Turkey sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, with fast-growing universities and a fully-funded government scholarship that surprisingly few Sri Lankans apply for. Türkiye Burslary covers everything — tuition, housing, a stipend, flights, and a year of Turkish. Here’s how it works.

What Türkiye Burslary covers

Türkiye Scholarships (Türkiye Burslary) is a fully-funded government programme covering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral study. A typical award includes:

• check_circle Full tuition at a Turkish university
• check_circle Free accommodation in a state dormitory
• check_circle A monthly living stipend
• check_circle Full health insurance
• check_circle Round-trip airfare between Sri Lanka and Turkey
• check_circle A one-year Turkish-language course before your degree

Crucially, the scholarship also places you at a university — you list preferences in one application and the programme matches you, so you don’t apply to each institution separately.

Who can apply — the age and grade rules

Eligibility is tighter than some scholarships, with age and academic thresholds that catch people out:

• check_circle You must NOT be a Turkish citizen (including dual nationality)
• check_circle Undergraduate: typically under 21, with a strong academic record (around 70%+)
• check_circle Master's: typically under 30, with around 75%+
• check_circle PhD: typically under 35, with around 75%+
• check_circle Meet any course-specific requirements (some fields ask for entrance exams or higher scores)

The single application and deadline

Unlike Erasmus Mundus or GREAT, Türkiye Burslary uses one online application through the official portal — you don’t chase individual universities. Applications typically open in January and close in February, so the window is short. Prepare your documents (transcripts, passport, references, your essays) ahead of the opening so you’re not rushing.

Do you need Turkish?

Not to apply. The scholarship funds a year of Turkish-language training, and a growing number of programmes are taught in English — so confirm the language of your chosen course. A genuine interest in Turkey and a clear reason for your field choice strengthen both your essays and any interview.

How to be competitive

Selection weighs your academic record, your stated motivation, and how well your goals fit the programme — and strong candidates may be interviewed. Write specific, authentic essays about why Turkey and why your field, line up good references, and apply early in the short window. A generic application rarely survives a competitive cycle.

The bottom line

Türkiye Burslary is a genuinely fully-funded route — tuition, housing, stipend, flights and language training — with a simple single application and university placement built in. Mind the firm age and grade limits and the short February deadline, write authentic essays, and it’s one of the best-value scholarships open to Sri Lankans.

Next steps

If Turkey appeals, bring us your age, grades, and field. We’ll confirm your eligibility, help you choose programme preferences, and build a competitive application before the deadline closes. To compare it with other fully-funded routes, browse our scholarships index.