1. Where and how can I carry out the registration renewal process?
The registration renewal process is carried out through the ORION system within the date range specified as “Registration Renewal and Course Selection” in the Academic Calendar. After logging into the system, you can complete your transactions by following the Payment, Registration Renewal, Course Selection > My Registration Procedures tab.
You must perform the registration renewal process in every semester you continue your education; for this, there must be no active financial debt, and international students must possess a valid residence permit.
2. How is course registration done after the registration procedures are completed?
Course selection is carried out via the ORION system within the date range specified in the Academic Calendar. Course selection cannot be performed without completing the registration renewal process. For this reason, the registration renewal process must be completed first in order to select courses. Additionally, students who do not perform course selection do not appear in active student status.
When logging into the Payment, Registration Renewal, Course Selection > “Course Selection” screen via the ORION system, the courses that can be taken in that semester are listed. The academic advisor should be contacted regarding which courses should be taken in which semester and the number of courses that can be taken in a single semester. Desired courses can be added by clicking the “Add to registration cart” button located in the lower right corner of the page.
Added courses are displayed in the “Registration cart” tab. It is important to check the courses carefully at this stage. If any changes are desired for the courses in the cart, the “Remove course from cart” button can be used. If the selected courses are appropriate, the transaction should be sent for approval by clicking the “Complete course enrollment” button. Approved courses are subsequently displayed in the “My Courses” tab.
Course add-drop procedures are not carried out in graduate programs. However, after course selection is completed, if there is a course you wish to drop within the “Registration Renewal and Course Selection” date range, the academic advisor must be contacted. When the advisor rejects the approved courses, these courses are transferred back to the “Registration cart” tab. Subsequently, after editing the courses to be removed or added, the “Complete course enrollment” button should be clicked and the transaction sent for approval again.
3. I did not perform registration renewal and course selection; what happens in this case?
Every semester in which registration renewal or course selection is not performed is counted toward the study period, and this situation results in a reduction in your maximum period of study.
4. Where and how can I get my student ID card?
Your student ID card is prepared within 1 month at the latest after the completion of your final registration process. When your card is ready for collection, a notification message is sent to the phone number you declared during registration.
You can collect your card from the Institute of Graduate Studies Unit.
5. I lost my student ID card. What should I do?
In the event that you lose your student ID card, you must first pay the required fee to the Financial Affairs Unit for the printing of a new card.
After completing the payment process, if you submit one passport-sized photograph along with your receipt to our Institute, your student ID card will be reprinted; it will be delivered to you when it is ready.
6. How many semesters do I have left?
In graduate programs, the maximum period of study and semester entitlement vary according to the program you are enrolled in. Each term refers to one semester. According to the semester you are enrolled (fall/spring);
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 27 – (1) Excluding the time spent in scientific preparation, the duration of the Master’s program with thesis is four semesters, regardless of whether the student has registered for each semester, starting from the semester in which the courses related to the program they are registered for are given, and the program is completed in at most six semesters. Students whose advisors determine that they can submit their thesis in a shorter period may enter the thesis defense after the end of the third semester, within the fourth semester, with the recommendation of the head of the department/major and the decision of the Institute Administrative Board.
(2) A student who cannot successfully complete the credit courses and the seminar course included in the curriculum at the end of four semesters, or who cannot fulfill the success conditions/criteria prescribed by the University within this period; or who fails the thesis work within the maximum periods or does not enter the thesis defense, shall be dismissed from the Institute.
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 33 – (1) Excluding the time spent in scientific preparation, the completion period of the non-thesis Master’s program is at least two semesters and at most three semesters, regardless of whether the student has registered for each semester, starting from the semester in which the courses related to the program they are registered for are given. A student who fails at the end of this period or cannot complete the program shall be dismissed from the University.
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 36 – (1) Excluding the time spent in scientific preparation, the doctoral program is eight semesters for those admitted with a Master’s degree with thesis, with a maximum completion period of twelve semesters; and ten semesters for those admitted with a Bachelor’s degree, with a maximum completion period of fourteen semesters, regardless of whether the student has registered for each semester, starting from the semester in which the courses related to the program they are registered for are given.
(2) The maximum duration for successfully completing the required credit courses for the doctoral program is four semesters for those admitted with a Master’s degree with thesis, and six semesters for those admitted with a Bachelor’s degree. A student who cannot successfully complete their credit courses within this period or cannot provide the minimum cumulative grade point average prescribed by the University shall be dismissed from the University.
7. Where and how can I get my Student Certificate / Transcript?
You can request your Student Certificate or Transcript as e-signed through the “Document Request” tab of the ORION system. After your document is signed, you can access it via the “Document Request Viewing” tab in the ORION system.
You can obtain the hard copy (wet-signed) version of your document by visiting our institute.
8. How can I perform the Registration Freezing process?
Students who wish to request to freeze their registration must make their applications through the “My Academic Applications” tab of the ORION system for each semester separately, taking into account the "Registration Freezing Requests" dates specified in the Academic Calendar.
9. I have applied for a suspension of my registration; what is the process like?
Applications for suspension of registration begin within the date range specified as "Resumption Suspension Requests" in the Academic Calendar and are evaluated collectively after the application period ends. Therefore, the application status may appear as "pending" in the system for a while. After all applications are completed, a decision is made regarding the requests, submitted to the Institute's Board of Directors, and the necessary actions are taken according to the decision.
10. How can I resume my studies after suspending my registration?
To resume your studies as an active student in the semester following your suspended registration, you need to renew your registration and select your courses through the ORION system. Once you complete these steps, you can begin your classes.
11. How many semesters can I freeze my enrollment?
You have the right to freeze your enrollment for a maximum of 2 semesters in master's programs and a maximum of 4 semesters in doctoral programs. According to the YÖK (Council of Higher Education) regulations, the enrollment freezing period does not count towards the maximum duration allowed for the program.
12. How can I apply for course exemption for courses I took in a previous thesis/nonthesis master's program?
After completing your final registration, you need to fill out the course exemption request form and submit it to us in person or via email, along with your transcript and course syllabi from your previous university.
Your application and transcript will be forwarded to the relevant department as an attachment to a cover letter. The relevant department will evaluate which courses you will be exempted from, and a decision will be made after the department's opinion is submitted to our institute and presented to the Institute's Board of Directors.
The result of the decision will be notified to you via email.
13. By when should my thesis/project advisor be assigned?
The Department/Division Head proposes a thesis advisor for each student in Thesis-based Master's Programs no later than the end of the first semester; a project advisor for Nonthesis
Master's Programs no later than the end of the first semester; and a thesis advisor for Doctoral Programs no later than the end of the second semester. The thesis advisor is finalized with the approval of the Institute's Board of Directors.
14. When and how should I submit my thesis topic?
In master's programs with a thesis, students must submit their thesis topic, determined in consultation with their advisor, to their department no later than the end of the second semester; in doctoral programs, this must be done within the semester following the assignment of the advisor, using the relevant forms (Master's Thesis Topic Submission Form or Doctoral Thesis Topic Submission Form) accessible from our website (Student > Forms and Documents).
The department will forward the thesis topic to the institute with a cover letter, and the thesis topic will be finalized with the approval of the Institute's Board of Directors.
15. I want to change my thesis advisor. What should I do?
To change your thesis advisor, you need to fill out the Advisor Change Notification Form on our website under the Student > Forms and Documents section. The form must be signed and approved by the old advisor, the new advisor, and the head of the department, and then submitted to the department/major.
The department/major will forward the form, along with a cover letter, to the institute; your request will be evaluated and decided upon by the Institute's Board of Directors. Following the board's decision, the necessary procedures for the advisor change will be carried out.
16. I want to change my thesis topic. What should I do?
To change your thesis topic, you need to fill out the Doctoral Thesis Topic Change Form / Master's Thesis Topic Change Form via the Student > Forms and Documents section of our website. After the form is signed and approved by your advisor, it must be submitted to your department/major.
Your department/major will forward the form, along with a cover letter, to the institute; your request will be evaluated and decided upon by the Institute's Board of Directors. Following the board's decision, the necessary procedures for changing your thesis topic will be carried
out.
17. I have completed my coursework and moved on to the thesis phase. Do I need to select courses?
Even if you have completed your coursework, you must renew your registration and select your thesis course, taking into account the Registration Renewal and Course Selection dates specified in the Academic Calendar for each semester.
18. How can I extend my thesis writing period?
According to the regulations, you have the right to 6 semesters. In the thesis-based master's program, the thesis period can be extended, provided that it does not exceed a maximum of
6 semesters, including the coursework and thesis phases.
19. I have completed my thesis. What should I do next?
After completing their thesis, students submit it to their thesis advisor using the DR8 - Doctoral Thesis Submission Form or YL3 - Master's Thesis Submission Form, both found on
our website under Student > Forms and Documents.
The advisor checks the thesis for compliance with the writing rules and, if found satisfactory, forwards a PDF of the thesis file to the institute for a similarity assessment. The institute calculates the similarity ratio and informs the thesis advisor. If the similarity ratio is below 25%, the thesis is considered acceptable. The advisor forwards the approved thesis, the thesis submission form, and the information of the jury members to the relevant department head. The department sends these documents to the institute with a cover letter.
The jury members meet at the specified date and time to conduct the thesis examination for the student. Following the completion of the examination, the jury makes a decision regarding the thesis, either rejecting it or requesting revisions.
The DR10 - Doctoral Jury Member Thesis Evaluation Form / YL5 - Master's Thesis Jury Member Thesis Evaluation Form and the DR11 - Doctoral Thesis Defense Examination Minutes / YL6 - Master's Thesis Defense Examination Minutes are submitted to the institute by the thesis advisor, via the department, with a cover letter within three days following the
thesis examination.
20. I defended my thesis, what is the next step?
Students who successfully pass their thesis defense exam must complete all processes and submit their signed thesis to the institute within one month of the defense date. To submit their signed theses to the institute, students must hand-deliver the documents listed below. After formal checks, if the thesis is found to be format-appropriate, a Turnitin similarity score will be calculated, and final approval will be given for printing. (The thesis should not be printed without printing approval.)
Note: Before submitting the documents listed below, the thesis must be formatted according to the Thesis Writing Guide. You can access the Thesis/Project Writing Guide on our
website.
- 2 CDs containing the PDF of your final thesis (The PDF file should be named with the Reference Number.)
- 3 passport-sized photographs
- Photocopy of ID card
- Thesis Data Entry Form obtained from the National Thesis Center
21. Where can I submit my application to the Ethics Committee?
To obtain information about your Ethics Committee application and to submit your application, please visit the Academic > Committees & Commissions > Ethics Committee section on our website.
22. By when and during which semesters must I take the doctoral qualifying exam?
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education, Teaching, and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 38 – (1) The qualifying exam assesses whether a student who has completed their courses and seminars possesses the fundamental knowledge and concepts in their field, as well as the depth of scientific research required for their doctoral thesis. A student may take the qualifying exam a maximum of twice per year.
(2) (Amended: RG-18/6/2025-32930) Qualifying exams are held twice a year, during the May-June and November-December periods. However, a student admitted with a master’s degree must take the qualifying exam by the end of the fifth semester at the latest, and a student admitted with a bachelor’s degree must take it by the end of the seventh semester at the latest, regardless of whether they have registered for that semester. If they fail to do so, they are considered to have failed. Additionally, a student who applies to take the qualifying exam but does not take it during the same semester is considered to have failed.
23. I passed the written examination but failed the oral examination. What do I need to do in this situation?
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education, Teaching, and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 38 – (4) The qualifying exam consists of two parts: written and oral. (5) A student who fails the qualifying exam is re-examined in the next semester for the section(s) in which they failed. If the student fails this exam as well, their affiliation with the doctoral program is terminated.
24. I passed the PhD Qualification exam. What should I do next?
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education, Teaching, and Examination Regulations Article 39 – (1) For a student who has passed the qualification exam, a thesis advisory committee is established within one month upon the recommendation of the relevant institute’s department chair and the approval of the Institute’s Administrative Board.
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education, Teaching, and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 40 – (1) A student who successfully completes the doctoral qualifying exam must, within six months at the latest, orally defend their thesis proposal—which outlines the purpose, methodology, and work plan of their research—before the thesis advisory committee. The student must distribute a written report regarding the thesis proposal to the committee members at least fifteen days prior to the oral defense.
25. How can I withdraw from the program?
You must submit your Withdrawal Request Form, which has been approved by the Library and Financial Affairs offices, to our institute in person or via email.
Your request will be submitted for consideration at the Institute Board of Directors meeting and presented at the next scheduled meeting. Once the decision is approved, your withdrawal will be processed.
26. Is a graduation application required for master’s programs?
Unlike undergraduate programs, no separate graduation application is required for master’s programs. Graduation procedures are initiated and processed directly once the student has fulfilled all academic requirements and the relevant documents have been received by the institute.
In this context: for thesis-based master’s programs, the student must successfully complete at least 7 courses and 1 seminar, pass the thesis defense exam, and have the required documents (Thesis Defense Exam Record and Thesis Evaluation Form by the Committee Members) submitted to the institute by the department; In non-thesis master’s programs, graduation procedures are automatically processed by the institute once the student successfully completes at least 10 courses, submits the term project approved by the advisor and verified by the institute, along with the required documents (Non-Thesis Master’s Term Project Submission Form and Non-Thesis Master’s Term Project Evaluation Form).
27. When and where can I pick up my diploma?
Once your diploma is ready, you will receive an SMS notification on the mobile phone number registered in the system informing you that your diploma is available for pickup.
To pick up your diploma, you must first complete the Withdrawal Form and submit it to the Institute, signed by the Library and Financial Affairs Unit.
At the time of diploma pickup, you must present the Withdrawal Form, a copy of your ID, and one passport-sized photo. If you previously received a temporary graduation certificate and the document is still valid (6 months), you must also submit this certificate to our Institute to receive your diploma.
28. Can someone else pick up my diploma or temporary graduation certificate on my behalf?
The diploma or temporary graduation certificate is issued only to the student themselves following an identity verification process. However, a person authorized by a notarized power of attorney may also collect your diploma or temporary graduation certificate.
29. I have lost my diploma or temporary graduation certificate. What should I do?
Istanbul Kültür University Graduate Education, Teaching, and Examination Regulations ARTICLE 14 - (1) For those who have lost their diploma, provisional graduation certificate, or certificate, these documents will be reissued with a notation indicating the number of times they have been issued, provided the conditions specified below are met.
(2) Those who have lost their diploma must submit a written request, along with a copy of their national ID card and one (1) copy of a lost-and-found notice published in a national newspaper (the notice must include the University’s name, the name of the Institute / Faculty/Vocational School, and department/program name, along with the statement “this document is void”) and a copy of their ID card, may apply to the Office of Student Affairs via a written request; for graduate degrees, they may apply to the Institute Directorate.
(3) Provided that the identity and graduation information remain intact, if a diploma or document is torn or damaged to the point of being unusable for any reason, a replacement will be issued upon application to the Office of Student Affairs, or to the Institute Directorate for a graduate degree.
(4) For associate and bachelor’s degrees, the lower portion of the reissued diploma’s original image bears the notation “2nd copy, reissued for the second time,” and the front side contains all the information from the original diploma exactly as it appears, though no signatures are affixed. The back lower portion of the duplicate is wet-signed by the relevant dean/director and the Rector who were in office on the date of the second issuance. For graduate degrees, similarly, all information present on the original diploma and the phrase “2nd copy, issued for the 2nd time” are written on the front, and it is sealed with a dry stamp.
(5) If a graduate who has lost their duplicate applies for a replacement, the procedures for preparing the second copy are followed, and the number of times it has been printed is indicated.
(6) A graduate of our university who loses their Temporary Graduation Certificate within its validity period must apply to the Office of Student Affairs, submitting a newspaper announcement published in a national newspaper, a written request, and a copy of their ID card; for graduate degrees, they must apply to the Institute Directorate. A second Provisional Graduation Certificate is not issued; if the diploma has not yet been prepared, a document confirming the loss of the Provisional Graduation Certificate is issued.
