Application Requirements For Sabancı Graduate Business School Doctorate (PhD) Program

Application Requirements For Sabancı Graduate Business School Ph.D. Program 

Applications for graduate programs are evaluated by the Admission Jury in line with the specific requirements of the program. Admission is finalized by the approval of the related Graduate School Executive Board upon the recommendation of the Jury and announced to the applicant. 

Applicants could be called for written exams and interviews. All written exams and interviews are held in English. 

Periods for application are announced in Academic Calendar 

Applications of international applicants studying abroad are valid only after the approval and recognition by the Turkish Higher Education Council on the last graduated higher education institution and the course of study. The necessary enquiry is made by the University. 

Turkish candidates graduated from a higher education institution abroad should submit a certificate of equivalence by the Turkish Higher Education Council. Equivalency certificate must be submitted during the enrollment at the University. 

Application Documents and Requirements:

1. Online Application Form: Application must be completed until the deadline. 

2. Official Transcript: An official document issued by the registrar of the candidate's previous institution showing all courses taken and grades received by the candidate. It must be uploaded under “Documents” in the online application system. The transcript which is obtained from E-government (e-Devlet), Higher Education Council (YÖK) / Transcript Document Inquiry menu is also valid. Candidates applying for the Ph.D. Program with a BA degree must hold a minimum of 3.00/4.00 GPA. The candidates graduated from institutions which apply a scale other than “X out of 4.00” system must provide a conversion table or an official letter of evidence from their institutions. 

3. Two Letters of Recommendation: The candidate must upload the contact information of his/her two reference to the online application form. 

a. The writers of recommendation letters are expected to upload them to the online system. When the application is completed, a link will be emailed to the email addresses indicated in the “Recommenders” section of the online application system for them to upload their recommendation letters. 

b. The reference letters uploaded by the candidate are invalid.

c. Please check Recommendation Letter sample 

4. One Photograph: Candidates must upload a passport-sized photo to the online system. 

5. Statement of Personal and Professional Purpose: Letter in English explaining the candidate's intention to apply to the relevant program. It must not exceed 2 pages and it must be uploaded under "Documents" in the online application system. 

6. Result for Graduate Program Entrance Exam: Any of the following science test results baring the minimum scores and which are within the validity period as indicated below must be submitted. Photocopies of the documents mentioned below are accepted for application; however, originals will be requested for registration in the case of admission. 

Table 1:

a. The score obtained in the exam must be written in the relevant part of the online system and the document showing the declared exam result must be uploaded to the "Documents" section of the online application system. 

b. Exam result must be valid as of the application deadline. 

c. Exam results must be announced by the application deadline. Exams announced after the deadline will not be taken into consideration. 

d. The ALES exam is determined as 70 to be evaluated in the applications of the graduates of the Ph.D. / proficiency in art / specialty in medicine / specialty in dentistry / specialty in veterinary medicine / specialty in pharmacy to graduate programs. This score is directly included in the calculations.

7. Graduate Diploma with Thesis for Candidates who will apply to the Ph.D. Program with a Master’s Diploma: 

a. Candidates applying for the Ph.D. Program with a Master degree must hold an “Master with Thesis” degree. 

b. Candidates whose diplomas or transcripts do not contain such information must provide an official letter of evidence from their institutions. 

c. Holders of “Non-thesis Master degree” may apply to Ph.D. program only upon submission of an official document from their institutions, certifying that they have already been enrolled to the “Non-thesis” program before February 6th, 2013. 

8. Foreign Language Exam Certificate: Candidates applying to Ph. D. Program must present proof of proficiency in a language other than their native language. Candidates are expected to have obtained a minimum score in a central foreign language examination or an international examination recognized by the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK), or an international foreign language exam recognized by the Turkish Measuring, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM). Please click here for ÖSYM-recognized foreign language tests. 

a. Candidates must submit score sheets which prove that they meet the minimum English proficiency score indicated in Table 2. 

Table 2

b. The medium of instruction at Sabancı University is English. Therefore, candidates who submit proof of proficiency in a language other than English must also prove their proficiency in English. To do so, one of the conditions below must be met. Please note that this section applies only to candidates who submit proof of proficiency in a foreign language other than English.

Candidates must submit score sheets which prove that they meet the minimum English proficiency score indicated in Table 2. 

Graduates of Sabancı University are exempt from submitting an English Proficiency Exam score provided that they apply within 2 years of their graduation. Period between graduation date from the previous program and registration date to the new program should be maximum 2 years. 

Candidates who are not exempt from English proficiency requirements and cannot present an English proficiency exam score sheet will be expected to take the Sabancı University English Language Assessment Exam (ELAE) held after the application deadline. The candidates outside the city or abroad are also expected to take the exam. It is recommended that candidates should learn the ELAE exam date from the announcements or ask to Student Resources. The ELAE exam invitation is sent to such candidates by email. There will be no make up for ELAE exam. 

Turkish candidates with dual citizenship are required to submit a valid language exam result certificate as they are subject to the conditions of application as a Turkish citizen. 

Candidates who cannot meet the English proficiency criterion will be required to complete the English preparatory year to continue their Ph.D. program. However, there are no scholarships available for the preparatory year, and thus such candidates will be required to pay the full tuition fee.

c. The Sabancı University English Language Assessment Exam ELAE Score Sheet does not qualify as a “Proof of Foreign Language Proficiency” under Ph.D. admission requirements. However, candidates who submit proof of proficiency in a language other than English may take the ELAE to meet the English proficiency requirement. 

d. Exam results must be announced by the application deadline. Results that are announced after the application deadline will not be considered. 

e. The “Proof of Language Proficiency” requirement also applies to candidates who are Sabancı University graduates. 

f. Please enter your score in the corresponding field in the online system and upload your score sheet under Documents. 

g. If you submit TOEFL IBT, PTE Academic, CAE or CPE scores and take these exams in Turkey, the exam center must be a state university building. (According to Article 6.3.d of Instruction letter for Foreign Language Exam Equivalencies issued by the Centre for Selection and Placement of Students). Home edition versions" for external exam documents will not be accepted for English language exemption. 

9. Curriculum Vitae: Candidates must submit an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (resume). It should be uploaded under "Documents" in the online application system. 

Important Notes:

Ph.D. Program applicants must hold an undergraduate or master's diploma. Applicants must complete their previous degree programs by the registration period at the latest. Applications must be submitted via online application system only. Applications sent via e-mail cannot be evaluated. We would like to remind you that if you get admitted, originals of all official documents required to be submitted during university registrations.

Sabancı University Student Recources Office, 34956 Orhanlı – Tuzla, İSTANBUL
0216 483 90 64
0216 483 90 73
studentinfo@sabanciuniv.edu