With the approval of the 2026 Student Amnesty bill in the Education Commission of the Turkish Parliament, hopes have been revived for thousands of students to return to their studies. This plan includes students who withdrew or were expelled, allowing them to return to classes starting from the new academic year.
Today, July 15, 2026, a significant development occurred in the Turkish higher education system. The Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) approved a new bill that includes a broad "Student Amnesty" for 2026 [1]. This bill, proposed by representatives of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), is now on the verge of finalization in the general assembly.
Latest Status of the Student Amnesty Law in Parliament According to reports published on July 15, 2026, the 28-article bill, which includes amendments to the Higher Education Law and student amnesty, was accepted in the relevant commission [2]. This means that the plan will be published in the Official Gazette and implemented after approval in the general assembly and the President's signature. This process is expected to be completed before the start of the 2026-2027 academic year so that eligible students can register quickly [3].
Who is Covered by the 2026 Student Amnesty? This law covers a wide range of students at various levels. According to the approved text, individuals who were studying at associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels and left their education for any reason (including personal withdrawal or expulsion by the university) after July 1, 2022, can apply to return [4]. Additionally, individuals who were accepted in the university entrance exam but did not register within the specified deadline are also covered by this amnesty [3].
Exception Conditions and Those Excluded from Amnesty To maintain security and academic ethics, the legislator has excluded certain groups from this amnesty. Individuals convicted of terrorism offenses, intentional homicide, torture, sexual assault, child abuse, and drug trafficking do not have the right to use this law [1]. Furthermore, students expelled from military and police academies are also excluded from this amnesty according to the new amendments [4]. Additionally, those expelled due to forgery of educational documents or academic fraud (such as having a thesis written by others) cannot return to the university [3].
Registration Deadline and Time of Return to University Eligible students must submit their written application to their former university within 4 months after the publication of the law in the Official Gazette [2]. For individuals currently performing military service, this deadline is extended until 2 months after the end of their service. Accepted applicants can resume their studies from the first semester of the 2026-2027 academic year. Additionally, the possibility of transferring to distance education programs (AÖF) for certain fields under specific conditions has been provided [4].
In addition to the amnesty, this bill includes heavy fines for academic fraud and increasing the retirement age of professors to 75 in specific cases, indicating structural reforms in the Turkish educational system [1][2].
The approval of the 2026 student amnesty plan in the Turkish Parliament paved the way for thousands of students to return to classrooms.
linkSources
- Üniversitelilere öğrenci affı düzenlemesi komisyondan geçti — Sabah (2026-07-15)
- Öğrenci affı Komisyon'da kabul edildi — Hürriyet (2026-07-15)
- Öğrenci affı komisyondan geçti! Kimler yararlanabilecek? — Sözcü (2026-07-15)
- Öğrenci affı ne zaman çıkacak ve kimleri kapsayacak? — Yeni Şafak (2026-07-11)
