Historic Shift at the Top of TUS Rankings; End of Hacettepe’s Empire in Turkey

A Major Shift in Turkish Medical Education The Turkish Medical Residency Entrance Examination, commonly known as TUS, has always been the most important metric for measuring the quality of education in the country's medical faculties. For decades, Hacettepe University held the top spot as the undisputed center of Turkish medicine. However, according to a new report published on July 20, 2026, by the reputable media outlet "Ekonomim," this equation has changed, and a historic shift has occurred at the top of the table [1].

Rise of a New Champion: Koç University Takes the Lead In the new ranking of the top 25 Turkish universities in the TUS exam, Koç University managed to surpass its powerful competitors to claim the first position. This shift indicates a change in the balance of power between public and private universities in Turkey [2]. By achieving the highest average scores among its graduates, Koç University proved that modern medical education models and investment in research infrastructure have yielded brilliant results. This success comes after Hacettepe had maintained this position as its legacy for many years.

List of Top 25 Universities and the Status of Public Institutions Although Hacettepe has lost its absolute leadership, it still holds a very high position among public universities and remains in close competition with Istanbul universities. In the list released for 2026, the following universities ranked highest in exam success: 1. Koç University (1st overall) 2. Hacettepe University 3. Istanbul-Cerrahpaşa University 4. Ankara University 5. Ege University

This list, which includes the top 25 educational institutions, shows that medical faculties in the cities of Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir remain the leaders in specialized education [1]. An interesting point in this year's statistics is the rise in the rankings of technical universities in medical-related research indicators, reflecting a transformation in the structure of residency exams [3].

Importance of This Ranking for International Students For international applicants planning to pursue medical specialties in Turkey, this ranking is a vital guide for choosing a destination university. Success in the TUS exam is the only way to enter residency programs in Turkish hospitals. The change at the top of the table shows that applicants should not rely solely on the traditional prestige of universities; rather, more modern universities like Koç or Cerrahpaşa now provide more successful platforms for passing this difficult exam [2].

The Future of Competition in Turkish Higher Education The President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) emphasized that the ultimate goal is the continuous presence of the country's medical universities among the top 500 in the world [3]. Recent TUS results show that intense domestic competition among top universities has increased the overall quality of health system outputs in Turkey. Based on July 2026 data, investment in new medical technologies is expected to influence next year's rankings as well.