Bahcesehir University

Why Bahcesehir University

Bahçeşehir University (BAU) is one of Turkey’s most prestigious private universities, known for high-quality, English-medium education, modern Bosphorus campuses and a genuinely international outlook. Founded in 1998 with the vision of being “a world university in the heart of Istanbul,” it now educates ~19,000 students, including 6,000+ internationals from 70+ countries, with 1,000+ academic staff and 190+ partner universities worldwide. It anchors the global BAU Global network and holds the elite AACSB business accreditation, for students who want a globally recognised degree in the middle of one of the world’s great cities, BAU is a standout choice.

History & milestones

BAU was founded in 1998 by the Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institution in Beşiktaş, Istanbul. Its growth has been rapid and deliberate: the South Beşiktaş campus on the Bosphorus opened in 2004; the Faculty of Applied Sciences in 2007; the Galata campus in historic Beyoğlu in 2012; the Göztepe campus on the Asian side in 2013, which became home to the Faculty of Medicine in 2014 (alongside the School of Foreign Languages); the North Beşiktaş campus in 2016; the Faculty of Dentistry and the innovation-focused Galata “IDEA” campus in 2017; and a Conservatory plus new research institutes in 2020-21. From a few faculties, BAU has become a comprehensive centre for science, art, culture and politics in Istanbul.

Istanbul campuses & global network

BAU’s campuses are spread across Istanbul, each with a specialty:

• Beşiktaş South (main), on Çırağan Avenue by the Bosphorus, home to Engineering, IT, Economics & Administrative Sciences, Law, Pharmacy, Education, Applied Sciences and the Conservatory, with a 1,400 m² library holding ~250,000 publications and conference halls seating 1,000.
• Beşiktaş North, Architecture & Design and Health Sciences, with design studios, fabrication labs and simulation clinics.
• Galata (Beyoğlu), the Faculty of Communication, with professional TV/radio studios, newsrooms and editing suites overlooking the Golden Horn.
• Göztepe (Kadıköy), the medical hub on the Asian side, near teaching hospitals, with anatomy and simulation labs.
• Future & Pera campuses, innovation-focused spaces for incubators, start-ups and interdisciplinary projects.

True to “My campus is the world,” BAU is part of BAU Global, with hubs and partner campuses in Washington D.C., Boston, Toronto, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Hong Kong, Batumi and Silicon Valley, giving students exchange semesters, global conferences and visiting faculty from multiple continents.

Vision & mission

BAU’s vision is to be a leading university with strong international recognition, excelling in education, research and contributions to society. Its mission is to be a distinguished world university that produces, preserves and disseminates knowledge to improve human living standards, educating global citizens through contemporary models and partnerships. Its core values include scientific excellence, academic freedom, societal benefit, universalism, innovation, ethics, sustainability and collaboration.

Rankings & recognition

BAU is among Turkey’s best-regarded universities, placed in the 801-1000 band of the THE World University Rankings 2025 (top 5 in Turkey in 2022), #953 globally by US News (2024), 221-230 in the QS EECA Rankings 2025, and ~1,540th by Webometrics (strong on impact and openness). Nationally it sits around 24th overall and consistently among the top 10 private universities, and it ranks well on the Council of Higher Education’s entrepreneurship-and-innovation index. Its stated goal is to break into the global top 500, a credible trajectory for a university with this brand and reach.

Academics & language of instruction

BAU offers an enormous range, about 50 undergraduate programs, 180+ master’s and 25-30 PhD programs, plus ~14 associate degrees, across 10-11 faculties and several schools. Most bachelor’s programs are taught in English (a major draw for international students), with some in Turkish and English/Turkish prep available. The breadth spans popular fields (Business, Computer Engineering) and distinctive ones, Artificial Intelligence Engineering (one of Turkey’s first), Pilotage, Gastronomy & Culinary Arts, Digital Game Design, Cybersecurity and Neuroscience. All programs are Bologna-compliant with a Diploma Supplement.

Faculties & specializations

• Faculty of Engineering & Natural Sciences, Computer, Electrical-Electronics, Industrial, Software, Civil and Mechanical/Mechatronics Engineering, Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Energy Systems and Molecular Biology & Genetics, with MÜDEK/EUR-ACE accreditation and modern robotics/genetics labs.
• Faculty of Medicine, a 6-year MD in English (since 2014), TEPDAD-accredited, with simulation centres and clinical rotations in Istanbul hospitals.
• Faculty of Dentistry, an English DDS (since 2017), DEPAD-accredited, with simulation labs and digital-dentistry clinics.
• Faculty of Economics, Administrative & Social Sciences, Business (BBA/MBA), Economics, Finance & Banking, International Trade, Logistics, Political Science & International Relations, Sociology and Psychology, the business school carries the elite AACSB accreditation, and Psychology is TPD-accredited.
• Faculty of Communication, Public Relations & Advertising, Communication Design, New Media, Cinema & Television and Digital Game Design (İLEDAK-accredited), using the Galata media studios.
• Faculty of Architecture & Design, Architecture (MİAK-accredited), Interior Architecture & Environmental Design and Industrial Design, studio-intensive with international competitions.
• Faculty of Law, a Turkish-medium LLB with legal-English support and moot court, plus English LL.M. options in International Law and Human Rights.
• Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Nutrition & Dietetics, Occupational Therapy and Health-Institution Management.
• Faculty of Educational Sciences, Guidance & Psychological Counselling, English Language Teaching and Educational Technology (EPDAD-accredited).

Tuition & scholarships

BAU’s fees are competitive for its calibre; figures below are approximate annual guidance, exact current fees appear in the tuition table above:

• Most bachelor’s (engineering, business, social sciences): ~$8,500-9,000 / year; arts & humanities: ~$5,950-8,500 / year
• AI Engineering: ~$12,000 / year
• Pharmacy: ~$15,000 / year; Dentistry: ~$24,000 / year; Medicine: ~$28,000 / year
• Associate (2-year) programs: ~$2,500-4,000 / year
• Master’s: ~$7,000-14,000 / year (specialised/executive up to ~$18,000); PhD: $40,000 for the whole program ($10,000/year), usually offset by funding

Discounts include a 10% sibling discount, merit- and need-based scholarships, and 25-50% tuition awards common for qualified international students (some packages reaching ~$4,000-6,000 effective). Graduate assistantships can cover much of a PhD’s cost with a stipend, and government Türkiye Scholarships are accepted.

Graduate studies

BAU’s graduate school is one of Turkey’s largest, with 180+ master’s (thesis and non-thesis) and ~25 PhD programs. The AACSB-backed MBA offers concentrations in finance, marketing and international business, with evening/weekend options for professionals; engineering master’s include Big Data Analytics, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence; and the humanities span International Relations, Clinical Psychology, Cinema & Media and Educational Technology. PhD programs cover Electrical & Computer Engineering, Business Administration, Educational Sciences, Neuroscience, Sociology and more, supported by BAU’s research centres, a CO-OP model linking students to industry projects, and partnerships (including a research collaboration with Harvard). Assistantships and scholarships fund many doctoral students.

Campus & facilities

BAU’s urban campuses are richly equipped: smart classrooms and lecture halls, specialised engineering, science, genetics and medical-simulation labs, professional media studios (TV, radio, newsrooms, editing) at Galata, architecture and design studios at North Campus, and a large central library (~250,000 publications) plus the BAU digital network. There are innovation centres, co-working and CO-OP spaces linking students to industry, a Conservatory, cafeterias and coffee shops, high-speed Wi-Fi and the online BAU GO learning platform. Dormitories and partner housing (furnished, secure, with shuttle access) are arranged via the International Office, and campuses are accessible (ramps, lifts, disability support) with ID-card security.

Student services & campus life

BAU offers a vibrant city-campus life with 80+ student clubs, sports, arts, culture and academic societies, plus festivals, concerts, competitions and talks by global leaders. An International Office supports admissions, visas, residence permits and housing; a career center leverages the CO-OP program and Istanbul’s industry for internships and graduate employment; and counselling, health and accessibility services round out support. With 190+ partner universities and the BAU Global network, exchange and study-abroad opportunities are extensive, and the multicultural community (70+ nationalities) makes for an internationally connected experience.

Accreditations & recognition

BAU holds an outstanding accreditation portfolio: AACSB for business (an elite global standard held by only a small share of business schools), MÜDEK / EUR-ACE for engineering, TEPDAD (medicine), DEPAD (dentistry), ECZAKDER (pharmacy), TPD (psychology), İLEDAK (communication), EPDAD (education) and MİAK (architecture). It is a member of the European University Association, follows the Bologna Process with a Diploma Supplement, maintains a research partnership with Harvard University, and is recognised across the USA, Canada, UK, Germany and the Middle East. It has even been named a “Superbrand of Turkey” in education, strong assurance that a BAU degree is respected worldwide.

Special highlights & why choose

BAU’s strengths are unusually broad and prestigious: an AACSB-accredited business school, a full English-medium health cluster (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy) on the Göztepe campus, a pioneering AI Engineering degree and creative powerhouses in communication, digital game design and the Conservatory, all on Bosphorus campuses in the heart of Istanbul. Add a worldwide BAU Global network with hubs from Washington to Silicon Valley to Hong Kong, 190+ exchange partners, a Harvard research tie and a strong scholarship culture, and Bahçeşehir University offers international students a genuinely world-class, globally connected education in Turkey’s greatest city.