Sabancı University Project Scholarship

Benefits & funding

• 100% exemption from annual tuition fees at master’s and doctoral level.
• Master’s stipend of at least 47,850 TL a month, paid for 10 months of the year.
• Doctoral stipend of at least 74,250 TL a month, paid for 12 months of the year.
• At least 82,500 TL a month for 12 months once a doctoral student passes the qualifying exam.
• The university tops the project’s own payment up to these amounts when the grant pays less.
• A free dorm room: a two-person room for master’s students, a single room for doctoral students.
• 10,000 TL transportation support for recipients who do not stay in the dormitories.
• Private health insurance, a laptop computer, and support for one conference each year.
• The rates above are set for the 2026–2027 academic year and apply from September 2026.
• Support runs for the normal length of the degree: two years for a thesis master’s, four years for a doctorate, five years for the integrated doctorate.

Eligibility

• Applicants of any nationality may apply; the university publishes no citizenship or residency requirement.
• Applicants must be admitted to an academic master’s or doctoral program at the Graduate School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences, or Sabancı Graduate Business School.
• Master’s entry needs a bachelor’s degree; doctoral entry accepts either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree, and the History doctorate takes master’s holders only.
• The previous degree has to be finished by the Fall enrolment date, so students in their final term may apply.
• Doctoral applicants entering with a bachelor’s degree need a grade average of at least 3.0 out of 4.0.
• Entrance exam minimums: ALES 65, GRE Quantitative 153 or GAT 65 for a thesis master’s and for doctoral entry with a master’s degree; ALES 80, GRE Quantitative 160 or GAT 80 for doctoral entry with a bachelor’s degree; GMAT 600, GRE 157 or ALES 82 for the Business School doctorate.
• An English proficiency result is required because teaching is in English; the TOEFL iBT minimum runs from 78 to 88 depending on the program.
• Applicants who studied outside Türkiye need their institution and course of study recognised by the Turkish Higher Education Council.
• No age limit, gender requirement or work experience requirement is published.
• The award is cut or stopped if the grade average falls below 3.0, if the qualifying exam or thesis proposal is failed, if the maximum study period is passed, on disciplinary suspension, or if the student takes full-time work elsewhere.

Application process

1. 1
   Choose an academic master’s or doctoral program and read the requirements published by its graduate school.
2. 2
   Open the university’s research projects directory, find the funded projects running in the field, and contact the faculty member leading the work.
3. 3
   Create an account in the graduate admission portal and fill in the online application.
4. 4
   Upload the transcript, two reference letters, statement of purpose and CV, passport photograph, English proficiency result and entrance exam score.
5. 5
   Submit before the program’s deadline; shortlisted candidates may be called to a written exam, an interview, or both.
6. 6
   The admission jury judges academic merit and recommends a scholarship, and the graduate school board takes the final decision.

Program timeline

1. Early deadline for the Economics master’s and doctoral programs and the Management doctorate

   Mar 27, 2026

2. Early deadline for thesis master’s and doctoral programs at Engineering and Natural Sciences

   Apr 6, 2026

3. Final deadline for master’s and doctoral programs at Arts and Social Sciences

   Jun 8, 2026

4. Final deadline for the Management doctorate

   Jun 12, 2026

5. Final deadline for thesis master’s and doctoral programs at Engineering and Natural Sciences

   Jun 15, 2026

6. 2026-09

   The 2026–2027 scholarship rates take effect