English Language Proficiency Requirement

English Language Proficiency Requirement for English-Medium Programs

All students who are enrolled in English-medium programs at Özyeğin University must satisfy the English Proficiency requirement in order to matriculate in their undergraduate programs. The English Language Proficiency requirement can be satisfied in one of the following methods explained below. Students who fail to satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirement are placed in the English Preparatory Program based on their performance in the examination. For more about the English Language Preparatory Program, please click here.

1. Recognized National and International Foreign Language Examinations

Students may prove their English proficiency by presenting the score report of one of the University-recognized national or international foreign language examinations that are administered by other institutions (“external examinations”). University-recognized external examinations, and their minimum passing scores, and validity periods are as follows:

Article 6, clause 3, sub-clause d of the Directives on the Determination of Equivalence of Foreign Language Examinations issued by the Student Selection and Placement Center (OSYM) stipulates that international foreign language proficiency examinations administered in Turkey must be administered in buildings owned by state universities in order for the examination to be deemed equivalent and maintain its equivalence. 

For such scores to be deemed acceptable, students must present their original exam results and these results must still be valid at the time of their submission to the University. For a test result to be valid, the validity period of the respective exam should not have expired since the administration of the exam. The School of Languages reserves the right to investigate or reject exam results it deems suspicious, and to require such students to take an OzU English Proficiency Examination when deems necessary. 

Students who have a valid exam score report must fill out the Application Form for Exemption from the English Language Preparatory Program  and submit both their score reports and application forms for preliminary evaluation either by uploading them together with their university enrollment documents or sending them directly to student.services@ozu.edu.tr via email before Friday, September 8, 2023, 15:00. Applications will be reviewed and concluded by the School of Languages.  The School of Languages reserves the right to investigate or reject exam results it deems suspicious.

Students who do not have any external exam score reports may take the examination to be administered by the School of Languages.

2. Graduation from English-Medium High Schools

The following students do not need to present an external exam score report or take the examinations administered by the School of Languages.

• Students who attended an English-medium secondary education institution in Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Zambia within at least the last three years and graduated from this institution within at most the last two years,
• Students who attended an English-medium secondary education institution in an English-speaking country within at least the last three years and graduated from this institution within at most the last two years.

Students who satisfy this requirement do not need to submit a separate application. These students’ condition will be reviewed and concluded by the School of Languages.  However, these students might still be requested to take the OzU English Proficiency Examination in order to determine their English level, if deemed necessary.

3. OzU English Proficiency Tests

OzU English Proficiency Tests are administered in two phases: English Placement Test (PLACEMENT) and English Proficiency Examination (TRACE).   Students who pass the examinations are kept exempt from the English Preparatory Program. These students directly matriculate in their undergraduate programs.

Students who have obtained at least the minimum passing score in Özyeğin University’s TRACE examination within at most the last two years from the date of the examination do not need to take the examination again. These students may directly matriculate in their undergraduate programs, and do not need to submit a separate application.

Students who fail to achieve the minimum passing grade in the examinations or fail to take the tests, or fail to satisfy the other requirements for exemption from the Preparatory English Program are placed in the English Preparatory Program based on the score they achieved. For more about the English Language Preparatory Program, please click here.

For more about the OzU English Proficiency Test calendar, examination method, and examination rules, please click here.

English Language Proficiency Requirement for Turkish-Medium Programs

The English Preparatory Program is optional for the Turkish-medium Undergraduate Law and Undergraduate Architecture Programs.  Students who opt to attend the English Preparatory Program must submit their requests via email to student.services@ozu.edu.tr after they complete their university enrollment. 

These students must take the English Placement Test  (PLACEMENT) and the English Proficiency Examination (TRACE) administered by the University in order to for their English Proficiency level to be determined and to be placed in the English Preparatory Program courses that are appropriate to their levels.

Among students enrolled in Turkish-medium programs, those who satisfy one of the following conditions or those whose English proficiency level is determined to be B1 or B2, can be exempted from ENG 103/104 courses, which are mandatory undergraduate courses, and in lieu of these courses, these students can register for English-medium elective courses.

For more about the OzU English Proficiency Test calendar, examination method, and examination rules, please click here.

Turkish Proficiency Requirement

International students enrolled in fully or partly Turkish-medium programs must prove their proficiency in Turkish. The Turkish proficiency requirement is not applicable to students who completed their secondary education in Turkish-medium institutions in Turkey over the past three years. Students who obtained at least B1 (Intermediate) level score in the Turkish Proficiency Examinations administered by TÖMER or any other examination centers accredited by the Higher Education Council are deemed to have fulfilled the Turkish proficiency requirement provided that their exam results are still valid.