For citizens of Azerbaijan, arrival is the easy part: no visa, a familiar language and a short flight. What catches exchange students out is the paperwork after it – the student residence permit on e-ikamet, health insurance that covers the whole stay, and a phone that stops working on a Turkish SIM after 120 days unless it is registered.
Money
Turkish lira (TRY, ₺)
Language
Turkish
Time
UTC+3 all year, one hour behind Baku
Plugs
Type C and F; 230 V
Tipping
Not required; about 5–10% in sit-down restaurants is usual
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking3
Cards work almost everywhere, including contactless; a Turkish bank account is possible but optional for one semester, and prices move fast with inflation.
PT
Potential tax number (potansiyel vergi kimlik numarası)
A Turkish tax number for foreigners, issued online in minutes
On arrival
Why you need it: Banks, insurers and some shops ask for a Turkish tax number before they will sign you up. You can get one online with your passport before the residence permit exists.
Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye exchange rates
The official daily lira rates, to judge any exchange offer
Optional
Why you need it: The lira moves often, and airport kiosks and card conversions can be far from the real rate. Checking the central bank’s rate takes seconds and tells you whether an offer is fair.
Before you rely on itThese are indicative rates; exchange offices (döviz bürosu) add a margin, and airport desks usually add the most. When a card terminal offers to charge you in manats or dollars, choose lira.
Source: tcmb.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
ZB
Ziraat Bankası
A state-owned bank with branches in every partner city
Optional
Why you need it: A local account helps if you will be paid in lira, pay rent by transfer or want a Turkish card for apps that refuse foreign ones. For one semester, many students manage on their home card instead.
Take your passport, tax number and a Turkish phone number to a branch.
Ask what proof of address that branch accepts.
Activate mobile banking with the SMS the bank sends.
Before you rely on itRequirements differ from branch to branch, and some ask for a residence permit before opening an account. Ask at the branch near your campus before you go.
Source: ziraatbank.com.tr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Essential apps4
Daily life runs on a few Turkish apps – e-Devlet for the state, Getir and Yemeksepeti for delivery – and most of them want a +90 number.
ED
e-Devlet Kapısı
The state’s single portal: permit status, address, phone registration
Optional
Why you need it: Once you have a foreign ID number, e-Devlet is where you check your registered address, see your residence permit and register a phone. It saves several trips to offices.
Wait for your residence permit and its 99… foreign ID number.
Take your permit card and passport to a PTT post office for a password.
Log in on the website or app with your ID number and that password.
Before you rely on itYou cannot use it until the residence permit is issued, which may be weeks into the semester.
Source: turkiye.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ge
Getir
Groceries, water and meals delivered in minutes
Optional
Why you need it: In the first week, before you know the local shops, Getir brings groceries, drinking water and household basics to a dorm or flat within minutes.
Before you rely on itSigning up needs a phone number that can receive an SMS; a Turkish number is the easy route. Which Getir services reach you depends on your district, so check your address in the app.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ye
Yemeksepeti
Restaurant food delivered, in every partner city
Optional
Why you need it: One of the most used food-ordering apps across Türkiye, in every partner city. You pay in the app, or at the door where the restaurant allows it.
Before you rely on itMenus and addresses are in Turkish; type your address as it appears on your dorm letter or contract so couriers find you.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Tr
Trendyol
One of Türkiye’s largest online shops, for bedding and adapters
Optional
Why you need it: Setting up a room for one semester is cheaper online than in malls. Trendyol delivers to your address or to a pickup point within days.
Before you rely on itThe app is in Turkish; returns are easy, but plan around delivery times before you move rooms.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport5
Each city has its own transport card, and student discounts depend on the city and on your university, so check yours before paying full fare all term.
İs
İstanbulkartEssential
Istanbul’s card for metro, bus, Marmaray, tram and ferries
On arrival
Why you need it: Twelve of the partner universities are in Istanbul, and every bus, metro and ferry there takes İstanbulkart. Students with an active student certificate apply online for the discounted student card.
Buy a card from a machine or kiosk at the airport or any metro station.
Top it up in lira at machines or in the İstanbulkart Mobil app.
Ask your international office when your student certificate is active.
Apply for the student card online at bireysel.istanbulkart.istanbul.
Before you rely on itStudent cards are personal and applied for online; ask your host university whether its exchange students qualify and which document it issues for the application.
Source: iro.sabanciuniv.edu · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
BK
Başkent Kart Ulaşım (Ankara)Essential
Ankara’s card for EGO buses, metro and Ankaray
On arrival
Why you need it: Bilkent, METU, Ankara University and TED University students ride EGO buses and the metro daily. The card formerly called AnkaraKart is now issued as Başkent Kart Ulaşım.
Paid · About 113 lira for a personal card (2026)Varies by cityVaries by residence status
Buy a card at a metro station or EGO kiosk on arrival.
Top it up at station machines or kiosks.
For the student card, ask your international office for a student certificate.
Apply at the Kızılay metro card centre or the EGO building.
Before you rely on itEGO’s published student requirements are written for Turkish students and do not mention foreign ones; ask your international office whether exchange students qualify and what ID the card centre will want.
Source: ego.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
İK
İzmirim Kart
İzmir’s card for buses, metro, tram and ferries
On arrival
Why you need it: Yaşar University students use İzmir’s buses, metro and ferries across the bay. The card is sold at a dealer in the airport’s international arrivals terminal.
Buy a card at the airport, a station machine or an authorised kiosk.
Top it up at machines, in the app or on the website by card.
Ask your international office about a discounted personal card.
Before you rely on itA contactless bank card also works at full fare, except on İZBAN suburban trains. The card’s own pages do not say whether foreign exchange students qualify for the discounted student card; ask Yaşar’s international office.
Source: izmirimkart.com.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
KK
Kart38 (Kayseri)
Kayseri’s card for the tram and city buses
On arrival
Why you need it: Abdullah Gül University students use Kayseri’s tram and buses. Here you can also simply tap a contactless bank card or phone, so a card is not needed on day one.
Tap a contactless bank card or phone for your first rides.
Buy an anonymous Kart38 at a kiosk, ticket window or dealer if you prefer.
Ask your international office whether you can get the student card.
Before you rely on itThe student card is for students verified in the national YÖK system; exchange students may not appear there, so ask before counting on it.
Source: kayseriulasim.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
BT
BiTaksi
Calls the nearest licensed yellow taxi and shares the trip
Optional
Why you need it: Late arrivals, heavy luggage and campuses far from the metro make taxis unavoidable at times. Booking in the app gives you a rated driver and a trip you can share.
Add a card for in-app payment, or plan to pay the driver.
Share the live trip with a friend for late rides.
Before you rely on itFares follow the meter. Check that the app covers your city before relying on it; in Istanbul, Uber also books licensed yellow taxis.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
SIM, eSIM & internet3
A tourist SIM works from day one, but a phone brought from abroad is cut off on Turkish SIMs after 120 days unless you register it for a large fee.
TT
Turkcell Tourist Welcome PackEssential
A prepaid line for foreign passport holders, data from day one
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a Turkish number for e-ikamet, delivery apps and taxi apps in the first days. Turkcell sells a tourist line on your passport, in store or as an eSIM through its app.
Paid · About 1,800 lira for 20 GB and 200 minutes over 28 days (2026)
Take your passport to a Turkcell store, or use the Turkcell app for an eSIM.
Ask for the total price, including the SIM fee, before you pay.
Pay with a card that allows international payments.
Renew the pack every 28 days or switch tariffs in the app.
Before you rely on itTourist packs are for passport lines; once you have a residence permit, ask the store about moving to an ordinary line on your foreign ID number. The 120-day phone rule still applies.
Source: turkcell.com.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
VT
Vodafone Türkiye tourist SIM
A prepaid passport line with data, minutes and a 60-day life
Optional
Why you need it: An alternative to Turkcell, sold in Vodafone shops including at airports. Compare the two in your area before committing for a semester.
Fill in the application on Vodafone’s site with your passport number.
Collect the SIM or eSIM at a Vodafone shop.
Change tariffs before it runs out by calling 542.
Before you rely on itThe tourist SIM is deactivated automatically after 60 days unless you change tariffs; the SIM fee differs from shop to shop.
Source: vodafone.com.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
IR
IMEI registration (phones from abroad)
Why your own phone stops working on a Turkish SIM after 120 days
On arrival
Why you need it: A February–June semester is longer than 120 days. A phone bought abroad works on a Turkish SIM for 120 days from entry, then is cut off from the network unless it is registered.
Paid · A state fee revised each year: tens of thousands of lira (2026)Varies by residence status
Decide before you land: register, stay on your home SIM in roaming, or put the Turkish SIM in a phone bought in Türkiye.
To register, you need a residence permit’s foreign ID number and an e-Devlet password.
Pay the fee at a tax office or online, then register on e-Devlet within 120 days of entry.
Before you rely on itOne registration per person every three calendar years, and the fee is often more than the phone is worth. Check the current amount on e-Devlet before you decide.
You need no visa to enter, but a semester is longer than 90 days, so a student residence permit from the Presidency of Migration Management is required.
VF
Visa-free entryEssential
How you enter: no visa for up to 90 days in any 180
Before departure
Why you need it: For citizens of Azerbaijan: ordinary passport holders need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A semester runs longer, so the 90 days are your window to apply for the residence permit.
Check your passport is valid at least 60 days beyond your planned stay.
Fly on your passport: the permit file needs its pages and entry stamp.
Keep your boarding pass and acceptance letter in your hand luggage.
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Check your own nationality on the same page; some students need a student visa from a Turkish consulate before travelling.
Source: mfa.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
SR
Student residence permit (öğrenci ikamet izni)Essential
The permit every student staying over 90 days needs
On arrival
Why you need it: A semester exceeds the 90 visa-free days, so you need a student residence permit. You apply online on e-ikamet, then your host university’s international office usually collects the documents and passes them to the provincial migration office.
Paid · 964 lira card fee (2026); students pay no residence feeVaries by university
Fill in the student application on e-ikamet and print and sign the form.
Pay the card fee online with the accrual number from your application.
Hand in the form, passport copies, two biometric photos, fee receipt, address proof and insurance to your international office.
Track the application on e-ikamet; the card is posted to you.
Before you rely on itApply before your 90 visa-free days run out. Offices stop processing files that sit too long after the online application – METU’s says 30 days – so apply only when your documents are ready.
Source: iso.metu.edu.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
HI
Health insurance for the residence permitEssential
Cover for the whole permit period, required for the application
Before departure
Why you need it: The student residence permit needs proof of health insurance for your whole stay. Exchange students usually buy a private policy from an insurer in Türkiye; some universities arrange one.
Ask your host university which policies it accepts or arranges.
Buy a policy whose dates cover the whole permit period you will request.
Keep a printed copy of the policy for the permit file.
Before you rely on itWhat counts differs by university. Some offices also accept proof of an application to the state scheme (GSS); home-country public cover counts only where your country has an agreement with Türkiye; and a private policy bought outside Türkiye may not be accepted. Check with your host before paying.
The 99… number on your permit card that local systems ask for
On arrival
Why you need it: Your residence permit card carries an 11-digit number starting with 99. It unlocks e-Devlet, phone registration and many student discounts that are closed to passport-only users.
Find the number on your e-ikamet application or permit card.
Give it to your international office, operator and bank.
Use it with a PTT password to log in to e-Devlet.
Before you rely on itYou may not have one until your permit application is processed, so several things on this list wait until then. Ask your international office when yours is issued.
Source: turkiye.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
AN
Address notification (adres bildirimi)
Reporting a move within 20 working days once you hold a permit
Optional
Why you need it: If you move from a dorm to a flat after your permit is issued, the new address must be reported within 20 working days. Late notice can bring a fine.
Get a document for the new address: a utility bill, contract or building manager’s letter.
Report it at a population office (nüfus müdürlüğü) or the provincial migration office.
Before you rely on itOnly relevant if you change address after the permit is issued; your first address goes in with the permit application.
Source: nvi.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Housing & daily life3
Your housing is also a permit document: a dormitory letter with your room number or a notarised rental contract goes into the residence permit file.
DL
Dormitory letter or notarised contractEssential
Proof of address that the residence permit file accepts
Before departure
Why you need it: Your permit application needs a document for where you live. A dormitory letter must be signed and stamped and show your room number; a private flat needs a notarised rental contract or one e-signed on e-Devlet.
Ask your host whether it offers dormitory places to exchange students.
If it does, request a dormitory letter that states your room number.
If you rent privately, have the contract notarised (noter) or e-signed with the landlord on e-Devlet.
Before you rely on itAn informal room-share without a proper contract can leave you without proof of address. Dorm availability for exchange students varies widely between universities and cities.
Source: iso.metu.edu.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
SC
sahibinden.com
Türkiye’s main classifieds site for flats and rooms to rent
Optional
Why you need it: If your host has no dorm place, most private flats are listed here, by owners and by agents (emlakçı). Filter by district near your campus.
Search “Kiralık Daire” in the district near your campus.
Ask whether the landlord will sign a notarised contract for your permit.
Never send a deposit before viewing the flat in person.
Before you rely on itLandlords often want a deposit and sometimes several months in advance, and agents charge a fee. Short semester lets are harder to find, especially in Istanbul.
Source: sahibinden.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Em
Emlakjet
A second listings site for rentals, mostly through agents
Optional
Why you need it: Useful for comparing rents across districts before you commit. Listings overlap with sahibinden but searching both shows more of the market.
Before you rely on itMost listings are agents’ and in Turkish; the agent’s fee is extra to the rent.
Source: emlakjet.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Student life2
Most partner universities have an international office and many have an ESN section; your student status also opens discounts at state museums.
ET
ESN Türkiye
Student volunteers who run trips and buddy schemes for newcomers
Optional
Why you need it: ESN sections at many Turkish universities help exchange students settle in and meet people in the first weeks, from city tours to paperwork tips.
Before you rely on itNot every partner university has a section; where yours does not, its international office usually runs its own buddy programme.
Source: esnturkey.org · the provider or a government body · Checked
Mü
Müzekart
A discounted pass for state museums and archaeological sites
Optional
Why you need it: Foreign students at Turkish universities can get the discounted Müzekart on showing a student ID, which covers state museums and sites that otherwise charge foreigners full price.
Ask at a state museum ticket office for a discounted student Müzekart.
Before you rely on itThe rules name students on associate, bachelor’s and master’s programmes; ask the ticket office whether your exchange student ID is enough.
Source: destek.ktb.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language4
Turkish is close enough to Azerbaijani to get by quickly, but not identical; English is common on campus and patchy in offices and shops.
WA
WhatsAppEssential
How Türkiye messages: classmates, landlords, couriers, offices
Before departure
Why you need it: Course groups, international offices, landlords and shops all use WhatsApp. Keep your Baku number on it or move it to your Turkish number on day one.
Before you rely on itCalls to a Turkish landline still go through the phone network; many offices prefer a WhatsApp message to an email.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
GT
Google Translate
Camera and conversation translation of Turkish forms and signs
Before departure
Why you need it: Permit forms, contracts and menus are in Turkish. The camera mode reads them in place, and it translates directly between Turkish and Azerbaijani or Russian.
Why you need it: Better than a translator for a single word on a form or in a lecture, with the many senses a Turkish word can have and example phrases.
Before you rely on itOperators answer in Turkish first; say your district and the nearest landmark clearly, and ask for English if you need it.
Source: 112.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
EO
Embassy of Azerbaijan in AnkaraEssential
Consular help for citizens of Azerbaijan: lost passports, emergencies
Before departure
Why you need it: For citizens of Azerbaijan, the embassy in Ankara and the consulates general in Istanbul and Kars replace lost passports and help in serious trouble. Save the number before you need it.
Save the embassy’s phone, +90 312 491 16 81, and the consular email.
Keep a scan of your passport somewhere you can reach from any phone.
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save.
Source: ankara.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
CG
Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul
Consular services for citizens of Azerbaijan in Istanbul
Before departure
Why you need it: For citizens of Azerbaijan at the Istanbul partners, the consulate general in Beşiktaş is closer than Ankara for passports and notarial documents. It runs a hotline on non-working days.
Before you rely on itMain line +90 850 800 05 15; hotline on non-working days, 09:00–18:00: +90 536 613 86 48. Students in Ankara and Kayseri use the embassy in Ankara; the consulate general in Kars serves the north-east.
Earthquake app: nearest assembly point and a one-touch 112 call
Optional
Why you need it: Istanbul and İzmir lie in active earthquake zones. The state disaster agency’s app shows your nearest assembly area and can reach 112 over the internet when phone lines are jammed.
Install the app and verify your phone number by SMS.
Enter your foreign ID number once your permit is issued.
Look up the assembly area nearest your dorm or flat.
Before you rely on itRegistration asks for a Turkish ID number, so full use waits for your residence permit; the assembly-area map is worth checking from week one.
Source: afad.gov.tr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Culture & practical tips
Hospitality, tea and family life will feel familiar from Baku; the differences are in bureaucracy, the pace of the city and the language’s false friends.
01Close to Azerbaijani, with false friends
You will understand much of everyday Turkish from week one, but some shared-looking words differ in meaning or tone. When something matters – a contract, a form, a doctor – check rather than assume.
02Prices change faster than guides
Inflation means fares, rents and fees are revised often, sometimes more than once a year. Treat every amount here as a dated guide and check the current price before you budget.
03Paperwork runs through your university
For the residence permit, the international office is your counter: it checks your file and sends it on. Go early in the week, bring copies of everything and keep the receipts.
04Carry your passport or permit card
Police and offices ask foreigners for ID, and a photocopy is not always accepted. Once your permit card arrives, it is the document to carry day to day.
05Take earthquakes seriously
Istanbul, İzmir and much of the country lie on active faults. Know your building’s exits, keep a small bag with water and documents, and know where your assembly area is.
06Ramadan and the bayram holidays
In spring 2027, Ramadan falls around February and March, and Kurban Bayramı around mid-May. Offices close for the holidays and intercity buses and flights fill up, so plan trips early.
07Taxis go by the meter
Make sure the meter (taksimetre) is running from the start, or book through an app that records the trip. Have the address written down in Turkish.
08Tea is an invitation, not a sale
Shopkeepers, landlords and office staff may offer çay while you talk. Accepting is polite; it does not commit you to anything.
09Haggling has its place
Bargaining is normal in bazaars and with some landlords, but not in supermarkets, chain shops or restaurants, where the marked price is the price.
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