British Degree Crisis in Turkey; YÖK Warns Private Tutoring Centers

YÖK Intervenes in British Diploma Case Today, July 17, 2026, Professor Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), announced in a stern statement that certain private tutoring centers (Dersane) have been placed under legal monitoring. These institutions are enrolling students in the name of UK universities within Turkish territory by establishing suspicious agreements with some British universities [1]. According to Özvar, these centers even hold first-year university classes in their tutoring buildings and promise students they will receive valid British degrees without leaving the country.

Exploiting Legal Loopholes in the Education System Reports published in the Hürriyet newspaper show that these institutions use complex methods to bypass regulations. They act as intermediaries and, after the student completes part of the course in Turkey, they inform them that to receive the final diploma, they must spend time in the UK or pay exorbitant fees for a degree that may ultimately not be recognized by YÖK [1]. The President of YÖK emphasized that this system will soon be completely halted with new regulations to prevent families from being deceived during the university selection season.

Legal Dual Diploma Programs; What is the Difference? While YÖK deals with illegal activities, some strategic and legal collaborations are also taking shape. For example, in early July 2026, BCM Academy and YDS Academy launched a new partnership to offer UK Level 3 and A-Level qualifications [2]. These programs, supervised by British accreditation bodies such as Ofqual, allow students to legally obtain dual diplomas. The main difference is that these qualifications are designed for entry into international universities and should not be confused with the university degrees that YÖK has labeled illegal [3].

Costs and the Appeal of International Education at Home The primary reason Turkish families favor these centers is the massive cost difference. While the cost of physical education at a British high school can reach £130,000, these institutions offer the same programs for approximately £16,500 [3]. However, education experts warn that applicants must ensure the center is approved by Pearson Edexcel or Cambridge and verify its equivalence status in Turkey before enrolling to avoid future non-recognition issues.