History
Bilkent University was founded on October 20, 1984 by Ihsan Dogramaci (1915 – 2010) through the joint resolution of the Ihsan Dogramaci Education Foundation, the Ihsan Dogramaci Science and Research Foundation, and the Ihsan Dogramaci Health Foundation. The aim was to create a center of excellence in higher education and research.
Education
The name “Bilkent”‘ exemplifies the founder’s aim, since it is an acronym of “bilim kenti” in Turkish for “city of science and knowledge.”
The educational philosophy rests on the premise that those who produce new knowledge also have the best potential to impart it. Scholarly research at Bilkent extends across a wide spectrum. From nanoscience and nanotechnology to political science, from electronics to economics, from fine arts to management and industrial engineering, from philosophy to computer engineering, and in many other areas of science, letters and the performing arts, our academic staff and resources provide a uniquely integrated environment.
Research
Chief among the factors that ensure a high standard of education are a remarkably productive body of faculty members, and a dynamic scholarly and scientific environment that fosters high-quality research. According to ISI Citation Indexes, Bilkent ranks high not only in Turkey but also internationally in the number of published papers per faculty member. Many faculty members actively engaged in research also receive external funding from TÜBITAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), the European Union, and other public institutions or private companies.
Career
The Career Center, another service established at the incentive of Bilkent’s founder early in the University’s development, helps final-year students to acquire the skills necessary to apply successfully for a job. The Center arranges interviews between representatives of major corporations and students seeking employment.
Top reasons to study here
- Bilkent University aims to help students/individuals develop themselves as critical, analytical, and independent thinkers and life-long learners.
- English as a medium of instruction contributes a great deal towards the University's international perspective.
- The educational philosophy rests on the premise that those who produce new knowledge also have the best potential to impart it.
Bilkent University Key Statistics & Highlights
- #415 Ranking
- 20 PhDs
- 24 Scholarships
- 675 Academic Staff
- 12,000 Students
- 660 Students (int'l)
- 4,582 Students (female)
- Private Institution Type
Bilkent University Overview
Bilkent University Scholarships
Bilkent University Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to Bilkent University. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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Bilkent University Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
Climbed 62 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 502 | 477 | 415 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 601 | 601 | 601 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 761 | - | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
The Office of International Students plays a significant role on the internationalization path of Bilkent University by promoting its programs and providing support for all international academic affairs.
In order to ensure easy transition of the students, the Office provides assistance and guidance to both international degree-seeking students and incoming/outgoing exchange students through all phases of their academic and social conduct.
As well as providing information on procedural matters, such as application process, course selection and accommodation opportunities, via orientation programs and cultural trips, the Office of International Students offers ongoing help to all international students.
Housing services
Our dormitories – consisting of 26 buildings with various designs and features, provide a peaceful, secure, comfortable, pleasant and hygienic atmosphere for more than 4,800 Turkish and international students from diverse backgrounds, who have chosen to take advantage of the excellence in higher education offered by Bilkent University. all located on our Main and East Campuses, offer single, double, triple, quadruple and suite accommodation alternatives for our students, at varying rates.
All areas of our dorms, including student rooms, are cleaned on a frequent and regular basis by our ISO certificated contractors, according to health and hygiene regulations.
Library services
The Bilkent University Library contains a large book and periodical collection, music listening booths, CDs, records, audio and videocassettes, music scores and microfilms.
The Library receives periodicals from numerous institutions, scientific articles and technical reports from prominent research institutions in Europe and the USA, and subscribes to major foreign newspapers.
ICT services
The Bilkent Computer Center (BCC) provides a variety of computing resources and services to meet the administrative, educational and research computing requirements in the university community. These services include providing computational equipment, their hardware and software maintenance, maintenance of software resources such as language compilers, utilities and application programs.
Medical services
The Health Centers , located on the Main and East Campuses, provide health services to students and faculty members. The basic and urgent services are provided free of charge to all Bilkent graduate and undergraduate students by the University Health Centers.
Campus life
A student at Bilkent has plenty of opportunities to develop intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, culturally, socially and physically. If you are interested in getting involved in school clubs and organizations, there are many to choose from. If you want to meet peers from around the globe who have come to call Bilkent home, then you will find a close-knit international community. Our campus is inviting, friendly, and safe. With residential and dining services, academic and personal assistance and counseling, and many other programs and services in addition to those just mentioned, Bilkent is dedicated to providing you with an experience that is both enriching and enjoyable.
Sports facilities
- Archery Polygon
- Basketball, Volleyball Courts
- Group Exercises Studio
- Martial Arts Studio
- Squash Courts
- Swimming Pool (semi-olympic)
- Table Tennis
- Walking/Running Track
- Badminton Courts
- Basketball, Volleyball Courts
- Fitness/Conditioning Room
- Multi-Purpose Program Studio
- Indoor Tennis Courts
- Mini Football Fields
- Outdoor Basketball/Volleyball Fields
- Outdoor Tennis Courts
- Skate Park
- Climbing Wall / Border
- Stadium
- Yoga/Pilates Area
- Badminton Courts
- Basketball-Volleyball Courts
- Fitness/Conditioning Room
- Table Tennis Room
Outdoor Sports Facilities
- Outdoor Basketball-Volleyball-Tennis Courts
- Mini Football Fields
- Calisthenic Park
Student clubs
The Student Union organizes students’ social and cultural activities. Student representatives are elected by the student body; they are responsible for managing the Student Union and creating a program of activities. Located in the center of the Main Campus, the Student Union building houses a music room, video room, meeting rooms, offices and a conference hall.
Some of these clubs are:
- Aviation Club
- Bilkent International Students Club (BISC)
- Bridge Club
- Chess Club
- Cinema Club
- Computers Club
- Environment Club
- International Relations Club
- Management-Economics Club
- MBA Club
- Music Club
- Operational Research Club
- Outdoor Sports Society
- Photography Club
- Theatre Club
Accreditation
- Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Industrial Engineering departments are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
- Faculty of Business Administration is the first business school in Turkey accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Bilkent University Campus Locations
Bilkent University Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 100 reviews
- 5 Star 37 Reviews
- 4 Star 48 Reviews
- 3 Star 10 Reviews
- 2 Star 1 Review
- 1 Star 4 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.2
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.1
- Online Classroom Experience 4.0
- Admission Process 4.2
It's a nice place to be in
Haven't started yet but what am seeing I bet it would be a nice place
its okay. best in turkey
there is no social life after class. campus is great
Chemistry in Bilkent University
I like to be a Bilkent University chemistry student in Türkiye, chemistry department professors and teaching assistances are very qualified and helpfull. They help me to gain more perspective in chemistry field and life. However, Bilkent university may cause to feel like suffocated in exam weeks when compared to other universitites in Türkiye. In chemistry labs, we gained a lot of hands on experience with careful safety precautious.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Online Classroom ExperienceHow was your experience with online courses?
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Admission ProcessHow simple was it to apply to your programme?