Can you get into a UK university with a Turkish high school diploma? Required grade percentage, A levels and the foundation year

Who does this apply to?

• This is general information. It does not assess anyone's personal situation and does not recommend a university. It is for people who finished high school in Türkiye and want to study for a bachelor's degree in the UK. It uses the University of Sheffield's Türkiye entry requirements page as an example (October 2026); other universities may ask for different percentages and extra conditions.

How does the university system work?

• In the UK each university sets its own entry requirements. UCAS only collects the application. So there is no single answer to "is the Turkish diploma valid"; look at each course and university page.

The Sheffield example (undergraduate)

• The Turkish high school diploma (Devlet Lise, Lise Bitirme, Anadolu Lisesi and Fen Lisesi diplomas) is accepted from schools verified on MEB e-Okul.
• Predicted A level equivalent by final-year (grade 12) percentage: **88% = A*AA, 85% = AAA, 80% = AAB, 75% = ABB, 72% = BBB**.
• At least 3 A levels are also accepted for direct admission. IB Diploma holders are also considered; required scores vary by course.
• For those whose diploma or percentage is not enough, the university's International College International Foundation Year programmes (Business, Social Sciences and Humanities, Science and Engineering) lead to an undergraduate degree.
• The page asks for IELTS 6.0 or equivalent for English; some departments may ask for more.

What about other universities?

• In this post we verified in detail only one university's page. In search results different universities appear to ask for different percentages, and some accept applications from certain high schools while asking for A levels or a foundation year from others. Check this on the page of the university you apply to.

The foundation year and Student Finance

• GOV.UK says the tuition fee loan for a classroom-based foundation year is up to £5,760 in 2026-27. For who gets these loans, see the post "Who can get a student loan?".

Points to watch

• Grade percentages and conditions can change each year. Check the university's current page for your application year.
• Official pages change. This post is a general summary.

What can you do?

• Read Sheffield: Entry requirements for students from Türkiye as an example and compare it with your target university's Türkiye page.
• See the education history rules on UCAS: Filling in your application.