Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University

Why Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University

Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU) is a prominent private, non-profit university in Istanbul known for high-quality education and research and a distinctive blend of tradition and modernity. Established in 2010 by the İlim Yayma Vakfı (Foundation for the Propagation of Science), it has quickly built a reputation for innovative programs and an international outlook, hosting around 10,000 students including nearly 2,000 internationals (~15-20%) from across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, taught by 335+ faculty (about 11% international) across 8 faculties and 15+ research centres. Set on a beautiful, historic 155-acre green campus, IZU is especially well-known for its global specialty in Islamic economics and finance.

History & milestones

IZU was officially founded on 24 April 2010 under İlim Yayma Vakfı and began teaching in 2011-12. Though young, it carries a deep heritage: its main Halkalı campus sits on the grounds of an Agricultural and Veterinary College dating back to 1892, over a century of academic legacy, a site connected to Mehmet Akif Ersoy, author of Turkey’s national anthem, who studied and taught at that former college. The university is named after Professor Sabahattin Zaim (1926-2007), a renowned economist who shaped economics education in Turkey. It has since grown rapidly, establishing specialised institutes, including the flagship International Research Center for Islamic Economics and Finance and the Islam and Global Affairs Center, and rising steadily in regional rankings, true to its mission of bridging past and future.

Istanbul, two campuses

IZU operates two main campuses on opposite sides of the Bosphorus:

• Halkalı Campus (Küçükçekmece), the expansive main campus on the European side, spanning 155 acres of green space with picturesque late-19th-century brick architecture beside modern classrooms and labs. It hosts most faculties, a grand library, an on-campus mosque, dormitories, sports fields and social facilities in a serene, garden-like “university in the middle of history,” and is designed as an accessible “unobstructed university.”
• Altunizade Campus (Üsküdar), a city-centre campus on the Asian side close to Istanbul’s financial district, primarily hosting the Business & Management Sciences faculty, graduate seminars and evening MBA classes, steps from the metrobüs and metro.

A dedicated research centre in Eyüp houses international centres such as the Islam and Global Affairs Center, and inter-campus shuttles balance a focused academic retreat with the cultural and professional opportunities of Istanbul.

Vision & mission

IZU aspires to be “one of the world’s prominent comprehensive universities” and an international research university, aiming for the top five foundation universities in Turkey and a leading global position in scientific research, while staying true to its cultural heritage. Its mission is to raise a generation of leaders who excel academically and uphold civilised values and a commitment to service, nurturing critical thinking, moral character and entrepreneurship. Its values, scientific excellence, originality, fairness, ethics, integrity and innovation, express a professional, faith-inspired philosophy aimed not just at rankings but at tangible positive impact on society through its graduates and research.

Rankings & recognition

IZU is a rising university whose regional standing is especially strong. The QS Europe (Western Asia) 2025 rankings place it #61 in Western Asia (up from 58th in 2024), and it has appeared in the QS EECA band (#351-400, 2022) and the THE World University Rankings (1001+ in 2023, after 601-800 and 801-1000 in prior years). Webometrics 2025 ranks it about 112th in Turkey (≈3,414th globally) and EduRank 2025 around 92nd nationally, with noted strength in liberal arts and social sciences; Scimago 2025 places it about 62nd in the Middle East. As IZU continues to invest in research and internationalisation, its global profile is expected to keep climbing.

Academics & language of instruction

IZU offers roughly 120 programs, about 36-39 bachelor’s, 65-77 master’s and 19-22 doctoral, across 8 faculties, graduate institutes and a School of Foreign Languages. Programs are delivered in Turkish, English and (for some Islamic-studies tracks) Arabic, with English-medium options such as Psychology, Political Science & International Relations, International Trade & Finance and the flagship Islamic Economics & Finance, and an English/Arabic/Turkish preparatory year for those who need it. The curriculum follows the Bologna/ECTS framework, and the university advances unique specialisations, most famously Islamic economics and finance, alongside engineering, education, health, law and the social sciences, with small classes ensuring personalised mentorship.

Faculties & specializations

• Faculty of Business & Management Sciences, Business Administration, Economics and International Trade & Finance (English options), anchored by a globally distinctive focus on Islamic Economics & Finance with its own research centre.
• Faculty of Engineering & Natural Sciences, Computer, Software, Industrial, Electrical-Electronics and Food Engineering (several MÜDEK/EUR-ACE-accredited), plus Architecture (MİAK-accredited) and Interior Architecture.
• Faculty of Human & Social Sciences, Psychology (Turkish and English), Political Science & IR, Sociology and History/Civilisation Studies.
• Faculty of Education, EPDAD-accredited ELT, preschool, primary, special education, counseling and Arabic teacher-training.
• Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing (HEPDAK-accredited), Nutrition & Dietetics, Health Management and Social Work, with a new Faculty of Medicine established.
• Faculties of Islamic Sciences (İAA-accredited), Law, and Fine Arts/Design & Architecture, theology (with Arabic-medium study), an LL.B. with a moot court, and creative design.

Tuition & scholarships

IZU’s tuition is affordable and the same for Turkish and international students; fees are quoted in US dollars, and the figures below are approximate annual guidance, exact current fees appear in the tuition table above:

• Bachelor’s programs: about $3,500 / year for most programs (a list price near $5,750 is typically reduced by an automatic international scholarship to ~$3,500)
• Master’s programs: roughly $8,000 / year (non-thesis) to $9,000 / year (thesis); some specialised tracks higher
• PhD programs: about $12,000 / year, with Clinical Psychology higher (~$16,000) for its supervised clinical training

IZU is generous with support: an automatic ~25% international scholarship, merit scholarships of 25-100%, a 10% sibling discount, and an Academic Success Scholarship awarding the top students in each class 50-100% waivers for the next year. Government Türkiye Scholarships are accepted, dormitory places can be subsidised or free for high-need/high-merit students, and many graduate students serve as research/teaching assistants with stipends and waivers, making quality education in Istanbul genuinely accessible.

Graduate studies

Graduate study is a cornerstone of IZU’s reputation, with 65+ master’s and 19+ doctoral programs across institutes of Social Sciences, Science & Engineering and more, in both thesis and non-thesis tracks (English, Turkish or Arabic). Flagship master’s include the MBA and the globally distinctive MA in Islamic Economics & Finance (English), plus M.Sc. in Computer Science & Engineering, MA in International Relations, Clinical Psychology, Educational Administration, Food Engineering and Law (LL.M.). PhD programs span Business Administration, Islamic Economics & International Finance, Political Science & IR, Computer Science & Engineering, Education, Sociology, Social Work, Psychology and Islamic Sciences, research-intensive, usually requiring a published article, and tied to IZU’s 15+ research centres and frequent symposia (notably its international Islamic Economics and Finance forum). Doctoral candidates benefit from research funding, assistantships, Türkiye Scholarships and a vibrant scholarly community.

Campus & facilities

IZU’s Halkalı campus offers a comprehensive, green environment: modern academic buildings amid restored historic architecture and wide gardens, a grand multi-floor library with extensive collections in Turkish, English and Arabic, specialised engineering, food-science and nursing-simulation labs, computer labs and study spaces, plus an on-campus mosque, dormitories (separate for men and women), dining halls, cafés, sports fields and fitness centres, a health clinic and 74 student clubs. The campus is gated with 24/7 security, accessible for students with disabilities, and served by city shuttles. The Altunizade city campus adds modern classrooms, labs, a library reading room and cafeteria, while the Eyüp research centre houses specialised labs, together extending IZU’s reach across Istanbul.

Student services & campus life

IZU surrounds students with holistic, values-driven support. Dormitories on the Halkalı campus (low-cost or subsidised, double/triple rooms with study lounges, laundry and 24/7 security) put students minutes from class, with Student Affairs helping others find housing nearby. A Counseling Center offers confidential support (valuable for international students facing culture shock), an on-campus health clinic handles day-to-day care, and a Special Needs / Disability Support unit ensures accessibility and exam accommodations. A Career Center runs CV and interview workshops, internship and job fairs, and industry connections across Istanbul’s finance, tech, education and NGO sectors. An active International Office manages admissions, visas, residence permits, airport pickup and orientation, plus Turkish-language support and Erasmus+ exchange. With 74 clubs, an annual IZU Sports Festival, international cultural days, iftar gatherings and a diverse, welcoming community, campus life blends academic rigour with genuine character-building.

Accreditations & recognition

IZU holds strong national and international credentials. Beyond Turkey’s YÖK, its engineering programs carry MÜDEK (with the European EUR-ACE label), its architecture program MİAK, its nursing program HEPDAK, its education programs EPDAD, its theology program the İAA, and its finance/banking programs the Financial Accreditation Association (FAA), a fitting distinction for its Islamic-finance strength. It is a member of the International Association of Universities (IAU), is EQAR-listed through Turkey’s quality agency, follows the Bologna/ECTS framework and runs Erasmus+ exchange with European partners (and agreements reaching Malaysia, Bosnia and beyond). Its degrees are recognised across the EU and the Middle East/North Africa (Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen and more), so an IZU diploma travels well.

Special highlights & why choose

IZU’s signature is its values-driven identity and globally respected Islamic economics and finance, anchored by a dedicated international research centre, English-medium degrees from BA to PhD, and forums that convene world scholars. Add a uniquely historic 155-acre green campus (on 1892 college grounds tied to Mehmet Akif Ersoy), an İAA-accredited Islamic Sciences faculty with Arabic-medium study, MÜDEK/EUR-ACE engineering, MİAK architecture, HEPDAK nursing and EPDAD teacher-training, a new Faculty of Medicine, and exceptionally generous scholarships (automatic ~25% plus merit waivers to 100%). With ~2,000 international students, multilingual instruction, IAU membership, Erasmus+ mobility, MENA-wide recognition and a strong, research-led trajectory, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University offers a distinctive blend of heritage, ethics and academic ambition for international students seeking meaning alongside a quality, affordable degree in Istanbul.