Guidelines for Students Taking the 2026-2027 Academic Year Fall Semester Ph.D. Proficiency Exam
1. Students must submit their Ph.D. proficiency applications to the Department Chairmanships between November 02 and November 06, 2026.
2. Department Chairmanships shall forward the Ph.D. proficiency application forms to the Institute via EBYS (Electronic Document Management System) between November 02 and November 13, 2026. Ph.D. proficiency exams will be held between December 01 and December 31, 2026.
3. Students are required to apply to their respective Department Chairmanships for the Ph.D. proficiency exam. Department Chairmanships must submit the applications approved by the Ph.D. proficiency committee collectively to the Institute via an official cover letter (EBYS).
4. The student's grade point average document must be attached to the application form. (Transcripts will be obtained by the student from the OBS "Student Information System" or via e-Government).
5. Students are required to attach their foreign language proficiency documents to the application form.
6. The Ph.D. proficiency jury consists of five regular faculty members (one advisor and at least two from outside the institution) and two reserve faculty members (one from the same department/division and the other from outside the institution).
("The Ph.D. Proficiency Exam Jury Appointment Proposal Form" must be filled out by the Ph.D. proficiency committee.)
7. The Ph.D. proficiency exam is conducted in two parts: written and oral. Both written and oral exams are evaluated out of 100 points. Students who score at least 70 points in the written exam are admitted to the oral exam.
8. The examination juries evaluate the student's success status in the written and oral exams and decide by a majority vote whether the student is successful or unsuccessful. This decision shall be reported to the Institute via an official report by the Institute Department/Division Chairmanship within three days following the proficiency exam.
9. A student who fails the proficiency exam is retaken in the following semester for the written/oral exam in which they failed. A student who fails this exam as well shall be disaffiliated from the Ph.D. program.
(A student has the right to take the Ph.D. proficiency exam a maximum of 2 (two) times.)
10. Students who fulfill the conditions but do not take the proficiency exam at any stage are deemed to have used this right and failed at that stage. (Students who enrolled in the fall semester of the 2024-2025 academic year or earlier, completed their coursework, reached the proficiency stage, applied to take the Ph.D. proficiency exam, but did not take the exam).
11. Students who applied for and failed the Ph.D. proficiency exam in the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year, or who were required to apply in the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year but failed to do so, are required to take the Ph.D. proficiency exam in the fall semester of the 2026-2027 academic year. In case of failure to take the exam, they will be deemed unsuccessful and their affiliation with the Ph.D. program will be terminated.
12. Jury members shall be determined by the Ph.D. proficiency committee.
13. The Ph.D. proficiency exam appointment form shall be signed solely by the proficiency committee.
Required Forms
1. Ph.D. Proficiency Exam Jury Appointment Form. (This form shall be filled out by the Department Ph.D. Proficiency Committee subsequent to being signed by the student taking the Ph.D. Proficiency Exam.)
2. Foreign Language Document. (The document you submitted for admission to the Ph.D. Program is valid.)
3. Ph.D. Proficiency Written Exam Form. (The student shall use this form during the written exam.)
4. Ph.D. Proficiency Exam Jury Report Form (This form shall be filled out by the members of the Ph.D. proficiency exam jury.)
5. Ph.D. Proficiency Exam Jury Members Evaluation Form (This form shall be filled out separately by each jury member.)