İstanbul Medipol University
Quick Facts
- Location: Kavacık
- Founded: 2009
- Students: 30,000+
- Annual Tuition: $4,000 – $22,000/yr
- Language of Instruction: English / Turkish
- Ranking: Top 1 Medical
Overview
180 Degrees Academy Updated Guide · April 2026Istanbul Medipol University
The Complete Student Guide
Everything you need to know about IMU — programs, official fees, JCI-accredited Medipol Mega Hospital, the International School of Medicine, and 2026 admission requirements
10 min read International students Kavacık · Haliç · Mega Hospital Last updated: April 2026 🏥 Medipol Mega — JCI Accredited 🩺 ISM — English Medicine $44,000 🔬 Scimago Turkey #21 · CS #1 🌍 9,976+ Intl. Students · 109 Countries ✓ Fees sourced directly from the official 2026–2027 document Table of Contents 1 History & Academic Philosophy 2 Medipol Mega Hospital — JCI 3 International School of Medicine (ISM) 4 Campuses 5 Faculties & Programs 6 Bachelor's Programs & Tuition 2026–2027 7 Academic Rankings 2026 8 Accreditations & Recognition 9 Key Advantages 10 Admission Requirements 11 Official Links 12 Frequently Asked QuestionsFounded in 2009 by Prof. Fahrettin Koca — Turkey's subsequent Minister of Health — Istanbul Medipol University (IMU) has risen in under two decades to become one of Turkey's foremost research universities. With 49,757 enrolled students, 9 teaching hospitals, and the internationally JCI-accredited Medipol Mega Hospital — the only private hospital in Turkey to hold this certification at the highest level — IMU offers medical and health sciences students a clinical training environment unmatched in the Turkish private sector.
2009Year Founded 49,757Enrolled Students 1,538Academic Staff 9Teaching Hospitals 17Research Centres 9,976+Intl. Students 85Student ClubsHistory & Academic Philosophy A research university built for speed — from 2009 to Turkey's top tier
Established by the Turkey Education, Health and Research Foundation in 2009 and accredited by YÖK ahead of its 2010 student intake, IMU operates 13 schools, one college and 4 vocational schools across 74 bachelor's programmes — 24 conducted entirely in English. The university joined the UN Academic Impact in 2023, and its Faculty of Law has been a member of the European Law Faculties Association since 2015.
"Our vision is to be a pioneering university that leads science and society with its strong institutional culture, entrepreneurial spirit and dynamism toward continuous development."
— Official Vision of Istanbul Medipol UniversityIMU's SABİTA Research Centre — featuring stem cell research, advanced microscopy and pharmaceutical chemistry — ranks among the most advanced research facilities in Europe. The university's 17 research centres and 100+ affiliated laboratories underpin an output of 12,521 academic publications and 100,188 citations (EduRank), placing it firmly in Turkey's research elite.
Medipol Mega Hospital — JCI Accreditation Turkey's largest private medical investment — 810 beds + 215 ICU units
🏥 Medipol Mega University Hospital
Located in Bağcılar near Başakşehir, accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as an Academic Medical Centre Hospital — the highest internationally available hospital quality standard. 810 beds, 215 intensive care units, a heliport, robotic surgery and the first private hospital in Turkey to receive HIMSS Level 6 digital hospital certification (2017).
✓ JCI Accredited🤖 Robotic Surgery🏥 810 Beds🏥 Medipol Mega Hospitals Complex
Four specialist hospitals under a single roof: General Training Hospital, Oncology, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Dental Hospital — constituting the largest private medical investment in Turkish history.
🫀 Cardiothoracic🦷 Dental Hospital🎗 Oncology 🌟 Landmark achievementMedipol Mega is the only private hospital in Turkey holding HIMSS Level 6 — the world's highest standard for digital smart hospitals. Full details: Official hospital page.
International School of Medicine (ISM) 100% English medicine — Turkey's most selective medical programme
🩺 What makes ISM exceptional?
The International School of Medicine (ISM) is Medipol's elite fully English-medium medical programme — it has admitted the highest-scoring applicants from the YÖS Turkish university entrance exam for three consecutive years. ISM offers a Double Major programme in partnership with the School of Engineering, and an MD/PhD programme for students pursuing combined clinical and research careers. Tuition: $44,000/year (or $39,600 with advance full payment).
Campuses Kavacık North · Kavacık South · Haliç · Mega Hospital
🏛️ Kavacık North Campus
Administrative rectorate, Language School, vocational schools, sports centre, restaurants, student dormitories, library, counselling service and the REMER Research Centre.
🎓 Main admin hub🏠 Dormitories🔬 REMER🏛️ Kavacık South Campus
Houses most academic faculties including Medicine, Engineering, Health Sciences and more. Specialist laboratories and research centres are concentrated here.
🩺 Medicine & Engineering🔬 Laboratories🌊 Haliç (Golden Horn) Campus
On the historic peninsula near the Unkapanı Bridge — one of Istanbul's oldest and most atmospheric locations. Houses the College of Health Sciences and vocational schools.
🩺 Health Sciences🏛️ Historic location🏥 Mega Hospital Campus
Medipol Mega University Hospital — where students across all medical and health disciplines carry out clinical rotations and internship training under specialist supervision.
🏥 Clinical Training✓ JCIFaculties & Programs 13 schools · 74 bachelor's programmes (24 in English)
🩺 International School of Medicine
- Medicine 100% English — $44,000
- Double Major + MD/PhD
- Top YÖS scorers, 3 years running
🩺 School of Medicine
- Medicine 100% English — $40,000
- Medicine 30% Eng / 70% Turkish — $34,000
- 6 years
🦷 School of Dentistry
- Dentistry 100% English — $36,000
- Dentistry 30% Eng / 70% Turkish — $33,000
- 5 years
💊 School of Pharmacy
- Pharmacy 100% English — $18,000
- Pharmacy (Turkish) — $15,000
- 5 years
🩹 School of Health Sciences
- Nursing, Physiotherapy, Midwifery
- Audiology, Nutrition, Ergotherapy
- English and Turkish options
⚙️ Engineering & Natural Sciences
- AI Engineering, Computer Engineering
- Biomedical, Electrical-Electronics
- All programmes 100% English
⚖️ School of Law
- Law 30% English — $8,000
- Member of European Law Faculties Assoc.
💼 School of Business
- Business Administration 100% English
- FIBAA European accreditation
🧠 Humanities & Social Sciences
- Psychology (English / Turkish)
- Political Science & International Relations
🎨 Fine Arts, Design & Architecture
- Architecture, Interior Architecture
- Gastronomy, Turkish Classical Music
📢 School of Communication
- Journalism, New Media
- Public Relations, Radio-TV-Cinema
🎓 School of Education
- English Language Teaching, Pre-School
- Special Education, Counselling
Bachelor's Programs & Tuition Official 2026–2027 fee schedule
💡 Payment structureList tuition fee: Paid in two instalments (50% at enrolment + 50% at start of second semester). | Advance payment fee: ~10% automatic discount when the full annual amount is paid upfront — shown in the "Advance" column throughout.
🩺 Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy & Law
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine — ISM (International School) | 100% English | $44,000 | $39,600 |
| Medicine | 100% English | $40,000 | $36,000 |
| Medicine | 30% Eng / 70% Turkish | $34,000 | $30,600 |
| Dentistry | 100% English | $36,000 | $32,400 |
| Dentistry | 30% Eng / 70% Turkish | $33,000 | $29,700 |
| Pharmacy | 100% English | $18,000 | $16,200 |
| Pharmacy | Turkish | $15,000 | $13,500 |
| Law | 30% Eng / 70% Turkish | $8,000 | $7,200 |
🩹 School of Health Sciences
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 100% English | $6,000 | $5,400 |
| Nursing | Turkish | $8,750 | $7,875 |
| Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation | 100% English | $9,000 | $8,100 |
| Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation | Turkish | $8,500 | $7,650 |
| Nutrition and Dietetics | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Health Management | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Health Management | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Audiology | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Orthotics and Prosthetics | Turkish | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Child Development | Turkish | $6,000 | $5,400 |
| Midwifery | Turkish | $8,000 | $7,200 |
| Ergotherapy | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Social Services | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Speech and Language Therapy | 100% English | $4,750 | $4,275 |
| Speech and Language Therapy | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
English-medium Nursing ($6,000) is cheaper than Turkish-medium Nursing ($8,750) at the same university — a rare inversion that makes English-medium nursing at an accredited medical university exceptionally price-competitive.
⚙️ School of Engineering & Natural Sciences (100% English)
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence Engineering | 100% English | $10,000 | $9,000 |
| Electrical-Electronic Engineering | 100% English | $6,000 | $5,400 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 100% English | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Industrial Engineering | 100% English | $4,750 | $4,250 |
| Computer Engineering | 100% English | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Civil Engineering | 100% English | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Civil Engineering | Turkish | $7,000 | $6,300 |
🧠 School of Humanities & Social Sciences
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics and Finance | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| International Trade and Finance | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| International Trade and Finance | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Management Information Systems | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Management Information Systems | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Logistic Management | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Logistic Management | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Human Resources Management | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Aviation Management | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Aviation Management | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Banking and Insurance | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Psychology | 100% English | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Psychology | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Political Science & International Relations | 100% English | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Political Science & Public Administration | 100% English | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Political Science & Public Administration | Turkish | $6,000 | $5,400 |
| History | 100% English | $6,500 | $5,850 |
🎨 School of Fine Arts, Design & Architecture
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 100% English | $5,000 | $4,950 |
| Architecture | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Industrial Design | Turkish | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Interior Architecture & Environmental Design | 100% English | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Interior Architecture & Environmental Design | Turkish | $6,500 | $5,850 |
| Visual Communication Design | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Turkish Music Art | Turkish | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Gastronomy and Culinary Arts | 100% English | $4,750 | $4,250 |
| Gastronomy and Culinary Arts | Turkish | $6,000 | $5,400 |
| Urban Design and Landscape Architecture | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
💼 School of Business
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | 100% English | $5,500 | $4,950 |
🎓 School of Education
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological Counselling and Guidance | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Psychological Counselling and Guidance | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| English Language Teaching | 100% English | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Primary Mathematics Teaching | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Special Education Teaching | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Pre-School Teaching | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
📢 School of Communication
| Programme | Language | List Tuition | Advance Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journalism | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Public Relations and Advertising | 100% English | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| Public Relations and Advertising | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Media and Visual Arts | Turkish | $4,500 | $4,050 |
| New Media and Communication Systems | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
| Radio Television and Cinema | Turkish | $5,500 | $4,950 |
English Foundation School (Medicine/Dentistry/Pharmacy): $17,000/year | Other English programmes: same amount as the annual programme fee | Turkish Foundation School (all programmes): $1,390/year — Apply at: mio.medipol.edu.tr
Academic Rankings 2026 Scimago Turkey #21 — QS Medicine 701–850 worldwide
Scimago 2025 — Turkey#21Nationally↑ Rising Scimago — Comp. Sci.#1Turkey✓ First Webometrics 2026#39Turkey↑ Rising QS Medicine 2025701–850Worldwide↑ Rising URAP 2025–2026#40Turkey | #7 Private↑ Rising THE Impact 2025601–800Worldwide↑ Rising TÜBİTAK Entrepreneurship#7Turkey Private✓ InnovativeAccreditations & International Recognition JCI + TEPDAD + FIBAA + SABAK + HEPDAK
JCI (International)
Medipol Mega Hospital Academic Medical Centre accreditation — the world's highest hospital quality standard
TEPDAD
Faculty of Medicine national accreditation (Turkey)
FIBAA (Europe)
Business and Humanities & Social Sciences faculties — European higher education standard
SABAK
Health Sciences programme accreditation (physiotherapy and nutrition)
HEPDAK
Health sciences programme accreditation — Turkey national body
ECZAKDER
Faculty of Pharmacy Turkey national accreditation
HIMSS Level 6
First and only private hospital in Turkey at this digital hospital standard (2017)
UN Academic Impact
United Nations Academic Impact membership (since 2023)
🌍 International RecognitionThe IMU degree is recognised across all EU member states, the entire Arab world and Gulf countries. The university has Erasmus+ agreements with 88 universities across 22 countries. Details: International Office.
Key Advantages What makes Medipol a rare proposition for international students
- JCI-accredited Medipol Mega Hospital — the only one of its kind in Turkish private healthcare: Clinical training at the highest international standard, with robotic surgery, a complex of four specialist hospitals and Turkey's largest ever private medical investment as the training ground.
- ISM — Turkey's most selective English-medium medical programme: Double Major with Engineering + MD/PhD for those pursuing combined clinical and research careers; top YÖS scorers three years running.
- Scimago #1 in Turkey for Computer Science: Medipol leads Turkish universities in computer science and AI research — directly aligned with its AI Engineering programme and the SABİTA research infrastructure.
- English-medium Nursing at just $6,000: Cheaper than Turkish-medium Nursing ($8,750) at the same institution — among the most price-competitive English nursing options at any accredited medical university in Turkey.
- SABİTA — among the most advanced research centres in Europe: Stem cell, regenerative medicine and advanced biotechnology facilities that are genuinely rare — a research environment that few universities anywhere can match.
Admission Requirements Minimum 50% grade average + official documents
- High school diploma with a minimum 50% grade average — certified and officially translated.
- Official high school transcript, certified and translated.
- Copy of valid passport + passport-sized photograph.
- English proficiency certificate (IELTS/TOEFL) for English-medium programmes — or passing Medipol's internal English assessment.
- Online application is 100% free at mio.medipol.edu.tr.
~10% discount for full upfront payment on all programmes | Merit-based scholarships reducing tuition by 10–25% | Class rank 1st: 100% scholarship; 2nd: 50%; 3rd: 25% | Turkish language instruction is free for all international students.
Official Links Everything you need in one place
Official University Websitemedipol.edu.tr/en Online Application Portalmio.medipol.edu.tr International OfficeAdmission & enrolment Programme Catalogue74 bachelor's programmes International School of Medicine100% English medicine Medipol Mega HospitalJCI accredited Academic RankingsScimago · QS · THE · Webometrics Scholarships & DiscountsUp to 100% scholarship Campus Life85 clubs · dormitories · facilitiesFrequently Asked Questions What international students ask most
What is the difference between ISM and the standard School of Medicine?
ISM (International School of Medicine) is Medipol's elite track: $44,000/year, admits the highest YÖS scorers, offers a Double Major with Engineering and an MD/PhD programme. The standard School of Medicine (100% English) is $40,000, and the mixed-language programme (30% English) is $34,000. All three award the same accredited medical degree — but ISM is the most academically selective and research-oriented.
Why is English-medium Nursing cheaper than Turkish at Medipol?
This is an unusual pricing inversion — English Nursing is $6,000 versus $8,750 for Turkish-medium. It makes English Nursing at a JCI-accredited medical university one of the most price-competitive options of its kind in Turkey.
Is the Medipol degree recognised internationally?
Yes. The degree is recognised across all EU member states, throughout the Arab world and in Gulf countries. TEPDAD (medicine), FIBAA (business and social sciences) and SABAK (health sciences) accreditations reinforce this recognition. The university also holds Erasmus+ agreements with 88 universities in 22 countries.
What is the MD/PhD programme?
An integrated programme within ISM that allows students to simultaneously pursue a medical degree (MD) and a research doctorate (PhD). Run in partnership with the School of Engineering, it is designed for students targeting academic and clinical research careers — a combination that distinguishes Medipol from most Turkish private universities.
What is the monthly cost of living near the Kavacık campus?
Kavacık sits on Istanbul's Asian side along the Bosphorus — a green, quieter neighbourhood. Expect approximately $450–$650 USD per month including accommodation (on-campus dormitory available), food and transport. More details: Campus life page.