1. Can my spouse and children get a University ID card?
An affiliate ID card is not available for spouses and children. However, bus cards for family members can be obtained by filling out the application form for the Bilkent University Temporary Entrance Card available at http://w3.bilkent.edu.tr/www/ssgm-formlar and returning the form to the Housing Office.
2. Does the University provide meal cards to my family members?
Every month, Bilkent University provides “meal cards” to full-time employees
3. Is there a notary public office near the University?
Yes, there is a notary public office at Bilkent Plaza, A Block, #53, located across from Bilkent Center, phone: 266 1482. However, if you need to sign a power of attorney, you must go to a notary public office that has an official translator available. This particular office does not.
4. Is there a dry cleaner on or near campus?
There are two dry cleaners. One is located on Main Campus inside Dormitory #69 and provides pickup and delivery service for your laundry, charging 13,50TL per load (includes pickup, delivery, laundering and drying) regardless of your location on the University campus. You may also ask for ironing service, which requires an additional fee that varies depending on the item.
Main Campus dry cleaner: 290 4119
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sundays: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
The other dry cleaner (Dryman) is located in Real at Bilkent Center.
Dryman: 266 0496
Open every day: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
5. How far is the nearest grocery store?
There is a grocery store, Bilmarket (Meteksan Market), located right behind the Student Council building on Main Campus. It carries food products, including a good selection of foreign foods and fresh produce as well as daily newspapers, detergents, stationery, etc. Please note that tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not sold in any store on campus.
Bilmarket is open from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day, including weekends.
6. Who should I contact if I lose my apartment key(s)?
If you lose your apartment key, please contact the Housing Office during working hours, and security after working hours and on weekends. (Emergency Line: 266 4050 or ext. 6666)
7. Who should I contact for phone repairs or services?
If you are having problems with your Bilkent phone line (290-xxxx), please call the Housing Office for help. If your phone connection is through the PTT, call 121 to report problems. Since PTT personnel may not speak English, you are advised to make your call with the help of a native speaker.
8. Who should I contact when the washers and dryers in my apartment/laundry room are not working properly?
Please call the Housing Office to report the
9. Does the Housing Office staff install or repair items that are in my University apartment but purchased/owned by me?
Housing Office personnel can assist you with any maintenance issues you might have in your apartment, and they can also make arrangements for service technicians or repairmen to come and fix appliances and other items that you own. However, if you make your own arrangements, you must pay the service fee to the company or individual that makes the service call.
10. Can I use my current driver’s license in Turkey?
According to Turkey’s Highway Traffic Regulations, foreigners can use their original driver’s license within six months of entry to the country as long as they have a notarized translation of that license with them. Until further notice, this rule applies to each entry. However, after six months, they need to either convert their original license into a Turkish one or apply for a new Turkish driver’s license, depending on the country in which the original driver’s license was obtained.
11. How do I convert my original driver’s license into a Turkish one?
According to the new regulation, driver’s licenses obtained only in countries that are members of the International Road Traffic Convention can be converted into a Turkish one. However, driver’s licenses obtained in non member countries such as USA, Canada, Australia and China can’t be converted. If you are from one of the non member countries, you should attend the mandatory driving training course and take the exam to obtain a Turkish driver’s license.
Following are the required documents for those who are eligible to have their original driver’s license converted:
1. Your original driver’s license and a notarized translation( make sure to have a colored photocopy of your original driver’s license as well)
Note that when you apply for conversion, the Population and Citizenship Office sends a copy of your driver’s license and passport to your country for confirmation. You can keep your original license until the confirmation from your country is received. After the confirmation process, which takes about 3 to 4 months, you can make your application while giving up your original driver’s license (original license is sent to your country through your embassy, so, you might want to check with the embassy to learn more about how exactly you will get it back later on). In the meantime, the Population and Citizenship Office will give you an official document to be used in place of a driver’s license for 15 days. Every applicant will have to make his/her own application; No power of attorney will be accepted.
IMPORTANT: In order to save time, if you wish, you can just go ahead and start the confirmation process by providing them with a colored photocopy of your passport and original driver’s license along with a notarized Turkish translation of the license. Once the confirmation from your country is received, you can then prepare other required documents and submit them to the Population and Citizenship Office for the Turkish driver’s license application.
2. Notarized translation of your last diploma
3. Residence permit and Passport (original and photocopy, passport photocopy should include all entry and exit pages.)
4. Health report, which can be obtained from your family physician (Beytepe Sağlık Ocağı ve Aile Sağlık Merkezi_phone: 266 4548), or from other health clinics (such as the one located in Barış Sitesi, across the Eskişehir highway from Bilkent_phone: 295 9383) and hospitals. Also note that the health report should say “Sürücü adayları ve sürücüler için ‘Sağlık Raporu’. Remember to take your passport and two ID photos of yourself with you.
5. A record of your blood type, which can be obtained from the Bilkent Health Center.
6. Two passport-size (biometric) photos of yourself.
7. Criminal Record (you can easily obtain this document using an e-devlet password that you can get from the PTT Office, it costs 4 TL)
8. A receipt of 70 TL, 134 TL, 25 TL for driver’s license, service and legal document fee. Please make your payments at one of the banks listed at http://www.gib.gov.tr/yardim-ve-kaynaklar/yararli-bilgiler/anlasmali-bankalar-vergi-tahsil-yetkisi-verilen-bankalar
9. Certified photocopy of the last obtained diploma (Good News! They will accept an official letter indicating your degree and current employment as a faculty member at Bilkent University certified by the HR Office. Thus, you don’t need any other proof of education or get your diplomas recognized)
After obtaining these documents, go to the Fingerprint Department where you will be fingerprinted.
The issuing process will take 15 days and the driver’s license will be sent your address through PTT. If not picked up for 7 days from the PTT Office, it will be sent back to the Population and Citizenship Office.
It is recommended that you get your health checked and your driver’s license translated and notarized in advance. Then make an online appointment at https://randevu.nvi.gov.tr/#/nvi/anasayfa. Also, you are advised to have with you a Turkish colleague or someone fluent in the language to help you with the forms and procedures.
Following are the required documents for those who are NOT eligible to have their original driver’s license converted:
Driver’s licenses obtained in the USA, Canada, Australia and China can’t be converted into a Turkish License. So, you need to register for a driving course and take both the wriiten and the driving test, for further information please contact the International Center.
Required documents for the driving course registration are as follows:
- Health Report (same as what is needed for convertion, above explained in detail)
- 2 biometric photos of yourself
- Notarized translation of your last diploma
- HR Office certified copy of your residence and work permit
- Translated and notarized passport (ID pages)
- Criminal Record (you can easily obtain this document using an e-devlet password that you can get from the PTT Office, it costs 4 TL)
Contact information of the Population and Citizenship Office:
https://www.nvi.gov.tr/
12. Where can I get a document showing my gross income and deductions in order to send it to my home country for tax purposes?
You may contact the Bilkent University Budget and Financial Affairs Office and ask them to print out an income/tax statement for the year in question to send to your country. Due to procedural differences among various countries, please be sure to say where you are from.
Contact information for the Budget and Financial Affairs Office: ext. 8056-57-60
13. Can international faculty members get a museum card? The Museum Card granting discounted admission to certain state-run museums and historic sites is available for international faculty members holding a Turkish residence permit. In order to purchase the card, please present your passport and residence permit at the ticket office located at the entrance of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
14. How can I obtain an ID card in order to use the National Library in Ankara?
As stated in the official gazette, all faculty members are eligible to obtain permanent library cards. All you need to do is fill out the relevant form and show your current university ID card (Bilkent University ID) to the National Library attendant to get your National Library entrance card.
Milli Kütüphane (National Library)
Bahçelievler (Bilkent shuttle buses stop in front of the National Library)
Phone: 212 62 00
www.mkutup.gov.tr