Turkish teen prodigy earns full scholarships from 7 top US universities

Irem Deniz Kucukkose, a high school senior from Türkiye who achieved a perfect score in the national high school entrance exam (LGS), has added another remarkable chapter to her inspiring story. The daughter of a police officer mother and a military officer father, Kucukkose, has now been accepted with full scholarships to seven of the most prestigious universities in the United States, including Princeton and UC Berkeley.

Now, in her final year at Bahcesehir College Science and Technology High School in Istanbul on a full scholarship, she continues to stand out for her academic excellence and humanitarian innovation.

From developing AI-supported tools for the visually impaired to being selected among the world’s most promising youth, Kucukkose is already reshaping the future of technology and education.

Innovating for inclusion

Even as a 10th-grade student, Kucukkose focused on using technology to serve humanity. She developed an AI-powered, computer-integrated, refreshable Braille display for the visually impaired—a device designed to be more portable and user-friendly than existing models on the market.

But her efforts didn’t stop there. She also led a team that recorded and voiced 111 exam prep booklets—including official sample questions from Türkiye’s Ministry of National Education—to increase accessibility for visually impaired students preparing for exams.

These groundbreaking efforts earned her a spot on the “100 Rise Global” list, an international recognition given by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust to young people developing solutions for global challenges.

Global recognition, local pride

Speaking about her university acceptances, Kucukkose said, “From the beginning, my dream has been to study at either Princeton or the University of Pennsylvania. They are among the most prestigious institutions in the world. I haven’t made my final decision yet, but I must enroll by early May. Wherever I go, I will give my best to make my country proud and continue the work I started in high school.”

Besides Princeton and Penn, she also received full offers from UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Georgia Tech, UC Santa Barbara, and Drexel University.

Aiming for Silicon Valley

With long-term ambitions to become a tech entrepreneur, Kucukkose is already thinking beyond college. “My biggest goal is to establish a technology startup—ideally in Silicon Valley or anywhere in Europe where I can reach more people,” she said. “After my undergraduate studies, I plan to pursue a master’s degree and take steps toward building the tech initiatives I’ve dreamed of.”

What is ‘Rise for the World’?

The Rise for the World initiative was founded in 2019 by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy Schmidt, in partnership with Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust at Oxford University.

It identifies and supports 100 young people aged 15–17 each year, selected from hundreds of thousands of projects worldwide.

The initiative offers lifelong support to these young innovators, starting with university scholarships and continuing through their careers.