Bahcesehir Cyprus University

Why Bahcesehir Cyprus University

Bahçeşehir Cyprus University (BAU Cyprus) is a fast-growing private university in Nicosia (Lefkoşa), the capital of Northern Cyprus, and part of the international BAU Global Education Network. Founded in 2017, it delivers world-class, fully English-medium education in a sunny Mediterranean setting, with a community drawn from 60+ countries, about 90% of students are international. With a very low ~5:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small classes, recognition by Turkey’s YÖK and North Cyprus’s YÖDAK, and degrees issued under the same Bahçeşehir University name as the flagship Istanbul campus, it offers a globally respected education at island-affordable prices.

History & milestones

BAU Cyprus grew out of the ambition to extend Istanbul’s well-established Bahçeşehir University (BAU) onto the international stage. After receiving approval in 2016, it launched its programs in the 2017-18 academic year as part of the BAU Global network (with campuses in Turkey, the USA, Germany, Georgia and beyond). Drawing on BAU’s 20-year heritage, it embraced an international outlook from day one and became one of the fastest-growing universities in Northern Cyprus, expanding from an initial 3 faculties to around 5 today, and recently launching its first health-sciences program (Pharmacy), the start of medical-related education on campus.

Nicosia & the campus

BAU Cyprus occupies a single, modern campus in the Haspolat area of Nicosia (Lefkoşa), an emerging education zone close to the city centre and Ercan International Airport. The compact campus is walkable and well-equipped, set in a safe, warm and historic capital where English is widely spoken. Northern Cyprus hosts 70,000+ international students across its universities, so newcomers find a welcoming peer community and a notably affordable cost of living. Because TRNC universities follow the Turkish higher-education system, students get a “study in Turkey” experience on a Mediterranean island, with short flights to Istanbul for internships or weekends, and easy travel between Europe and the Middle East during breaks.

Vision & mission

BAU Cyprus’s vision is to deliver education at universal standards while cultivating globally competent, open-minded individuals, problem-solvers and creative thinkers who respect human rights, value diversity and uphold strong ethics. Its mission centres on high-quality academic support, research and leadership, encouraging students to contribute to regional and societal development. The whole ethos is captured by the BAU Global motto, “My Campus is the World”, reflecting the exchange and dual-degree opportunities open to its students.

Rankings & recognition

As a young university, BAU Cyprus is still building its ranking profile, but it already sits among the top 5 universities in Northern Cyprus and appears in Webometrics 2024 (~16,958 worldwide), strong for an institution founded in 2017. It also benefits from the BAU brand: the flagship Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul is consistently ranked in the THE world top 801-1000, and BAU Cyprus aligns its standards with that network. Its position is expected to climb as its faculty and research capacity grow.

Academics & language of instruction

Every program at BAU Cyprus is taught in English, across ~11 bachelor’s majors, 2 associate programs and a select set of master’s (PhD programs are not yet offered on this campus). Bachelor’s degrees run four years and follow BAU Global standards, and motivated students can pursue dual-degree or double-major options across the network, for example, splitting study between Cyprus and another BAU campus abroad to earn a degree recognised in two countries.

Faculties & specializations

• Faculty of Architecture & Engineering, Software, Computer, Industrial and Electrical-Electronics Engineering plus Architecture, with extensive lab work, design studios and curriculum input from the wider BAU network (AI, big data, robotics, sustainable design).
• Faculty of Economics, Administrative & Social Sciences, Business Administration (BBA), Economics & Finance, Political Science & International Relations and Psychology, with concentrations from marketing and entrepreneurship to international finance, diplomacy and organisational psychology.
• Faculty of Law, an English-medium LLB with a focus on international and comparative law, drawing on Cyprus’s meeting point of Turkish, European and international legal traditions, with moot-court activities.
• Faculty of Educational Sciences, pedagogy and educational theory, training educators in modern teaching methods (with graduate tracks such as educational leadership developing over time).
• Faculty of Tourism & Hotel Management, Tourism & Hotel Management, using Cyprus’s tourism economy as a living classroom with hotel, resort and tourism internships, plus event management and tourism entrepreneurship.
• Faculty of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (emerging), a Pharmacy program covering pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and clinical practice, the first step into health sciences with more programs planned.

Tuition & scholarships

BAU Cyprus is exceptionally affordable, largely thanks to its standard scholarship policy. Figures below are approximate guidance, exact current fees appear in the tuition table above:

• Bachelor’s: ~$3,025 / year list, but virtually all international students receive at least a 50% scholarship, bringing effective tuition to around $1,500 / year; high-achieving students can reach 75-80% (Pharmacy is generally a fixed 50%).
• Associate (2-year) programs: similarly supported, often around $1,500 / year after scholarship.
• Master’s: typically a 50% scholarship for admitted students (e.g. a ~$6,000 MBA reduced to ~$3,000).

Scholarships are merit- and sometimes country-based, and government Türkiye Scholarships are accepted, making an English-medium, globally accredited degree available at a fraction of Western-Europe or North-America costs.

Graduate studies

BAU Cyprus offers a small but growing set of master’s programs, all in English. The flagship MBA builds leadership and management skills with a global perspective, advanced strategy, finance, marketing and organisational behaviour, with real-company case studies and the option of exchange modules at other BAU campuses (Istanbul’s business school or BAU’s Washington D.C. center). An MA in Political Science & International Relations covers diplomacy, political theory and regional studies for careers in government, NGOs and international organisations. While doctoral programs aren’t yet offered locally, graduates can progress to PhD study at BAU Istanbul or other network institutions, with their qualifications well regarded.

Campus & facilities

The campus pairs modern academic buildings with comfortable social spaces: smart classrooms, cutting-edge computer and engineering labs, architecture studios, and one of the largest university libraries in Northern Cyprus, crucially connected to the BAU Global digital library, giving students online access to the vast resources shared across all BAU campuses. Outdoor sports fields and courts (football, tennis, basketball), cafeterias and coffee shops, campus-wide Wi-Fi and nearby urban conveniences round out a “everything in one place” environment, with new academic blocks planned as enrolment grows.

Student services & campus life

Despite its compact size, BAU Cyprus delivers a full student-life experience. An International Student Office handles admissions, visas, residence permits and housing support, while shuttle buses connect the campus to Nicosia’s amenities. Sports leagues and competitions, multicultural cafeterias and a close-knit, 90% international community make for an easy social landing, and the BAU Global network opens exchange opportunities, internships and an international alumni network. The small classes mean students know their professors and get genuinely personal attention.

Accreditations & recognition

BAU Cyprus is recognised by Turkey’s YÖK and accredited by North Cyprus’s YÖDAK, so its degrees are equivalent to those from any Turkish university, and because diplomas are issued under “Bahçeşehir University,” graduates receive the same degree as the Istanbul campus. As part of the BAU Global network it aligns with international standards, and it holds notable affiliations: the UN Academic Impact (UNAI) program and UN-Habitat, EAQUALS accreditation for its English preparatory program, recognition in Germany’s Anabin database and the UK ENIC framework, membership links such as Cumulus (art, design & media), and active Erasmus+ participation, with program-level accreditations (e.g. ABET for engineering) pursued as cohorts graduate.

Special highlights & why choose

BAU Cyprus’s biggest draw is the combination of a globally connected BAU Global education and the affordability and lifestyle of a Mediterranean island. You study entirely in English, earn a Bahçeşehir University diploma, enjoy small classes (~5:1) and pay island-low effective tuition after scholarships, all while gaining access to exchange and dual-degree options across Istanbul, Washington D.C., Berlin and Batumi. With strengths in Software Engineering, Business/MBA, Psychology, Architecture and the new Pharmacy program, BAU Cyprus is an outstanding-value choice for international students who want a worldwide network from a sunny, safe and welcoming campus.

BAU Cyprus grew out of a plan to extend the success of Bahçeşehir University (BAU) in Istanbul onto the international stage. After approval in 2016, it launched its programs in 2017-18. Built on BAU’s 20-year heritage and global outlook, it quickly became one of the fastest-growing universities in Northern Cyprus, expanding from three to around five faculties and adding its first health-sciences program (Pharmacy) in recent years, the start of medical education on campus.

Nicosia, the island advantage

The campus sits in the Haspolat education zone of Nicosia, close to the city center and Ercan International Airport. Northern Cyprus follows the Turkish higher-education system and is recognized by Turkey’s authorities, so students get a “Study in Turkey” experience on a Mediterranean island, with beaches, history and a warm, multicultural atmosphere. English is widely spoken, the cost of living is low, and over 70,000 international students study across the island, making it a welcoming destination. Short flights connect students to Istanbul for internships and travel.

Vision & mission

BAU Cyprus aims to deliver education at universal standards while cultivating globally competent, open-minded graduates, problem-solvers and leaders who respect human rights, value diversity and uphold strong ethics. In line with the BAU Global motto, “My Campus is the World,” it emphasizes innovation, research, social responsibility and a genuinely multicultural campus.

Academics & language of instruction

Every program, undergraduate and graduate, is taught in English. Bachelor’s degrees span Software, Computer, Industrial and Electrical-Electronics Engineering, Architecture, Business Administration, Economics & Finance, Psychology, Political Science & International Relations, Law, Tourism & Hotel Management and the new Pharmacy program, plus 2-year associate degrees in Business Management and Computer Programming. Thanks to the global network, motivated students can pursue dual-degree or exchange options across BAU campuses abroad.

Faculties & specializations

• Architecture & Engineering, software, computer, industrial and electrical-electronics engineering, plus architecture studios.
• Economics, Administrative & Social Sciences, Business Administration, Economics & Finance, Psychology and International Relations.
• Law, an English-taught LLB with an international and comparative focus.
• Tourism & Hotel Management, hospitality and tourism management, leveraging Cyprus’s tourism industry.
• Pharmacy & Health Sciences, a growing health cluster beginning with Pharmacy.

Campus & facilities

Compact but modern, the single campus puts everything within walking distance: smart classrooms, engineering labs, architecture studios, and one of the largest university libraries in North Cyprus, connected to the BAU Global digital library so students can access resources used across every BAU campus. There are outdoor sports fields and courts, cafeterias and cafés, campus-wide Wi-Fi and a dedicated international student office that helps with housing and orientation.

Accreditations & recognition

Beyond YÖK and YÖDAK accreditation, BAU Cyprus benefits from the BAU Global network’s standards and holds distinctive affiliations: membership in the UN Academic Impact and UN-Habitat programs, EAQUALS-accredited English preparatory teaching, and degree recognition through UK ENIC and Germany’s Anabin database. It participates in Erasmus+ exchange, and engineering and business programs are working toward international program accreditations as they mature.

Scholarships & value

Affordability is a defining strength: standard undergraduate tuition is about $3,000/year, but virtually all international students receive at least a 50% scholarship by default, with up to 75-80% for high achievers, bringing effective tuition as low as ~$1,500/year. For an English-medium, globally accredited education with the Bahçeşehir name and the freedom of a worldwide campus network, BAU Cyprus offers exceptional value on a Mediterranean island.