What this degree covers
Mechatronics engineering is a four-year engineering bachelor's that combines mechanical design, electronics, control and software to build machines that sense and act: robots, automated production lines, drones, vehicles and medical devices. In Istanbul it is taught in English from $5,000 a year at Okan and $9,000 at Bahçeşehir to $12,000 at Bilgi and $36,500 at Sabancı (2026/27), with Turkish-taught tracks from about $3,250.
The degree suits students who do not want to choose between mechanical and electrical engineering. The first two years share the common engineering core; from the third year you design control systems, programme microcontrollers and PLCs, and integrate sensors and actuators in lab projects.
Turkey's manufacturing base makes the subject practical. Automotive plants and suppliers around Istanbul, Kocaeli and Bursa, white-goods and defence manufacturers, and a growing robotics and automation sector hire mechatronics engineers for design, commissioning and maintenance roles.
What you study
Mechatronics is lab-intensive. Expect weekly labs from the second year, team projects with real hardware, and at least one summer internship in industry.
- Calculus and linear algebra
- Physics
- Introduction to programming
- Engineering drawing and CAD
- Introduction to mechatronics
- Statics and dynamics
- Circuit analysis
- Digital electronics
- Strength of materials
- Differential equations
- Control systems
- Sensors and actuators
- Microcontrollers and embedded systems
- Machine elements
- Summer internship
- Robotics
- PLC and industrial automation
- Technical electives (autonomous vehicles, machine vision, AI)
- Senior design project
Ask whether the senior design project is funded and whether teams can enter national competitions such as TEKNOFEST, where student teams build robots, drones and vehicles.
Entry requirements for international applicants
Private universities admit international students on documents and English; strong mathematics and physics are the real requirement.
- School record. Diploma and transcript with good maths and physics; some universities set a minimum, such as Atılım's 50% GPA rule.
- English. Okan and Bahçeşehir accept TOEFL iBT 72 or PTE 55 for exemption and do not accept IELTS; Bilgi asks for TOEFL iBT 75 or PTE 60; Sabancı and Kadir Has publish their own requirements, so check them before booking a test.
- Turkish track. Nişantaşı and Gelişim teach mechatronics in Turkish, so plan for B2 Turkish.
- Master's and PhD. A relevant engineering bachelor's; Bahçeşehir's master's English threshold is TOEFL iBT 79 or PTE 67.
How to compare mechatronics programmes
- Labs and equipment. Ask to see robotics, automation and embedded-systems labs and how many hours students actually spend in them.
- Industry projects and internships. Links with automotive, defence and automation companies matter more than the university's overall ranking.
- Price and scholarships. English-taught fees range widely; Sabancı and Kadir Has publish scholarship schemes, and Sabancı lists 25% to 75% tuition waivers.
- Accreditation. Ask whether the programme holds engineering accreditation, which can help with recognition abroad.
- Path to a master's. Okan, Bahçeşehir and TEDU run mechatronics or related master's degrees in English.
Universities offering Mechatronics Engineering
Published mechatronics fees by level, with the academic year each university states.
| University | Degree | Language | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nisantasi University | Bachelor | Turkish | $3,250/yr (year not stated) · fee source |
| Gelisim University | Bachelor | Turkish | $4,000/yr (2025/26) · fee source |
| Okan University | Bachelor | English | $5,000/yr (2026/27) · fee source |
| Gedik University | Bachelor | English | $6,000/yr (2025/26) · fee source |
| Bahcesehir University | Bachelor | English | $9,000/yr (2026/27) · fee source |
| Bilgi University | Bachelor | English | $12,000/yr (2026/27) · fee source |
| Atılım University (Ankara) | Bachelor | English | $14,500/yr (2026/27 intake) |
| Kadir Has University | Bachelor | English | $20,000/yr (year not stated) · fee source |
| Sabanci University | Bachelor | English | $36,500/yr (2026/27) · fee source |
| Gedik University — thesis | Master | Turkish | $5,000 (2025/26) · fee source |
| Okan University — Automotive Mechatronics and Intelligent Vehicles, thesis | Master | English | $6,000 total (2026/27) · fee source |
| TED University | Master | English | $8,000 total (year not stated) · fee source |
| Bahcesehir University — non-thesis | Master | English | $12,000 total (2026/27) · fee source |
| Bahcesehir University — thesis | Master | English | $14,000 total (2026/27) · fee source |
| Okan University | PhD | English | $9,000 total (2026/27) · fee source |
Bachelor's fees are per year; Okan's, TEDU's and Bahçeşehir's graduate fees cover the whole programme, while Gedik's 2025/26 list does not say. Nişantaşı shows a discounted price (list $5,463) without naming the year; Kadir Has does not state the year either.
What it costs
Four years of tuition range from about $20,000 at Okan to $36,000 at Bahçeşehir, $48,000 at Bilgi and $146,000 at Sabancı before scholarships (2026/27 fees).
English preparation, if needed, adds $3,000 at Okan (2026/27) and $6,000 at Gedik (2025/26). Okan's deposit is $1,000 for programmes under $6,500.
Budget for a laptop that runs CAD and simulation software and for small components for personal projects, alongside rent, transport, residence permit and insurance.
Careers after mechatronics
Mechatronics graduates work wherever machines are automated:
- automation or controls engineer programming PLCs and robots on production lines;
- design engineer for electromechanical products and vehicles;
- embedded-systems or firmware engineer;
- robotics engineer in automation integrators and research labs;
- field-service and commissioning engineer for machinery suppliers.
Employment in Turkey requires an employer-sponsored work permit. Some defence-industry roles can carry nationality restrictions, so international graduates more often start in automotive, automation and consumer-product companies.
Is this program right for you?
It clicks if you…
- You like building and programming things, not only designing them on paper.
- You are strong in mathematics and physics.
- You want broad engineering skills that fit many industries.
Consider carefully if…
- You prefer pure software; computer or software engineering is more direct.
- You dislike lab work and hands-on troubleshooting.
How to apply
- Nine to twelve months before September: take an English test accepted by your chosen universities; IELTS is not accepted at Okan or Bahçeşehir.
- Application: apply online with passport, transcript and diploma or expected-graduation certificate; add olympiad or project evidence if you have it.
- Offer: pay the deposit, receive the acceptance letter and apply for a student visa.
- Arrival: register with the equivalency certificate and apply for the residence permit.
FAQ about the program
Yes. Okan, Gedik, Bahçeşehir, Bilgi, Kadir Has, Sabancı and Atılım teach it in English.
Okan's programme at $5,000 a year (2026/27). Gedik lists $6,000 in its 2025/26 table.
Mechatronics combines both with control and software. You go less deep into either field but learn to integrate them into working systems.
Yes. Bahçeşehir's English master's costs $12,000 without a thesis and $14,000 with one; TEDU's costs $8,000 for the whole programme.
Yes. School physics and mathematics are the foundation of the first two years.
Yes, with a work permit arranged by the employer. Automotive and automation companies around Istanbul, Kocaeli and Bursa are common employers.
Planning a mechatronics degree in Turkey?
During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step. Programme comparison, document preparation and application support are provided under an agreement with StudyU; each university decides admission and scholarships, and the migration authorities decide the residence permit.
Official sources
- YÖK Atlas: official program catalogue — program availability, institution and stated language of instruction. International quotas and tuition require the university's own current source.
- YÖK: official international-student information — the official university search route and general international-student guidance. The chosen university still owns its admission requirements.
- ÖSYM: official TR-YÖS exam (2026) — the official calendar and application route for TR-YÖS/1 in 2026. Each university publishes whether the result is required for the selected program.
Also checked on 29 September 2026 on the institutions’ own sites:
- İstanbul Okan University: tuition 2026-2027 (study.okan.edu.tr) — bachelor's, master's and PhD fees, preparatory year, deposit.
- Bahçeşehir University: 2026-2027 tuition fees (int.bau.edu.tr) — engineering and master's fees.
- Bahçeşehir University: programmes (int.bau.edu.tr) — English-taught mechatronics bachelor's and master's.
- Bahçeşehir University: language proficiency (int.bau.edu.tr) — English scores and tests not accepted.
- İstanbul Bilgi University: 2026-2027 undergraduate tuition (bilgi.edu.tr) — Mechatronics fee.
- Sabancı University: tuition fee (iro.sabanciuniv.edu) — 2026-2027 undergraduate fee and scholarship levels.
- Sabancı University: bachelor's programmes (iro.sabanciuniv.edu) — Mechatronics Engineering, 100% English.
- Kadir Has University: tuition and scholarships (khas.edu.tr) — undergraduate fee.
- Gedik University: tuition fees (2025-2026) (international.gedik.edu.tr) — bachelor's, master's and English preparatory fees.
- Gelişim University: 2025-2026 fees (PDF) (international.gelisim.edu.tr) — Turkish-taught mechatronics fee.
- Nişantaşı University: application portal (apply.nisantasi.edu.tr) — Turkish-taught mechatronics price.
- Atılım University: undergraduate admissions (ic.atilim.edu.tr) — Mechatronics (EN) fee and GPA rule.
- TED University: fees and scholarships (ipo.tedu.edu.tr) — Mechatronics master's fee.
Fees are in US dollars as published for the academic year shown; the offer letter confirms the amount.
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