Historic Student Amnesty: 4 Million People to Return to University

The student amnesty, approved by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, provides an opportunity for millions of people who have severed their ties with universities or have not exercised their right to register to return to their education by applying within 4 months.The regulation covers a wide range of students in higher education and does not have any class, program, or year restrictions. Eligible individuals can continue their education from where they left off in the 2026-2027 academic year by applying to their former universities within 4 months.The law does not cover students who have been convicted of certain crimes or have had their ties severed for specific reasons. These include those whose registration was canceled due to fake documents, those who used fake documents during registration, and those whose ties were severed due to connections with terrorist organizations.One of the notable provisions of the regulation concerns those who have previously benefited from amnesties. According to this provision, having benefited from an amnesty at a different level of education does not prevent one from benefiting from the new regulation at another level.The law also regulates the military service procedures for students returning to university. The deferment of military service for students who resume their education will be carried out in accordance with existing regulations. Students who are currently serving in the military can benefit from this right by applying within 2 months of their discharge date.The regulation not only provides the right to return to university but also allows students who re-enroll in their former universities to apply for lateral transfer to other diploma programs of the same type, provided they meet the base score of the year they entered. Additionally, students can apply for lateral transfer to equivalent open education associate's and bachelor's programs.