Regular applications for Türkiye's 2026 YDS/2 close at 23:59 on 8 October 2026. ÖSYM lists a TRY 1,200 exam fee and a 9 October payment deadline. The test will take place on 22 November. Completing the online form is not enough: candidates must pay on time and return to the Candidate Transactions System, known as AİS, to check the application record.
2026 YDS/2 application and exam dates
The dates published in the ÖSYM announcement, exam calendar and candidate guide agree. Regular applications opened on 30 September. There is one extra day to make the normal payment, but leaving payment until then gives you little time to resolve a mismatch in your candidate record.
Regular application window: 30 September-8 October 2026
Regular payment deadline: 9 October 2026
Late application day: 14 October 2026
Exam: 22 November 2026 at 10:15
Scheduled result date: 10 December 2026
ÖSYM confirms the application window in its 2026 YDS/2 announcement and lists the remaining dates in the official examination calendar. Because ÖSYM may amend its calendar, check these pages rather than relying on an undated screenshot.
What is YDS, and who may need it?
YDS is Türkiye's Foreign Language Proficiency Examination. Public bodies may use the score for language compensation and recruitment. Universities may consider it in graduate admissions, doctoral or proficiency-in-art applications, and recruitment for certain academic posts. The rules for TUS, DUS and EUS placements also include foreign-language requirements.
An international applicant should not assume that every Turkish university accepts the same score or threshold. Read the programme notice for the accepted language, minimum result and validity period. If the programme also requires ALES, track that application separately through our 2026 ALES/3 guide. Registering for YDS does not create a university application.
How to apply through ÖSYM
Candidates can apply through AİS, the ÖSYM Candidate Transactions mobile app or an authorised application centre. If you are eligible to apply online, sign in with your Turkish identity number or foreigner identification number and password. Select 2026-YDS/2, then inspect your identity, contact, education, photograph and exam-centre details.
Before you leave the AİS application
Confirm the test language and exam-centre preference.
Check that your photograph is valid and recognisable.
Submit the record to ÖSYM and save a copy of the application details.
Pay the TRY 1,200 fee through a channel listed in the guide.
Sign in again and make sure the application appears as complete.
The guide states that entering candidate information does not complete the application by itself. If the fee is not paid within the stated period, ÖSYM cancels the record and does not issue an exam admission document. Keep your payment receipt, but also inspect the live status in the AİS transaction calendar.
Fee and the one-day late application window
The regular 2026-YDS/2 fee is TRY 1,200. The late application option is available only on 14 October, and ÖSYM charges 50 percent more that day. It is a separate one-day window, not an extension of the regular period. The late fee must also be paid on the same day.
The official candidate guide lists participating banks and the ÖSYM card-payment service. Availability can vary by bank and payment channel. Before approving a payment, make sure the transaction names 2026-YDS/2. Paying for the wrong exam or paying twice may not entitle you to a refund.
Languages offered in the November session
YDS/2 will be administered in German, Arabic, French, English and Russian. A candidate may sit only one language in the same examination period. Persian, Greek, Bulgarian, Spanish and Italian appear in the 2026 calendar as electronic exams; they are not part of this paper-based November session.
If you are still placing your general language level, our explanation of A2 and B1 language levels can help you identify a sensible starting point. CEFR labels and YDS scores are different measures, however, and should not be converted as though they were identical.
Test format and scoring
The test contains 80 multiple-choice questions and lasts 180 minutes. Only correct answers count in scoring; wrong answers do not reduce the score. Each correct answer is worth 1.25 points. Under that published method, 60 correct answers correspond to 75 points.
Preparation should cover more than vocabulary lists. The exam includes grammar and vocabulary as well as translation, sentence or paragraph completion, coherence and reading comprehension. During practice, record where you lose time instead of merely counting finished tests. Students comparing formal courses can also browse our language-school resources.
What to bring and when to arrive
You need the exam admission document and an identity document accepted under the guide. Although the test starts at 10:15, entry to exam buildings finishes at 10:00. Candidates arriving after 10:00 will not be admitted. Check the building beforehand if the route is unfamiliar, especially if you are taking the test in a city where you do not normally live.
Checklist after submitting the form
Reopen AİS and verify both application and payment status.
Store the application record where you can retrieve it later.
When the admission document is released, check its photograph, building and room details.
Make sure your identity document will remain valid on 22 November.
Plan to reach the building well before the 10:00 entry cut-off.
Using a YDS score for study in Türkiye
YDS may satisfy a language condition, but it does not replace other admission documents. A graduate programme may ask for transcripts, references, a statement of purpose, ALES or its own interview. International candidates should also verify whether the university accepts YDS for the exact programme and whether a Turkish proficiency document is required separately.
If you are comparing degree options, the guide to choosing a university in Türkiye explains the academic and practical checks worth making before an application. Applicants planning to study from abroad can use our article on common student-visa application mistakes as a separate checklist. Visa rules and YDS rules belong to different authorities, so do not treat one approval as evidence of the other.