Biruni University

Why Biruni University

Biruni University is a private university in Istanbul renowned for its strong focus on medicine, health sciences and engineering. Founded in 2014 and named after the great medieval polymath Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, this young university has rapidly built a reputation for academic excellence, modern facilities and two affiliated teaching hospitals. With around 12,000 students, including 3,000+ internationals from 75+ countries, programs in both English and Turkish, and a clear strength in the health professions, Biruni offers a genuinely international, practice-rich learning environment and is often regarded as one of Turkey’s leading specialised health universities.

History & milestones

Biruni was founded in 2014 by the World Education Foundation as a private (foundation) university in Istanbul. From the start it prioritised quality education in medical and scientific fields, opening faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering, Education and Health Sciences. Over its first decade it launched dozens of programs and research centres, built two teaching hospitals (a general university hospital and a dental hospital), and began publishing notable research in medicine, pharmacy, biology and engineering. Within just ten years it climbed into national and global rankings, and by 2025 had grown past 12,000 students, a fast trajectory that honours its namesake by advancing science, education and healthcare.

Istanbul, a central campus

Biruni sits on Istanbul’s European side, in the historic Topkapı area of Zeytinburnu, near the ancient city walls and exceptionally well-connected: walking distance to the Kazlıçeşme Marmaray station (linking Europe and Asia under the Bosphorus) and the Cevizlibağ metrobus, with the Eurasia Tunnel nearby for quick links to the Asian side. The neighbourhood offers parks and sports complexes, shopping, cafés and affordable eateries. Being in Istanbul gives students abundant internship and networking opportunities in healthcare and tech, a large and welcoming international community, and a rich cultural life, world-class education in a world-class city.

Vision & mission

Biruni’s mission is to become a leader in education and research, in Turkey and internationally, by delivering programs that advance societal development and scientific progress, integrating practical training and research from the first year. Its vision is to foster free-thinking, creative and socially responsible leaders and to be a global benchmark in medicine, health sciences and technology. Drawing inspiration from the polymath Al-Biruni, its core values are critical thinking and innovation, continuous learning, ethical principles, and respect and inclusivity, embodied in initiatives like its “Training Young Scientists” program that pairs students with professors on real research.

Rankings & recognition

Despite being barely a decade old, Biruni consistently ranks among the top 100 universities in Turkey. Webometrics 2024 places it 98th nationally (~3,169 globally), URAP 2024 68th (~2,290 globally) for academic performance, and Scimago 2025 around 65th in Turkey (~2,776 globally), with strong research output in medicine and engineering. It also appears in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 (801-1000 band) for its contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As the university matures, these positions are expected to keep rising.

Academics & language of instruction

Biruni offers 90+ programs across all levels, 32 bachelor’s, 47 associate, ~19 master’s and 12 doctoral, heavily oriented toward health and science. Courses are taught in English or Turkish depending on the program: Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Computer Engineering have English-taught tracks (alongside Turkish), while some education and vocational programs are in Turkish. International students in Turkish-medium programs take a Turkish preparatory year (TÖMER) if needed, and English-medium entrants without proof of proficiency take an English prep year, whose fee is typically credited toward the first year of the degree.

Faculties & specializations

• Faculty of Medicine, a 6-year MD (English or Turkish), the flagship, with anatomy and clinical-simulation labs and rotations in the Biruni University Hospital.
• Faculty of Dentistry, a 5-year DDS with clinical practice in the university’s own Dental Hospital (orthodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery).
• Faculty of Pharmacy, a 5-year BPharm in pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry and clinical pharmacy.
• Faculty of Engineering, Computer, Software and Biomedical Engineering, with electronics/robotics workshops and computer labs.
• Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Nutrition & Dietetics, Midwifery, Child Development and Molecular Biology & Genetics, with practice labs and hospital placements.
• Faculty of Education, English Language Teaching, Psychological Counselling & Guidance and Special Education (EPDAD-accredited teacher-training programs).
• Vocational School of Health Services, ~47 two-year associate programs (Medical Imaging, Anaesthesia, Pharmacy Services, Dental Prosthesis, Optometry, Occupational Health & Safety and more).

Tuition & scholarships

Tuition varies widely by field; figures below are approximate annual guidance, exact current fees appear in the tuition table above, with a 10% cash (full-payment) discount on most:

• Associate (2-year) programs: $4,500 / year ($4,050 with cash discount)
• Standard bachelor’s (engineering, education, sciences, allied health): ~$4,000-5,000 / year (e.g. English Computer Engineering/Nursing ~$5,000)
• Pharmacy: $12,000 / year English ($10,800 cash) / ~$9,000 Turkish
• Medicine (MD): $21,000 / year English ($18,900 cash) / ~$19,000 Turkish
• Dentistry (DDS): ~$20,000-21,000 / year (English)
• Master’s: ~$2,700-4,000 / year; PhD: ~$4,500-13,500 / year

A 5% sibling discount stacks on the 10% cash discount, merit and early-registration scholarships are available, regional scholarship schemes exist for some students, and government Türkiye Scholarships are accepted.

Graduate studies

Biruni runs around 19 master’s and 12 PhD programs, mostly in health and life sciences, with thesis and non-thesis options. Representative master’s include Molecular & Medical Genetics, Nutrition & Dietetics and Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, alongside engineering and social-science fields; doctoral programs span the university’s research strengths in health, pharmacy and biotechnology. Graduate students plug into Biruni’s eight research centres and teaching hospitals, working on funded projects and publications, and the research-from-year-one culture means many arrive already experienced in scientific work.

Campus & facilities

Biruni’s concentrated Topkapı campus keeps all six faculties, labs, library and dining on one site, fostering a tight-knit community. It features advanced laboratories and simulation centres (anatomy and clinical-skills labs, electronics/robotics workshops, health-science practice labs), a large multi-storey Library & Documentation Center with extensive medical and digital collections (much accessible 24/7), innovation centres, campus-wide Wi-Fi, cafeterias with halal options, and fitness and sports facilities. Two off-campus hospitals extend the campus: the full-service Biruni University Hospital (Küçükçekmece) for medical/nursing rotations and the on-campus Dental Hospital, with a shuttle linking sites.

Student services & campus life

Biruni supports a large international cohort through an international student office handling admissions, visas, residence permits and orientation, plus Turkish-language support. Campus life is multicultural and lively, students from Yemen, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Somalia and beyond join cultural clubs, international student events and language-exchange programs, alongside academic societies. Counselling, career guidance, fitness and sports round out support, and the integrated hospitals mean health students gain hands-on clinical experience early and often, supervised by professors who are practising clinicians.

Accreditations & recognition

Biruni is fully accredited by Turkey’s YÖK and follows the Bologna Process / ECTS, so credits transfer and degrees are recognised across Europe. Its teacher-training programs (Special Education, Psychological Counselling & Guidance) hold EPDAD accreditation, and it is a member of international education networks NAFSA and EAIE and participates in Erasmus+ exchange. Its degrees are recognised by education authorities across the MENA region, including Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya and Jordan, easing equivalency and licensing back home, and its affiliated hospitals meet national healthcare and Turkish Dental Association standards.

Special highlights & why choose

Biruni’s identity is a specialised health and science university with the practical depth of two teaching hospitals and a research-from-day-one ethos. English-track Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy draw students from across the world, supported by simulation labs and real clinical rotations; strong Engineering and Education faculties round out the offering. Add a central, transit-friendly Istanbul campus, a vibrant community of 3,000+ international students, generous cash and sibling discounts, and a fast-rising reputation in national and global rankings, and Biruni University is an excellent choice for students aiming at careers in medicine, health sciences, engineering or education in Turkey.