Education in Northern Cyprus

Children in Northern Cyprus, below age 6, can attend kindergartens of public and private institutions. Kindergarten is not mandatory.

Elementary school provides 5 years of education for children between the ages of 6 and 11. All elementary schools are public and free.

High schools provide a minimum 6 years of education, where 3 years last for junior high school (Ortaokul). There are different kinds of high schools in Northern Cypriot education system, such as standard public high schools, private high schools, science high schools, vocational high schools, technical high schools and fine arts high schools. As of 2008, there are 18 high schools, 14 junior high schools and 12 vocational high schools.{{cite web|url=http://www.mebnet.net/meb-okul.html|title=List of Schools, Ministry of National Education and Culture|website=mebnet.net|access-date=20 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624165136/http://www.mebnet.net/meb-okul.html|archive-date=24 June 2008|url-status=dead}}

File:Universities in Northern Cyprus.png

All of universities in Northern Cyprus are private except Eastern Mediterranean University, METU-NCC, and ITU-TRNC. In 2013 there were 63,765 university students from 114 countries in nine universities in Northern Cyprus. In 2014, the number of students increased to 70,004, (15,210 Turkish Cypriots; 36,148 from Turkey; 18,646 international students).[http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/91/news/145210/PageName/EGITIM Kibris Postasi 24 October 2014] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025004307/http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/91/news/145210/PageName/EGITIM |date=25 October 2014 }} 70,000 students enrolled to the universities[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/world/europe/students-flock-to-universities-in-northern-cyprus.html?ref=internationaleducation&_r=0 NY Times] Students Flock to Universities in Northern Cyprus, 16.02.2014 According to the Financial Times,, this grew to 100,000 students in 2024, with half from Turkey, 40% from other countries and the remainder local students.{{cite news|first1=Joseph|last1=Wilkins|access-date=2025-06-07|title=The ‘north Cyprus trap’: migrant students lured with false promises|url=https://www.ft.com/content/eb55e433-97fa-4412-98d2-5e5a6c511efc|newspaper=Financial Times|date=20 October 2024}} Tuition revenues from international students are reportedly the main driver of Northern Cyprus' economy, with France24 reporting that it generates a third of the country's GDP. However, the educational sector has been criticized for misleading recruitment tactics, mainly around misrepresenting the country as the EU-member state Republic of Cyprus on the south of the island, as well as false information about international accreditation, scholarships, jobs and housing. It has also been claimed by the government of the Republic of Cyprus that a portion of students only enroll to cross the UN buffer zone and claim asylum there.{{cite web|access-date=2025-06-07|title=Reporters - Foreign students in Northern Cyprus: False promises and disillusion|url=https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/reporters/20230519-foreign-students-in-northern-cyprus-false-promises-and-disillusion|date=19 May 2023|website=France 24}} Higher education in Northern Cyprus is administered and accredited by {{ill|YÖDAK|tr|Yükseköğretim Planlama, Denetleme, Akreditasyon ve Koordinasyon Kurulu}}, with 17 universities also managed by the Council of Higher Education in Turkey.

There are 19 universities in Northern Cyprus:

Atatürk Teacher Academy and Police Academy provide vocational education in related subjects.

• Near East University’s Faculty of Pharmacy was accredited by The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in 2014.[https://www.acpe-accredit.org/pdf/14ACPEInternationalCertificationPressRelease%20.pdf] ACPE
• The law faculties of the three universities of Northern Cyprus were accredited by European Law Faculties Association (ELFA).{{cite web|url=http://www.elfa-afde.com/elfa/member-schools|title=ELFA - Member Schools|website=www.elfa-afde.com|access-date=20 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823022431/http://www.elfa-afde.com/elfa/member-schools|archive-date=23 August 2017|url-status=dead}}
• The English Preparatory School of European University of Lefke was accredited by Pearson Assured in 2015.[http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/91/news/162226/PageName/EGITIM Kibrispostasi] The English Preparatory School of EUL was accredited by PA
• Near East University and Eastern Mediterranean University are members of European University Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.eua.be/eua-membership-and-services/Home/members-directory.aspx?country=52|title=EUA Members Directory|website=www.eua.be|access-date=20 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518090751/http://www.eua.be/eua-membership-and-services/Home/members-directory.aspx?country=52|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=dead}}
• Girne American University{{Cite web|title=Girne American University {{!}} Girne Amerikan Üniversitesi|url=https://www.gau.edu.tr/en/prospective/page/international-accreditations|access-date=2020-07-21|website=www.gau.edu.tr|language=en}} and Cyprus International University are members of European Council for Business Education (ECBE).[http://www.ecbe.eu/index.php?id=10 ECBE] Members

On 17-18 May 2019, The Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (CEENQA) held its meeting in Northern Cyprus; 26 quality assurance institutions from 20 countries participated the meeting.{{Cite web |url=https://yodak.gov.ct.tr/HABERLER/ArtMID/32505/ArticleID/97472/CEENQA-GENEL-KURULU-Y214DAK-EV-SAH%c4%b0PL%c4%b0%c4%9e%c4%b0NDE-KKTC%e2%80%99DE-%c4%b0LK-KEZ-GER199EKLE%c5%9eT%c4%b0R%c4%b0LD%c4%b0 |title=CEENQA meeting was held in Northern Cyprus |access-date=2020-05-29 |archive-date=2021-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519114737/https://yodak.gov.ct.tr/HABERLER/ArtMID/32505/ArticleID/97472/CEENQA-GENEL-KURULU-Y214DAK-EV-SAH%C4%B0PL%C4%B0%C4%9E%C4%B0NDE-KKTC%E2%80%99DE-%C4%B0LK-KEZ-GER199EKLE%C5%9ET%C4%B0R%C4%B0LD%C4%B0 |url-status=dead }}

• [http://www.mebnet.net Ministry of National Education and Culture] {{in lang|tr|en}}

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