Turkey is one of the destinations Jordanian families ask us about most for medicine: short flights, a small cultural gap, fees below the UK, Canada and the US, and medical schools that teach in English. But an offer from a Turkish university is one thing, and equivalency of the degree in Jordan is something else entirely. This guide sets out what to know before you pay any deposit.
The first condition: 90% before you enrol
To equivalence a medicine or dentistry degree, Jordan’s Ministry of Higher Education requires a secondary school average of at least 90% (or 1260 out of 1400 for certificates without an average), achieved before the student enrols abroad.
A Turkish university accepting a student with 85% does not change this. The university decides admission, the Ministry decides equivalency, and the two decisions are separate. If the average is below 90%, the realistic options are a health specialisation with a lower minimum, such as pharmacy (80%) or nursing and the allied medical sciences (70%).
The language rule most families miss
This rule applies to non-English-speaking countries, Turkey among them. According to the Ministry of Higher Education, the local language is treated as the language of instruction in these countries, and a programme taught in another language, such as English, is accepted only on two conditions:
- The programme is shared by local and international students together.
- On graduating, the student brings a document proving proficiency in Turkish.
A programme aimed at international students only is not accepted. So ask the university in writing whether Turkish students study on the same programme, and plan to learn Turkish and get a certificate in it during the degree, even if the teaching is entirely in English.
The university must be recognised on the day you enrol
Find the university on the Ministry’s list of recognised non-Jordanian universities at rce.mohe.gov.jo and keep a dated screenshot of what you found. If you later transfer, the new university must be recognised too, however few hours you study there.
Time in Turkey: 8 months for every year
For a bachelor’s-level degree, the Ministry requires regular study of at least 8 months for each academic year. The time can be split, but each stay must be at least two consecutive months or one semester. Any programme that runs part of the early years remotely needs checking in writing before you enrol.
What does medicine in Turkey cost?
Fees vary widely between private universities, and by language of instruction. These are examples of published fees from two partner universities for the 2026/27 academic year:
| University | Programme | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Bahçeşehir University (BAU) | Medicine, 6 years | USD 28,000 |
| Istanbul Medipol University | Medicine, 100% English | USD 40,000 |
| Istanbul Medipol University | Medicine, 30% English and 70% Turkish | USD 34,000 |
Source: the two universities’ official fee pages, checked on 3 October 2026. Fees are before any discounts or scholarships and can change each year.
On top of tuition, add accommodation, living costs, flights and health insurance, plus an English preparatory year if you do not have an accepted English certificate. Medicine in Turkey takes six years, so work out the full cost, not just the first year.
Admission requirements at Turkish universities
Each Turkish university sets its own requirements for international students. Universities usually ask for the secondary school transcript and certificate, a passport, an English certificate for English-taught programmes, and sometimes an exam result such as the SAT or YÖS. Some medical schools also ask for a motivation letter, as Bahçeşehir does.
Note that a Turkish university’s requirements can be lower than the Jordanian Ministry’s. The rule that decides your career is Jordan’s, not the university’s.
After graduating: internship and the comprehensive exam
Equivalency means your degree is recognised academically, but it is not enough on its own to practise medicine in Jordan. Next come the internship year and the comprehensive exam with the Jordan Medical Council, then the Ministry of Health licence.
Will your medical degree be recognised at home? Check before you pay a deposit
If you plan to practise in the Gulf rather than Jordan, check that country’s authority as well; recognition in Jordan does not carry over automatically.
Before you pay a deposit
- A secondary average of 90% or above.
- The university is on the Ministry’s list today, with a dated screenshot.
- Written confirmation that the programme is open to Turkish students too, not only to international students.
- A plan to get a Turkish language certificate before graduating.
- Written confirmation of the months of in-person study each year.
- The full cost for six years, not just the first year.
We work with 27 partner universities in Turkey and check the average, recognition and programme language with you before any application.
See our partner universities in Turkey
Sources: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Directorate of Recognition and Equivalency, frequently asked questions; official fee pages of Bahçeşehir University and Istanbul Medipol University. Checked on 3 October 2026.