan must be followed up separately.

If a payment order has arrived, the time limit for the enforcement proceedings should not be allowed to pass in reliance on the school’s explanation that “your refund file is being reviewed.” The type of enforcement proceedings, the document of debt and the date of notification may give rise to different routes of objection. An application to the MEB or to the consumer authority does not automatically stop every enforcement step.

Does a seven- or fourteen-day right of withdrawal change the 10% calculation?

A statutory right of withdrawal and the ordinary enrolment cancellation under the Regulation are different legal mechanisms. If the transaction is an instalment sale contract within the meaning of Law No. 6502, the seven-day right of withdrawal is considered; the limitation applying where the service begins with the consumer’s approval before the period expires is also taken into account separately. The bank’s spreading of the payment into instalments does not by itself bring the school contract within this regime. [3]

For the fourteen-day right of withdrawal in distance contracts to apply, the method by which the contract was formed and the relevant exceptions must also be examined. A contract signed in person at the school does not automatically become a distance contract because of later email correspondence or online payment of the fee. By contrast, for an education contract formed from the outset within a distance selling arrangement, the relevant information duties and the conditions of withdrawal must be assessed. [3]

Where a valid statutory right of withdrawal exists, its financial consequence cannot be replaced by the 10% deduction applying to an ordinary departure. In practice, the first task is to establish on what date the parent signed what, how the contract was formed and how consent to the start of the service was given. The two generalisations “you can always withdraw free of charge within fourteen days from a private school” and “there is never a free right of withdrawal from a private school” are both inaccurate.

When must the fee refund be made?

In an ordinary departure, at most one month

Under Article 56 of the Regulation, the fee refund for a student leaving the institution is made within one month at most from the date of departure. The period in the text is one month; it should not be expressed as an automatic thirty days for every event. Conditions such as the school’s internal accounting approval, the end of the enrolment period or finding a replacement student cannot unilaterally move this clear period to an indefinite date. [1] [2]

Offering, instead of a refund, a discount for the next year, a coupon for another sibling or another school service does not by itself end the parent’s monetary claim. The parties may reach a clear and lawful agreement; however, an alternative offer that has not been accepted cannot be treated as if a refund had been made. The refund amount, the method of payment, the date and the remaining debt position should be shown together in the agreement.

Rescission or price reduction for a defective service

Article 15 of Law No. 6502 provides for immediate refund of the relevant price when the right of rescission or of a reduction in proportion to the defect is chosen. The one-month period laid down for an ordinary departure in the Regulation is not the same as this provision. Without determining the real legal nature of the claim, it cannot be said that the school may wait one month in all files. [3] [7]

If payment is not made on time, an assessment of default and interest arises. The start and type of the interest are determined by the maturity of the debt, the applicable period and the notice required. It is useful in the application to separate clearly the principal refund amount from the interest claim. The current interest rate and the start date should be checked separately when the concrete claim is prepared. [4]

What information should the refund application to the school contain?

Because a refund application may become the basic document of the later dispute, it should be prepared in date order and in a form that can be calculated. The student’s identity and school year, the party to the contract, the reason for leaving, the date of departure, the payments made, the amount requested and the attachments must complement one another. Where relevant, a defective service, a full-refund exception or a special right of withdrawal should also be stated separately. Unnecessary personal data and other students’ information should not be attached to the application.

The following outcomes can be requested together in the application:

• Written notification that the departure or transfer request has been received and has been processed.
• Separate calculation of the tuition, meal, transport and materials charges; an explanation of the base, the days and the grounds for deduction used.
• Determination of the amount, the calculation and the date of the cash refund.
• Settlement of unpaid instalments and of promissory notes held at the school in line with the final calculation.
• Conduct of the student’s official registration and document procedures in accordance with the relevant education legislation.

This order is a suggestion for preparing an application. Each request needs to be addressed to the right counterparty. The real party to the contract, not the school’s trade brand, must be identified; if transport or book sales were made through a separate company, the provider of that transaction is determined separately. If the parent, the person who made the payment and the rightholder are different people, the capacity in which the refund is requested should also be explained.

Signing a broad text such as “I have waived all rights and claims” when accepting a statement of account from the school may produce a different result from merely receiving a partial payment. If the refund calculation is still disputed, it should be stated clearly that the money received is a partial payment and which items remain in dispute. The legal nature and validity of the document are assessed separately. [3] [4]

If no refund is made, to which authority can an application be made?

MEB supervision and the collection of a monetary claim are separate matters

An application to the provincial or district directorate of national education is important for supervision of the institution’s compliance with its registration, fee, contract and document arrangements. However, an administrative complaint does not mean that the parent’s monetary claim is automatically collected. Depending on the amount and legal nature of the refund claim, the consumer arbitration committee (tüketici hakem heyeti) or the court route may also be used separately. [1] [3]

In 2026, application to the consumer arbitration committee is mandatory for consumer disputes below TL 186,000. Disputes of TL 186,000 or more cannot be taken to the committee; for a general consumer claim, mediation as a condition precedent to litigation and then the consumer court route are considered. The statutory exceptions to mediation as a condition precedent are separately reserved. The threshold is applied not automatically by reference to the annual tuition fee but by the legally determined value of the dispute asserted; artificially splitting the same dispute in order to avoid the rule on jurisdiction is not correct. [3] [6]

An application to the committee can be made through e-Devlet by means of TÜBİS or by the other accepted application routes. The contract and its annexes, the payment records, the notice of departure, the school’s reply and the calculation table are attached to the request. Being a foreign national is not by itself an obstacle to a consumer application; the official explanation sets out the application details by passport or foreign identity number. [6]

Related article: Applications, Mediation and Litigation Routes in Private School Disputes.

Time limits vary with the nature of the claim

For liability for a defective service, Article 16 of Law No. 6502 as a rule provides a two-year period from performance of the service; longer periods and special provisions on serious fault or fraudulent concealment are reserved. By contrast, it is not correct to tie an ordinary contractual refund claim to the same two-year period in every case. For claims with no special provision, the general limitation regime of the Turkish Code of Obligations is considered; the due date and the legal nature of the claim are decisive. [3] [4]

The period for objecting to a decision of the consumer arbitration committee is two weeks from notification of the decision. The fifteen-day figure seen in older texts should not be confused with the current regulation. If there is a separate payment order, administrative act or court decision, the period belonging to it is dealt with separately. The continuation of talks with the school does not have the effect of a general suspension of time. [3]

Education documents should not be a bargaining tool in a money dispute

In a fee disagreement, the position of the student’s report card, certificate of attendance, transfer record or transcript is subject to the separate education legislation. Article 55 of the Regulation provides that a student whose tuition fee has not been paid at the end of the school year may not have the registration renewed, and provides the appropriate transfer routes. This provision cannot be extended to mean that the school may withhold every document or arbitrarily break off the education relationship during the year. If there is an obstacle to documents or registration, steps for the continuity of the student’s education must be taken separately, without waiting for the refund claim to be concluded. [1]

Related article: What Can Be Done If a Private School Withholds the Report Card, Transcript or Student Certificate?.

Conclusion

The right outcome in a private school fee refund is not found by applying a single percentage to the annual fee. First the type of institution and the reason for leaving must be determined; then the contract fee, the money paid, the period of schooling, any scholarship or discount and the additional services. The 10% and the day calculation of an ordinary departure do not remove a defective service or a statutory right of withdrawal. The full-refund exception also applies only when its own conditions are met.

The refund file should be built on written proof of departure and a calculation broken down by item. The school’s obligation to refund cash, any remaining debt of the parent, the promissory note and bank transactions, and the student’s registration and document procedures should be concluded consistently with one another. In this way, not only the money to be received but also the debt and registration problems that may continue after the education relationship ends become visible. [1] [3] [4]

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a private school deduct 10% on every enrolment cancellation?

No. The 10% is an element of the ordinary departure calculation in the Regulation. A defective service, a statutory right of withdrawal, the special full-refund exception and a valid contract provision in the parent’s favour are examined separately. [1] [3]

Is the deduction made from the list price or from the discounted contract fee?

The current Regulation takes as its basis the annual fee set in the student enrolment contract. If there is a particular dispute about a discount or scholarship, its legal nature is determined first; the higher list price cannot automatically be reverted to. [1] [2]

I paid only a deposit; can I get all of it back?

The name of the payment does not by itself determine the outcome. Whether the contract was formed, the start of instruction, the reason for leaving and the applicable refund calculation are examined. In an ordinary departure, the down payment can be compared with 10% of the annual tuition fee. [1] [4]

If I leave before the school opens, will 90% of the annual fee be paid to me in cash?

That outcome arises only if you paid the whole annual fee in advance. If there was a partial payment, the refund is the difference between the money paid and the amount the school may lawfully retain; the unpaid part is not a cash claim. [1]

Does not sending my child to classes count as enrolment cancellation?

Not by itself. The intention to leave must be communicated to the school and its date proved. Absence does not automatically show that the education contract has ended.

Can I get a refund without deduction if I move to a science high school through the LGS?

If it is documented that enrolment has been made in the ninth grade of a state school that admits students by examination before the school year begins, the Regulation provides a full-refund exception. The timing, the type of school and the grade conditions are required together. [1]

After instruction has begun, do all the remaining instalments continue to be owed?

In an ordinary departure, the final obligation must be determined by the 10% and the calculation of the days of schooling. Not every instalment in the payment schedule can be regarded as a service fee that must be collected regardless of the departure. Promissory notes and credit relationships are examined separately. [1] [3]

Is 10% also deducted from meal and transport charges?

The rule for the tuition fee is not automatically applied to all ancillary services. The contract for each service, the period in which it was used, its provider and any tariff conditions are assessed separately. [1] [3]

If a scholarship student leaves, can the past tuition fee be demanded?

The Regulation provides that a scholarship student who leaves cannot afterwards be charged a fee for the period of schooling received. The scope of the scholarship must be distinguished from the non-scholarship obligations that were the parent’s from the beginning. [1]

Can the school wait for a new student to arrive before making the refund?

In an ordinary departure, the refund must be made within one month at most. Finding a new student or the institution’s own accounting period cannot be made a condition that unilaterally makes this period indefinite. [1]

Is the refund period thirty days in every case?

No. For an ordinary departure the Regulation says “one month.” Where rescission or a price reduction is chosen for a defective service, Law No. 6502 provides for immediate refund. A single period should not be used without determining the legal ground. [1] [3]

In 2026, can a TL 186,000 refund claim be taken to the arbitration committee?

This amount is not below the threshold. For a general consumer claim of TL 186,000 or more, mediation as a condition precedent to litigation and the consumer court route are considered. For disputes below the threshold, the consumer arbitration committee has jurisdiction. [6]

If a payment order arrives even though I have applied for a refund, can I wait?

Waiting may cause a loss of rights. The objection period, which depends on the type of proceedings and on notification, must be assessed separately. Talks with the school or a complaint to the MEB does not automatically stop all enforcement time limits.

The calculation examples are hypothetical; they are not presented as the outcome of a specific file or as an actual court decision.

Sources and legal bases

1. Ministry of National Education Regulation on Private Educational Institutions (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Özel Öğretim Kurumları Yönetmeliği), in particular Arts. 20–23, 53–56 and 62. Official compilation of legislation by the Ministry of Family and Social Services: aile.gov.tr
2. MEB General Directorate of Private Educational Institutions, Student Enrolment Contract for private schools, update of October 2025. Official list of forms: ookgm.meb.gov.tr; contract file: ookgm.meb.gov.tr
3. Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection (Tüketicinin Korunması Hakkında Kanun), in particular Arts. 3–5, 13–19, 30, 48, 68, 70, 73/A and 83. Current text of the Ministry of Trade: tuketici.ticaret.gov.tr
4. Law No. 6098, Turkish Code of Obligations (Türk Borçlar Kanunu), in particular Arts. 19–27, 112, 117, 125–126, 136–138, 146–149 and 177–178. Text as adopted by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM): www5.tbmm.gov.tr
5. Regulation Amending the Ministry of National Education Regulation on Private Educational Institutions, 5 September 2025, Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) No. 33008, amendment concerning the annual fee in the student enrolment contract as the basis: resmigazete.gov.tr
6. Ministry of Trade, Information Note on Consumer Arbitration Committees, 2026 monetary threshold, application routes and application details: ticaret.gov.tr
7. Ministry of Trade, Information on Defective Goods and Services: tuketici.ticaret.gov.tr
8. MEB, Opportunity for Equivalence on Transfer from Unlicensed Foreign Schools to Turkish Schools, 17 August 2026: meb.gov.tr