Procedures for English Language Proficiency Exemption through External Exams (27.08.2015)

Procedures for applying to Bilkent University for approval of English language proficiency via external exams per article 7 of English Language Preparatory Program Rules and Regulations or article 4 of Graduate Study Rules and Regulations are as follows.

  1. Students who apply to Bilkent University with a TOEFL iBT or IELTS result must have taken the exam at a center where identities of exam takers are verified via test day photographs. The test day photograph of each applicant must be available either on the exam certificate or on the test score verification website of the exam provider.
  2. The exam result must be sent directly to Bilkent University Registrar’s Office by the exam provider. Results submitted in person or mailed by students will be taken into consideration; however, admission and proficiency decisions are only finalized upon direct delivery of the original exam certificate to Registrar’s Office by the exam provider.
  3. Students currently registered at Bilkent University and students who are Turkish nationals planning to register undergraduate programs:
    Students in these categories wishing to take an external exam for demonstrating English language proficiency must inform the English Language Preparatory Program in writing of their intention to sit the exam and submit relevant registration documents, at least 21 days prior to the exam date. Such students can only sit external exams at the centres listed below, and on days previously announced by Bilkent University. Results from external exams taken at other centres or on other dates are not accepted.
    TOEFL exam centre: Turkish American Association (Ankara)
    IELTS exam centre: IDP (Ankara)
    Changes to the list of approved exam centres may be made by the English Language Preparatory Program, with approval of the Rector.
    Bilkent University may request exam centres to take additional security measures. Students who register to take external exams will be notified in advance of any procedures they have to follow in order to have their applications accepted by Bilkent University.
  4. Students applying for graduate programs and international students applying for undergraduate programs:
    Students in these categories may apply for admission to a program with an external exam result from exam centres not specified in article 3 above, and on dates outside of those specified by the University.  However, those who present external exam results which have followed procedures other than those indicated in article 3 above, may be asked to take an English language proficiency test by the English Language Preparatory Program upon arrival at the University to verify language levels.
  5. Bilkent University English Language Preparatory Program has the right to investigate exam results for reliability purposes, request exam registration access keys from students, administer an exam to students to check the validity of submitted exam results, and contact exam centres regarding students scores. Exam results of students whose scores are deemed problematic, or whose Bilkent University proficiency exam results are not in line with those received from the external examining body, may not be accepted. Decisions regarding students whose exam scores are deemed unacceptable will be made by the relevant Faculty, School, or Institute Executive Board. Such students may be required to enroll the Preparatory Program, or may be subject to other measures as decided by the relevant Board.

The above Senate decisions have superseded and replaced the previous ‘Procedures for Exemption from the Preparatory Program’ dated 14.05.2014, and will take effect as of 01.01.2016.