Documents checklist
Documents for Turkish University Admission: A Checklist for Afghan Students
The documents Afghan students usually need at each stage (applying, the student visa and final registration in Türkiye), plus how translation and legalisation work for Afghan documents.
Checked against official sources on 19 October 2026. Each university, and each Turkish embassy or consulate, publishes its own list. Use this checklist to prepare early, then follow the official list for your programme and mission. We give every student a personal checklist.
In short: To apply you usually need your passport, grade 12 diploma and transcripts (or degree documents), any test scores and a photo. For the visa you add the acceptance letter and proof of funds. At registration you show originals and, for bachelor's students, the denklik certificate. Afghan documents are legalised, not apostilled.
1. For university applications
- Passport: the photo page, valid well beyond your planned start date
- High school diploma (grade 12 graduation certificate), or a letter confirming you are expected to graduate
- Transcripts showing your grades, usually for grades 10–12
- Exam or test results, if the programme requires them (for example TR-YÖS, a university YÖS exam or the SAT)
- Language certificate (English or Turkish), if you have one
- Passport-style photograph in digital form
- For master's and PhD: bachelor's (and master's) diploma and transcripts, CV, statement of purpose, reference letters and any required exam scores
2. For the student visa
The mission where you apply sets the final list. See the full Turkish student visa guide.
- Acceptance letter from the Turkish university
- Passport, with enough validity (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises at least six months from arrival)
- Completed visa pre-application and appointment confirmation
- Photographs that meet the mission's specification
- Proof of financial means for tuition and living costs
- Proof of tuition payment, if required by the offer or the mission
- Insurance, if requested
- Copies of academic documents, translated and legalised where required
3. For final registration in Türkiye
Final registration happens in person after you arrive. Universities commonly ask for:
- Original diploma and transcripts, with approved translations
- High school equivalence certificate (denklik) for undergraduate students, issued by the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB). It can often be applied for through the MEB e-Denklik system or a Turkish mission, depending on the rules that apply to you.
- Passport with your entry stamp and student visa
- Proof of tuition payment
- Photographs
After registration you will apply for a student residence permit through e-İkamet, which requires valid health insurance.
4. Translation and legalisation of Afghan documents
Afghanistan is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, according to the Hague Conference on Private International Law's status table. Afghan documents therefore cannot be apostilled. When a Turkish university or authority asks for certified documents, the usual route is legalisation. Typically this means certification by the issuing Afghan authority and the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by attestation at a Turkish mission. Universities may also require a Turkish translation by a sworn translator or a notarised translation, while some accept English documents.
Requirements differ between universities, so do not translate or legalise documents until you know exactly what your chosen universities and the visa mission accept. This step is costly and slow, so it should be done once and correctly.
Consistency matters more than students expect
Your name and date of birth must match exactly across your passport, tazkira, diplomas, transcripts and translations. Small differences in spelling, such as "Mohammad" and "Muhammad", can delay applications, registration or the visa. We check consistency across every document before anything is submitted.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can Afghan documents be apostilled for Turkey?
No. Afghanistan is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so Afghan documents are legalised instead. The exact steps depend on what the university or authority requests.
Do I need my documents translated into Turkish?
Often, but not always. Some universities accept English documents for the application and ask for Turkish translations at registration. Check before you pay for translations.
What is the denklik certificate?
It is the high school equivalence certificate issued by the Turkish Ministry of National Education. Turkish universities generally require it to complete undergraduate registration for students who finished high school abroad.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the team at Noory Educational Consultancy Services, an education consultancy in Jalalabad established in 2018 and led by Fatihullah Noory (Founder & CEO). We check time-sensitive facts against official sources and update our guides when the rules change.
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