KPSS score types explained: what P1, P2, P3 and the rest mean

KPSS does not produce one score. It produces several, and which one a cadre reads depends entirely on which group and profile that cadre falls under. For KPSS Lisans, the standard score types built from the Genel Yetenek (General Ability) and Genel Kultur (General Culture) session are usually labelled P1, P2 and P3, and each weights the two sections differently. Get the wrong one confused with the right one and a candidate can misjudge their own placement chances by a wide margin.

What determines a KPSS puan turu?

A puan turu (score type) is simply a formula that combines a candidate’s standardised Genel Yetenek score and Genel Kultur score in a fixed ratio. OSYM computes every formula from the same raw answer sheet, so a single exam sitting produces multiple scores at once, not one.

What do P1, P2 and P3 actually weight?

The three most commonly cited KPSS Lisans score types weight the two sections as follows, drawing on how OSYM and outlets that track KPSS scoring describe them:

• P1 weights Genel Yetenek at roughly 70 percent and Genel Kultur at roughly 30 percent. This score type is read by several engineering departments and by graduates of Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakultesi (IIBF) programmes for a subset of cadres.
• P2 weights Genel Yetenek at roughly 60 percent and Genel Kultur at roughly 40 percent.
• P3 splits the two sections evenly, at 50 percent each, and is the score type used most widely across general B group memur cadres.

These weightings are the ones circulated by Turkish news outlets that compile KPSS score-type explainers each cycle; the authoritative version for any given year is the current KPSS Kilavuzu published by OSYM, which also lists the additional score types (such as P4 and beyond) that apply to specific degree programmes and A group specialist cadres.

Why the same candidate gets several different scores

Because every puan turu is computed from the same two raw sections, a candidate who did unusually well on Genel Kultur but only average on Genel Yetenek will see their P1 (which discounts Genel Kultur heavily) sit lower than their P3. That gap is normal, not an error, and it is why checking every relevant score type before assuming a cadre is out of reach matters. Candidates targeting A group and B group cadres in particular need to know which score type their target profile reads, because A group cadres draw on a much wider set of score types than the handful used across B group placements.

How this connects to Alan Bilgisi

Candidates sitting the Alan Bilgisi session for A group cadres get an entirely separate family of subject-specific score types layered on top of Genel Yetenek and Genel Kultur. That session, and which university departments it actually covers, is explained in which departments KPSS Alan Bilgisi covers.

Using score types at the tercih stage

The Tercih Kilavuzu that OSYM publishes after results lists, for every open cadre, the exact puan turu that cadre reads and the minimum education level required. A candidate preparing their preference list needs to check this column, not just their highest overall score, since a cadre that reads P1 will rank candidates in a completely different order to one that reads P3. The mechanics of that preference and placement round are covered in what the KPSS preference matching tools actually do.

How to know which score you should be watching

Start from the cadre you want, not from your own highest score. Look up that cadre’s puan turu requirement in the current Tercih Kilavuzu on the OSYM Aday Islemleri Sistemi, then compare it against the equivalent score on your own KPSS result document. If you are still weighing whether your overall standing is competitive at all, the practical benchmarks are set out in how much KPSS score you actually need to become a civil servant.

FAQ

How many KPSS score types are there in total? KPSS Lisans has several score types beyond P1, P2 and P3, including subject-specific ones tied to Alan Bilgisi for A group cadres; the exact list for the current cycle is in the KPSS Kilavuzu on osym.gov.tr.

Do all score types use the same raw answers? Yes. Every puan turu is calculated from the standardised Genel Yetenek and Genel Kultur scores of the same exam sitting, just weighted differently.

Which score type do most memur cadres read? Most general B group memur cadres read P3, the evenly weighted score, but this is set cadre by cadre in the Tercih Kilavuzu, so it should always be confirmed rather than assumed.

Can my P1 and P3 scores be very different? Yes, because they weight Genel Yetenek and Genel Kultur differently, a candidate strong in one section but weaker in the other can see a noticeable gap between their score types.

Where is the official list of score types published? In the current year’s KPSS Kilavuzu (guide) on osym.gov.tr, which is the only source that is binding for a given cycle.