Details of General Student Amnesty in Turkey; Returning to University from 2026

Today, July 15, 2026, a major development occurred in Turkey's higher education system. The Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) approved the general student amnesty proposal submitted by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) [2]. This plan, which is part of a 28-article reform package in the Higher Education Law, paves the way for thousands of people who had fallen out of the education cycle to return to their studies [3].

Who is covered by the 2026 student amnesty? According to the published details, this amnesty includes students in associate (Ön Lisans), undergraduate (Lisans), and graduate (Master's and PhD) programs whose relationship with the university was severed due to reasons such as failure to register, unauthorized absence, or failure to complete the program within the allotted time [1]. The key point of this law is the date set for eligible individuals; those who were expelled or withdrew from the university after July 1, 2022, can benefit from these facilities [4]. Additionally, those who were accepted in entrance exams but did not complete final registration for any reason are also covered by this law [5].

Legal Exceptions and Limitations Turkish lawmakers have emphasized that this amnesty will not include everyone. Individuals expelled from university for terrorist crimes, intentional homicide, torture, sexual misconduct, child sexual abuse, or drug trafficking are by no means included in this plan [3]. Furthermore, those who registered with forged documents or were associated with organizations recognized as threats to national security are deprived of the right to return to study [2].

Registration Deadline and Implementation Method Eligible applicants are required to submit their request to the relevant university within 4 months after the official publication of this law in the Official Gazette of Turkey (Resmi Gazete) [4]. For individuals currently performing military service, this deadline will be extended until 2 months after the end of their service to ensure no eligible student is deprived of this opportunity [5]. Students whose applications are accepted can resume their studies from the first semester of the 2026-2027 academic year [1].

Decisive Action Against Academic Misconduct and Diploma Forgery Alongside the facilities for returning to study, this new law considers heavy penalties for academic violations. According to an article in this plan, individuals who have commissioned others for their theses, articles, or academic projects (buying and selling of theses) will face the cancellation of their academic degree and permanent expulsion from the academic profession [4]. Additionally, heavy fines and judicial punishments are foreseen for those who play a role in preparing or mediating these illegal works [3].