According to the statement made by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), placements were made in 479 thousand 392 of the 481 thousand 684 quotas in the formal programs of state universities.
Only 2 thousand 292 quotas remained vacant. The number of vacant quotas, which was 5 thousand 503 last year, decreased by 58.3 percent.
The occupancy rate of undergraduate programs in state universities was 99.15 percent, the occupancy rate of associate degree programs was 99.98 percent, and the total occupancy rate was 99.52 percent. Only 37 quotas remained vacant in associate degree programs.
All general quotas of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and law programs, which have success thresholds, on the domestic campuses of state universities have been filled.
The occupancy rate in engineering programs exceeded 98 percent, and there are no vacancies in the general quotas of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography, business and economics programs at state universities.
The occupancy rate of general quotas in foundation higher education institutions was 79.7 percent.
Artificial intelligence-based programs reached 100 percent occupancy
The quotas of Business Administration and Artificial Intelligence, Paramedic, Livestock Technologies and Management, Pharmaceutical Production Technology, Laboratory Animals, Mobile Security Technologies, Explosive and Energetic Materials Technician and Fisheries Technology programs, which were opened for the first time this year, have been filled.
Artificial intelligence-based undergraduate and associate degree programs also reached 100 percent occupancy. There are no vacant quotas left in Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence Supported Coding and Artificial Intelligence Operator programs.
In a significant part of the teaching programs at state universities, all quotas have been filled. German, Geography, French, Japanese, Mathematics, Preschool, Special Education, Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Classroom, Social Studies, History, Turkish Language and Literature and Turkish teaching programs have reached 100 percent occupancy.
Quotas in open education and distance education are filled
Placement was made in all 89 thousand 396 quotas allocated for open education programs at state universities. The quota for 8 thousand 298 people in distance education programs has been completely filled.
The occupancy rate of the 1,210-person quota allocated to distance education programs of foundation universities was 97.2 percent. The occupancy rate in programs with and without success threshold was 79 percent.
1 million 279 thousand candidates made their choice
Of the 2 million 255 thousand 76 candidates who entered the 2026-YKS, the placement score of 2 million 187 thousand 747 was calculated. 1 million 279 thousand 439 of these candidates made their choice.
This year, while there are approximately 807 thousand quotas, including the Special Aptitude Exam (ÖZYES) and the quotas reserved for TRNC nationals, preferences were made for 766 thousand quotas, excluding those reserved for ÖZYES and TRNC nationals.
Considering all formal, open and distance education programs, 730 thousand 854 of the candidates who made their choice were granted the right to be placed in a higher education institution.
The number of candidates placed in formal associate and undergraduate programs of state and foundation universities in the country was 619 thousand 766.
4 out of 10 candidates placed in one of their top three choices
According to the placement results, 19 percent of the candidates were placed in their first choice, 12 percent in their second choice and 9 percent in their third choice. Thus, 40 percent of the candidates won one of their first 3 choices.
The rate of those who were placed in their fourth choice was 8 percent, and the rate of those who were placed in their fifth choice was 7 percent. Thus, 55 percent of the candidates settled on one of their top five choices.
The rate of those who had the right to make a choice but did not make any choice was 41.5 percent among all candidates and 45.7 percent among senior students.
70 percent of the candidates who had previously graduated from secondary education but had not been placed in any higher education program made their choice.
"Our aim is to train qualified manpower that will make Türkiye one of the technology-producing countries."
YÖK President Prof., whose views were included in the statement. Dr. Erol Özvar said, "Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we have carried out a major transformation that not only increases access to higher education but also improves its quality and prepares our young people for the future of Türkiye." he said.
Özvar stated that the results show the accuracy of the quota policy implemented by considering the supply-demand balance.
Emphasizing that they have rearranged the quotas of some programs, especially law, pharmacy, dentistry, psychology and teaching, Özvar said, "We are very pleased with the positive reflection of the quota policy we implemented on the placement results. The occupancy in our state universities has reached a historical level, there are almost no vacant quotas left. The 100 percent occupancy in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and law programs, which have a success rank threshold, clearly shows the success of this policy." He made a statement.
Stating that the strong demand for programs on artificial intelligence, data science, cyber security and digital technologies is also important, Özvar pointed out that the preferences of young people coincide with the human resources that Türkiye will need in the future.
Özvar said, "This table shows our students' high awareness of the professions of the future, as well as revealing that our higher education policies are progressing in line with our country's human resource needs. Our aim is to train qualified manpower that will make Türkiye one of the countries that develop, produce and direct in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies." made his assessment.
Stating that the success rankings in some programs have increased to several thousand percentiles, Özvar said, "Students with much higher success rankings are now being accepted into the programs of our well-established state universities. The fact that the rankings have risen to several thousand percentiles in some programs is a clear indication of the strong demand and trust in our universities." he said.
Özvar stated that he believes that a stronger higher education picture will emerge in the coming period with the combination of the success of the students and the knowledge of the academics.
Özvar congratulated the candidates and their families who were placed in a higher education program and called on the candidates who could not be placed in any program in the first placement to follow the additional placement process.
Stating that the vacant quotas of universities will be notified to ÖSYM by YÖK, Özvar noted that the additional placement calendar will be announced by ÖSYM.
