Haliç University (istanbul)

Haliç University: A practical guide for students considering Istanbul

Haliç University is a foundation (private non-profit) university founded in 1998 in Istanbul. The campus is in Eyüpsultan / 5th Levent, near the Golden Horn and connected to metro and metrobus lines. It is not a public university and does not compete with Boğaziçi, ITU or Koç on prestige. For students who want program variety and city life in Istanbul, it is a mid-sized, accessible option.

Figures (2025 activity report): 17,075 students in total. Associate 3,023, bachelor’s 12,997, master’s 902, PhD 156. International students: 1,787 (about 10%). More than 32,000 alumni. 8 faculties, about 50 bachelor’s and 40 associate programs.

Faculties: Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, Architecture, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, Medicine, and Sports Sciences, plus a conservatory and vocational school. Most requested fields: medicine (Turkish/English), nursing, physiotherapy, nutrition, psychology, computer / software engineering, business, international trade, architecture, gastronomy.

Typical annual tuition for international students: Bachelor’s in Turkish about USD 4,800, in English USD 5,200, associate USD 3,500. Medicine in Turkish about USD 18,000–21,400, medicine in English USD 24,000. English prep ~USD 4,500, Turkish prep ~USD 2,000.

Housing: The university dormitory is mainly for female students (about 500 places). Rent and private dorms in Istanbul are higher than in Anatolian cities; housing, food and transport often outweigh tuition in the real budget.

Bottom line: Haliç is an Istanbul foundation university with about 17,000 students and 1,800 internationals. It costs more than a public university; in return it offers the city, a wide program list and English-taught options. The decision should rest on the department, internships and the 4–6 year total cost—not the brochure.