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The Council of Higher Education (YOK) issued a warning for students planning to study abroad.
The council seeks to prevent students from facing future grievances regarding their degrees. YOK does not grant equivalence for diplomas from unrecognized institutions.
The official statement noted, "Pay attention to diploma factories."
Certain institutions operate without official status in their host countries.
The public knows these organizations as "diploma factories." These entities use aggressive marketing to attract students through digital platforms and social media.
YOK identifies several misleading claims used by consultancy companies:
The council urges candidates to ignore these false statements. No university or program can provide a "guarantee of equivalence" before graduation.
YOK evaluates every application individually after the student completes their studies. This evaluation follows current legislation and depends on the documents provided at the time of application.
Students often confuse the legal definitions of recognition and equivalence.
Clear distinctions exist between the two terms:
YOK cannot grant equivalence to a student if the institution lacks official recognition. Candidates must confirm the status of their chosen university before they begin their education.
Students can check the status of foreign universities through the e-Devlet portal.
They should use the "School Recognition Document Inquiry" (Okul Tanıma Belgesi Sorgulama) service to see if YOK recognizes the institution. If the portal does not list the school, candidates must take further action.
They should fill out a "School Recognition Petition" (Okul Tanıma Dilekçesi) and send it to the Department of Recognition and Equivalence Services in Ankara.
The council reminds the public that it does not have authorized branches or consultancy firms outside the Turkish capital.
Statements from third parties claiming they can "speed up the process" or "ensure a positive result" do not reflect reality.
Only official sources provide accurate information regarding the validity of foreign diplomas in Türkiye.
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