Analysis of Turkey's YKS 2026 Exam Statistics; Comparison with Last Year and Start of University Preferences

Status of the YKS Exam in 2026 Today, July 6, 2026, the Turkish educational environment is awaiting the release of the final preference guide for candidates of the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS). According to official reports from ÖSYM, this year's exam was held with more than 3 million candidates, showing a significant increase compared to previous years [1]. This comes as in 2025, according to data published by media outlets such as Haber61, 2,560,640 people had registered to participate in this exam [3]. ## Statistical Comparison: 2025 vs 2026 A review of historical data shows that the competition to enter Turkey's top universities is becoming more difficult year by year. In June 2025, the figure of 2.56 million candidates was considered a turning point, but in 2026, due to demographic changes and increased demand for higher education, this figure has faced a growth of about 20% [2]. This increase in the number of participants has doubled the pressure on the capacity of public universities in cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. ## Preference Calendar and Next Steps After viewing their raw scores and rankings, candidates must now prepare for the critical preference stage. According to the official announcement, the preference period will begin in mid-July [1]. Educational experts recommend that students should not rely solely on 2025 data given the changes in score distributions in 2026 and should carefully examine capacity changes. ## Social and Economic Impacts of Increased Candidates The increase in the number of applicants from 2.5 million last year to over 3 million this year will create new challenges for Turkey's future labor market. The Turkish government is trying to maintain balance in the labor market by increasing the capacity of technical and engineering fields [2]. In their choices, candidates must pay attention to the needs of the 2030 labor market in addition to personal interest to avoid employment problems after graduation.