European Union Relations in Turkey

A dedicated English-taught bachelor’s in European Union Relations is not open to new international applicants at the two Istanbul universities that ran it. Bilgi University states that its European Union Studies programme accepts no new students, and Bahçeşehir no longer lists European Union Relations among its programmes. The practical route in 2026–27 is an English-taught International Relations degree with EU-focused electives: Bahçeşehir charges $8 500 a year and Bilgi $12 000.

• What the degree was: a four-year social-science programme on European integration, EU institutions and law, the single market and Turkey–EU relations.
• What replaces it: Political Science and International Relations at Bahçeşehir, International Relations at Bilgi, or International Relations at Yaşar in İzmir.
• How to keep the EU focus: choose European politics and EU law electives, a second EU language, an Erasmus exchange semester and an EU-related graduation thesis.
• Checked on: 29 September 2026, on the universities’ own programme pages.

Whether you take a dedicated EU degree elsewhere or build an EU specialisation inside International Relations, the subject matter is similar. The sequence below shows how an IR degree can carry an EU track; course names vary by university.

Bilgi’s description of its former programme also expected students to reach proficiency in at least one EU language besides English, which remains good advice for any EU-oriented career.

• School certificate. Bilgi publishes a 50% minimum average and accepts SAT 1000, ACT 18 or IB 28 as alternative routes, including for holders of the Russian certificate.
• English. Bahçeşehir lists TOEFL iBT 72 or PTE Academic 55 and does not accept IELTS, Duolingo or TOEFL Home Edition; Bilgi lists TOEFL iBT 75 or PTE Academic 60. Otherwise you begin with the preparatory programme.
• Exams. Some universities also take YÖS results; the 2026 TR-YÖS/1 sitting was on 12 April 2026.
• After admission: diploma equivalence from the Ministry of National Education and a student residence permit.

1. Count the EU courses. Look in the catalogue for EU law, European integration, EU external relations and Turkey–EU relations, and check how often they run.
2. Exchange partners. An Erasmus semester at an EU university is the closest substitute for a dedicated EU degree; ask how many places exist per year and whether they suit your nationality.
3. Research centres. Centres on Europe, migration or foreign policy offer assistantships and events that matter for a CV.
4. Cost versus benefit. Bilgi costs $3 500 a year more than Bahçeşehir for 2026–27; decide what the difference buys in staff, exchanges and networks.

EU-affairs graduates work as policy analysts, EU-funding and project managers, public-affairs staff in business associations and companies that trade with the EU, researchers in think tanks, and in NGOs and international organisations. Grant-writing and project-management skills for EU-funded programmes are among the most transferable.

In Turkey, EU relations are handled by the Directorate for EU Affairs within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and public posts there require Turkish citizenship. International graduates more often use the degree in their home administration, in consultancies, or as a base for a specialised EU master’s abroad.

Bahçeşehir’s 2026–27 list charges $8 500 a year for its School of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, which includes Political Science and International Relations. Bilgi charges $12 000 a year for International Relations. Yaşar’s fee page shows no academic year, so request a quote. If you plan an Erasmus semester, budget for higher living costs in the host country as well as housing, health insurance and the residence permit in Turkey.