International schools in Türkiye

Turkey’s great interest in the field of education has made it one of the leading countries in this field. This interest has caught the attention of many investors who want to establish international schools, and this has been helped by the presence of many foreigners residing in Turkey who prefer to send their children to international schools. In this article we will talk about In detail about international schools in Turkey.

Planning to open an international school in Türkiye:

When planning to open an international school, you must think about several points that will help this school develop gradually and in proportion to the school’s capabilities.

These are some of the ideas that we present to you that are worth contemplating:

– Available educational levels:

Determining the educational levels that your school will provide is one of the most important priorities for opening a school.

You can start with the primary levels, for example, and then add the middle and high levels (secondary), and so on.

– The school project and its objectives:

  Determining your goal for opening a school is extremely important, and your goal must be philosophically defined for education plans. This definition includes the school’s values, the educational approach, and the goals and objectives of the curricula, for example, opening a secondary school taught in the Arabic language.

-The importance of the address and location:

Look for an address where you find suitable conditions for obtaining a license. Suitable for your school, and this is the most important point in opening the school, as the students you target must be in the area where the school will open frequently. In addition, the building must have

– You must create a company for the name of the school you wish to open, for more information about establishing Companies can click here.

Preparing a business plan for your school:

From the principles of carrying out school marketing activities, how to manage cash flow from a financial standpoint, and what the curriculum program will be like, write these topics in detail in your business plan.

School staff recruitment plan:

First you need to find a school principal, and he must have a diploma accredited by the Turkish state, and this is one of the most important conditions for obtaining a license. The responsibility of the school principal is related to school work only, as the responsibility of school students and teachers falls on the director, but your company is responsible for all issues. Finance. The director must not have a share in the company that opened the school

– Nationality of the school principal:

International school principals are not required to be Turkish citizens, they are only required to have a diploma accredited by the Turkish state.

– Make sure to obtain the license:

Obtaining a license before starting school activities should be a priority for you, to avoid legal problems.

– School website:

Having a website will help you reach your audience and communicate what they need to know about your school.

Obtaining a license to open a school in Türkiye:

By filling out the application form (Appendix: 1) stipulated in Article Five of the Ministry of National Education Regulations for Private Education Institutions, an application is submitted to the local National Education Directorate where the institution will be opened with the information and documents specified in the form. According to the reports and documents that will be issued in accordance with Article 6 of the same regulations, the Ministry of Institutions issues the decision to open the workplace and license the work by the Ministry to whomever it deems appropriate.

– Obtaining a license to open a school from the Ministry of Education in Türkiye.

The procedures for obtaining a license take between 45-60 days.

– In order to be able to accept students, you must have obtained your license no later than September 1, otherwise you will not be able to accept students in the same academic year.

Obtaining permission from the Turkish Prime Minister to open an international school.

– Applying curricula approved by any country and holding an equivalent certificate in international schools.

– Submit a copy of these curricula to the Turkish National Education Directorate.

The most important part of obtaining a license is that the school building meets the following conditions:

1- A report from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism regarding the safety of the building used by the school.

2- A report from the fire brigade that the building is not conducive to burning.

3- A detailed plan showing the school’s departments and the locations of classrooms, corridors, and all school departments.

4- A report from the health directorate in the state in which the school will open that the school is suitable for the health situation.

Obtaining a license is a very long procedure. If the building that you will use is not suitable, you cannot obtain a license even if you meet all the other conditions. Therefore, before deciding on the building that you will use as a school, it is necessary to check by a specialist and evaluate whether it is suitable for obtaining a license.

  In addition, it is necessary to follow your licensing procedures and submit a correct application. If you make a mistake or incompletely request the required documents, you may face a significant loss of time or money.

We can verify that your building is suitable, and carry out all your procedures regarding opening the school with a power of attorney on your behalf.

Costs of opening a school in Turkey:

Opening an international school is an investment that requires serious and large capital. There are many expenses for the school, such as equipment in the classrooms, seats, computers, teachers’ wages, and even the growth of the school. How do the students’ financial capabilities and the location of the school affect the cost of opening it? The cost of opening an international school in Turkey ranges between 1 to 7 million Turkish liras

Annual profits of international schools:

The profits of international schools depend on the financial capabilities of the students, and although the competition is intense among international schools to recruit students, registration prices are high, and student registration fees reach only 70,000 Turkish liras annually for education fees, not including transportation fees and meals.

International schools are currently being established with a capacity ranging between 300 – 400 students. By calculation, if we calculate the annual revenues of the school, we find that they range between 28 million and 30 million (if the number of students is 300 to 400 students, and do not forget to calculate the salaries of teachers and other supplies such as bills and others).

Annual fees for international schools:

The mathematical priorities that must be calculated in the school budget are the salaries of teachers and employees, in addition to the school building rents, as well as calculating the supplies for the classrooms, gyms, laboratory, and computer room. Through This link  you can learn information about the tax system in Turkey.

Numbers you will want to know:

1- The minimum wage for teachers is 15,000 Turkish liras, and the costs of health and social insurance for teachers are 4,500 Turkish liras, so the monthly cost for teachers is a minimum of 19,500 Turkish liras.

2- The minimum wage for employees in Turkey is 11,500 Turkish liras, and their social security benefits are 4,500 Turkish liras, which means that their monthly dues are 4,500 Turkish liras for employees.

3- The average number of students in a classroom is 20, and the average rent for building a school capable of accommodating 300 students is 200,000 Turkish liras per month, including taxes.

Advice for those wishing to open international schools:

As is the case in all countries of the world, schools close in the summer. In this case, you do not have to pay pensions to the teachers contracted with you during the summer vacation. When the students return to school, you can re-collect food and transportation expenses normally. The Turkish government also provides financial support to private schools. Due to the great pressure on public schools due to student demand, for example in 2020 the state provided financial support to private schools as follows:

– 4.165 Turkish liras annually for each student in the pre-school stage (nursery).

– 4.165 Turkish liras annually for each student in the basic (primary) education stage.

– 4,850 Turkish liras annually for each student in the intermediate education stage.

– 4,850 Turkish liras annually for each student in the secondary education stage.

This support is provided to students of Turkish nationality. There are various incentives for private schools to help establish and operate them. For more information and inquiries about establishing a school in Turkey, you can contact us.