How ALES is used for master's and doctoral applications

An ALES score is one input among several in a graduate school application in Turkey, not a pass or fail line on its own. How much weight it actually carries depends on the specific institute and the type of programme, tezli versus tezsiz, master’s versus doctoral, and that weighting is set out in each programme’s own kontenjan ilani rather than by any single national rule.

What ALES gets combined with

Graduate institutes typically weigh three inputs together: the ALES score, the applicant’s mezuniyet notu (undergraduate GPA), and, for many programmes, a YDS or equivalent foreign language score. A common shape reported across programme notices puts ALES at roughly half the total weight, GPA at around twenty to thirty percent, with the remainder covered by the language score, though this varies by institute and by programme, and the binding figure for any given application is always the one stated in that programme’s own notice.

Tezli versus tezsiz master’s programmes

Tezli (thesis-track) master’s programmes generally require an ALES score, most commonly no lower than 55 in the relevant puan turu, though individual senates can and do set a higher floor. Tezsiz (non-thesis) master’s programmes frequently do not require ALES at all, and where a tezsiz programme does ask for it, the threshold is set by that institute’s own senate rather than a fixed national minimum.

Doctoral applications

Doctoral admission generally sets a higher bar than master’s admission for the same puan turu, commonly cited around 80 for candidates applying directly from a bachelor’s degree, with somewhat different figures for candidates who already hold a master’s degree. As with master’s programmes, the number that actually governs a specific application is the one published in that programme’s own admission notice for the relevant academic year.

Which score type your programme reads

Which of the three ALES scores, Sayisal, Sozel or Esit Agirlik, gets read depends on the field. A quantitative doctoral programme typically reads Sayisal; an edebiyat programme typically reads Sozel; law and economics programmes commonly read Esit Agirlik. The mechanics of how these three scores are built from the same exam, and why they can differ noticeably for the same candidate, are explained in the difference between ALES verbal, quantitative and equal weight scores.

Timing a score against an application deadline

Because an ALES score stays valid for five years, most applicants do not need to sit the exam immediately before applying; picking a cycle that lands comfortably ahead of the target programme’s application window, with enough buffer for the score to process, is the practical approach. The full mechanics of that validity window are covered in how long an ALES score stays valid.

If your target is an academic cadre rather than a degree

Academic staff recruitment under Law 2547 uses ALES differently again, with a regulatory floor of 70 for most cadres and a university-run giris sinavi layered on top. That pathway is covered separately in the minimum ALES score for academic staff positions, and the broader picture of what ALES feeds into across both pathways is in what ALES is actually used for.

FAQ

Is ALES required for every master’s programme? No. Tezsiz master’s programmes frequently do not require it, while tezli programmes generally do, though the exact requirement is set by each institute’s admission notice.

What is the typical minimum ALES score for a tezli master’s programme? Commonly cited around 55 in the relevant puan turu, though individual senates can set a higher floor for specific programmes.

Is the ALES minimum for doctoral admission higher than for master’s? Generally yes, commonly cited around 80 for candidates applying directly from a bachelor’s degree, though this varies by institute and programme.

How much weight does ALES actually carry against GPA? A common shape across programme notices weights ALES at roughly half the total, with GPA and a language score covering the rest, but this figure is set by each individual programme rather than fixed nationally.

Can I use one ALES score for both a master’s and a later doctoral application? Yes, within its five-year validity window, provided the score type matches what each application requires.