Applications for the Higher Education Council’s (YÖK) program—which will train 550 young researchers in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, information technology, and advanced computer systems—will remain open until September 28. The goal is to contribute approximately 3,000 researchers to Turkey’s science and technology ecosystem over the next five years.
The application deadline for the Turkey Strategic Technology Human Resources Program—launched by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to develop the qualified workforce needed in Turkey’s strategic technology fields—has been extended to September 28, 2026.
The program, which aims to train young researchers in critical fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, information technology, and advanced computer systems, will train 550 young researchers in its first year. By the end of the five-year period, the goal is to integrate approximately 3,000 researchers into Turkey’s science and technology ecosystem.
Under the program announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, young researchers will pursue their doctoral studies at Turkey’s research universities while also being employed as research assistants. This will integrate doctoral education, scientific research, and research assistantships into a single model.
In the program’s first year, a total of 550 researchers will be trained in the fields of Information Technology, Hardware and Computer Systems, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence and Smart Systems.
Young researchers will be admitted to doctoral programs at research universities and appointed to research assistant positions in accordance with relevant regulations.
Graduates from various disciplines are eligible to apply
The program is not limited to young people with degrees in computer science and software engineering. In addition to many engineering fields that meet the admission requirements for the announced doctoral programs, graduates from medicine, law, and other disciplines may also apply to the relevant programs.
The goal is to bring together the knowledge and expertise of young professionals from diverse fields with strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, information technologies, and advanced computer systems.
Through the program’s integrated Ph.D. option, undergraduate graduates who meet the necessary requirements will be able to begin their Ph.D. studies directly, without first completing a separate thesis-based master’s program. This will allow young people to embark on a research career at an earlier stage.
Application Deadline: September 28
The application deadline, previously announced as September 22, has been extended to September 28, 2026. Applicants may submit their applications electronically through the Higher Education Council’s Application System for Doctoral Programs in Priority Fields. Applicants will be allowed a total of five preferences across a maximum of two different fields from among the announced programs.
The centralized written exam will be administered by ÖSYM on November 28, 2026. Detailed information regarding application requirements, quotas, and the preference and evaluation processes is available on the Higher Education Council’s official website.
Application link: https://basvuru.yok.gov.tr
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