The Foreign Language Test (YDT), the third and final session of the 2026 Higher Education Institutions Exam (2026-YKS) organized by the Assessment, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM), has been completed. University candidate students had taken the Basic Proficiency Test (TYT), the first session of YKS, yesterday. Today, the second session, Field Proficiency Tests (AYT), and the third session, YDT, were held. The YDT, which started at 15:45, did not admit candidates to exam buildings after 15:30.
The third session, conducted in 5 languages (German, Arabic, French, English, and Russian) and lasting 120 minutes, contained a total of 80 questions for each language. A total of 203,639 candidates applied for the exam, which candidates took based on their chosen language: 195,051 for English, 4,178 for Arabic, 2,550 for German, 941 for Russian, and 919 for French. With the YDT ending at 17:45, all sessions of YKS were completed.
OVER 920,000 CANDIDATES APPLIED TO YKS FOR THE FIRST TIME
YKS was held in 254 exam centers across 81 provinces and in Nicosia, the capital of the TRNC. Additionally, TYT and AYT sessions were organized in Belgrade for 8 athletes who will participate in the ISF World School Sports Basketball Championship to be held in Zlatibor, Serbia, from June 13-22 by the International School Sport Federation.
This year, 921,248 candidates applied to YKS for the first time, 665,113 for the second time, 447,067 for the third time, 198,904 for the fourth time, and 193,296 for the fifth or more times. The youngest candidate was 16 years old, the oldest was 87, and 20,158 people aged 50 and over applied for the exam. For the healthy administration of YKS, 600,299 exam officials served across the three sessions.
Approximately 50,000 security personnel served in the three sessions of the exam, all processes of which were carried out in coordination with security units.
NUMBER OF FEMALE CANDIDATES HIGHER AGAIN THIS YEAR
In YKS, as was the case last year, the number of female candidates was higher than male candidates this year as well. Of those applying for 2026-YKS, 1,324,509 were female candidates and 1,101,119 were male candidates.
The number of candidates wishing to benefit from the quota for women over 34 years of age, determined by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), was 83,741. 15,360 disabled candidates applied for the exam. Necessary measures were taken in exam buildings and halls to ensure disabled candidates did not face any difficulties during the exam process. Based on health reports, extra time and auxiliary personnel support were provided to candidates in need.
OVER 100 PERSONNEL REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES
Under the practice exempting martyrs' and veterans' relatives and veterans from exam, application service, and placement fees, exam fees were not collected from 10,880 candidates. This year, YKS was held for the first time in exam centers in the Gazipaşa district of Antalya, the Ilgın district of Konya, the Kuşadası district of Aydın, and the Of district of Trabzon.
On the other hand, over 100 personnel working at ÖSYM's closed printing center for the printing, packaging, inspection, and dispatch of question booklets were reunited with their families after the completion of the exam marathon. According to the ÖSYM calendar, YKS results will be announced on July 22.
