Author: Garrett Garcia, International Education Evaluations Senior Evaluator
Credential evaluators see degrees, transcripts and certificates from all over the world. Most of the time, the country of education is formally and internationally recognized. However, a credential may hail from a place whose recognition status, sovereignty or territorial claims are disputed. As each territory has a unique story, geography and situation, credential evaluation organizations usually implement territory-specific policies to remains consistent across credential evaluations.
One example is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a de facto territory on the northern half of the island of Cyprus. For decades, this island has been divided, resulting in different systems of government, economy and education. Nevertheless, given its robust higher education sector and significant number of international students, many graduates educated here utilize credential evaluation services for various purposes.
Brief Historical Context and Country Overview
The island of Cyprus is located on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea, with the Republic of Türkiye to the north, Greece to the west and Egypt to the South. Spending ancient times under the rule of various empires, it was annexed by the Ottoman Empire in 1570; this led to an influx of Turkish and Muslim migration. While it maintained a majority Greek population, the two major, distinct identities living on the island stems from this historical moment. In 1878, it came under control of the British and by 1914, it was a formal colony. Due to this British colonial past, English is still used throughout the island, including in educational settings. In 1960, Cyprus was granted independence, and a constitution was ratified to both unite the island and respect the rights of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities; one provision designated education as the responsibility of these separate communities.
In practice, Cyprus has trouble forming a stable government. Intercommunal tensions were strong, leading to the creation of ethnic enclaves, displacement of populations and even UN intervention. Affairs escalated in 1974, when Greek-Cypriot nationalists overthrew the Cypriot president in a coup d’etat; in response, the Turkish military invaded the island, presented as an attempt to protect the Turkish minority. When the invasion spread to about half the island, widespread international condemnation resulted. A ceasefire was eventually reached, with the UN’s intervention expanding; to this day, the partition between the northern and southern sides of the island is referred to as the Green Line.
In 1975, the de facto Turkish Cypriot state was established; in 1983, it adopted the name “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.” Although there were reunification attempts through the 1980s, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ratified its own constitution and created new institutions of civil society, including educational institutions.
While certain travel restrictions have been relaxed, the island of Cyprus remains divided. In the southern part, we find the Republic of Cyprus, a Greek-speaking member-state of the European Union. Authorities worldwide largely consider the entire island to be one country under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus; in practice, this jurisdiction is not applied in the northern part of the island due to the presence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, whose sovereignty is only recognized by the Republic of Türkiye.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus itself has a population of over 380,000. Its main language is Turkish, predominant religion is Islam and its government is a secular, semi-presidential parliamentary system. Its relationship with Türkiye is significant; most imports first pass through Türkiye, the Turkish military maintains a presence for security purposes and they share a currency, some telecommunications infrastructure and a heritage. Lastly, Türkiye supports the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus through higher educational recognition, as many higher educational institutions are accredited by the Turkish Council of Higher Education.
Despite the disputed nature of this part of the world, credential evaluators attempt to be fair, informed and consistent when a degree or transcript is presented for evaluation. This allows evaluators to remain sensitive, adhere to international conventions, and deliver quality service so that an individual educated here can use a credential evaluation for academic, professional or mobility pursuits. With Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, we are presented with a unique opportunity; while its de facto status can be complicated, its educational infrastructure, particularly its higher educational environment, is significant, strong and backed by the educational authorities of Türkiye.
Elementary and Secondary Education
Compulsory education in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus lasts 8 years. After, students can pursue secondary education through various streams. These include general high school (lise), private high school (lise kolej), science-oriented high school (fen lisesi) or Anatolian high schools (Anadolu lisesi), which are competitive and academically rigorous. Additionally, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has occupational options for students, including vocationally-oriented schools (meslek lisesi), practical arts schools (pratik sanat okulu), fine arts high schools (güzel sanatlar lisesi), technical high schools (teknik lisesi) and even tourism training schools (turizm otelcilik). High school lasts 3 to 4 years, depending on the stream or type of school attended. When completed, graduates receive a Lise Diploması, which represents the completion of secondary education and grants access to university education.
Secondary education is overseen by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ministry of National Education (KKTC Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı).
Post-Secondary Education
University education exists at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral-levels. After two or three years, students can receive the Önlisans Diploması. It can last two or three years. These programs are generally more applied in nature, focusing on the development of practical and technical skills in field like business, technology, tourism, and other career-oriented areas. Upon completion, graduates may enter the workforce directly or continue their undergraduate education; the Önlisans Diploması typically provides advanced standing to other undergraduate programs. This credential is comparable to the associate’s degree in the United States.
The Lisans Diploması is the standard undergraduate degree in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This program lasts four years, although some may last five or more depending on the field of study. Admission is based on the completion of secondary school and performance on the university entrance examination.
The Yüksek Lisans Diploması serves as the second-cycle, graduate-level degree in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. These programs typically last one or two years, depending on the institution, field of study and if a thesis is required. These programs tend to be research-based, but they may have professional or applied components.
The highest academic qualification awarded here is the Doktora Diploması. This credential is heavily focused on research and includes the completion, submission and successful defense of a doctoral dissertation. Admission typically requires a Yüksek Lisans Diploması, but some exceptionally qualified students may be admitted with a Lisans Diploması or equivalent undergraduate-level qualification at the discretion of the attending institution. This program can last three to five years. It is the terminal academic qualification and may provide pathways into academia, advanced research, university-level teaching roles and other high-level professional positions.
Professional education in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus depends on the field of study. Legal education typically last four years, while dental and medical education lasts five to six years.
Educational programs across all levels and fields of study in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will frequently use English as the medium of instruction, contributing to the international appeal of institutions here while demonstrating a dedication to internationalization.
The qualifications framework of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus follows the European Qualifications Framework, featuring 8 formal levels with articulated learning outcomes and expected competencies at each level. Qualifications are compliant with the Bologna Agreement, making them easily transferable and understood in other places. While being a disputed territory, its education system resembles many across the world and attempts to be transparent for the benefit of the international community.
Higher Educational Institution Accreditation
The internal organization responsible for regulation of higher education is the Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YÖDAK), established by law in 1993. YÖDAK’s oversight tasks include enacting quality assurance procedures, conducting examination of faculties, determining course details, ensuring that research is being carried out ethically, auditing institutions to guarantee compliance, and more. Institutions in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus must follow regulations to maintain accreditation from this oversight authority.
Additionally, educational institutions are accredited by the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK). Given the limited recognition status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Türkiye’s higher educational authority has broadened its scope to include these institutions in its educational community. The Turkish Council of Higher Education itself is a public, autonomous institution responsible for quality assurance, higher educational accreditation and regulation of higher education in Türkiye. Türkiye’s Higher Education Quality Council is an additional institution devoted to quality assurance in the Turkish higher education community, working closely with the Council of Higher Education to oversee the education sector.
There are sixteen universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus that enjoy full accreditation status under Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education. Notably, when secondary school students take the national university entrance examination in Türkiye, they can select Northern Cypriot universities as preferred places to attend; for the purpose of admissions and student placement, these universities are treated like other Turkish universities. While outside of Türkiye’s borders, they remain subject to the oversight, monitoring and quality assurance regulations as prescribed by the Council of Higher Education. They must satisfy quality criteria and are subject to audit.
Furthermore, Northern Cypriot institutions are subject to programmatic accreditation by way of Türkiye’s Assessment, Selection and Placement Center, which produces an annual guide of approved higher education programs available to applicants. Programs hosted at Northern Cypriot institutions regularly appear here, further proving that institutions go through the proper processes from Türkiye’s higher educational authority.
Lastly, Türkiye’s higher educational authority has a close working relationship with the authority in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. They have specific cooperation protocol and memoranda of understanding in order to continue joint accreditation efforts, quality assurance and communication.
While accreditation and authorities can be difficult to identify in disputed territories, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has one very easily available via its neighbor to the north. Türkiye’s accreditation provides further legitimacy for the institutions and qualifications coming from here, proving to be a unique point supporting successful validation and evaluation despite the disputed nature and limited recognition of Northern Cyprus.
Documents
Post-secondary educational documents from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus include the degree certificate, the academic transcript and the diploma supplement, all issued by the university attended. These documents will appear in English, Turkish or both. Diploma supplements resemble others issued throughout the European Higher Education Area, containing all information required for compliance with the Bologna process.
Credits
Varying by institution, credit systems typically come in two forms. The first is credits from the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), indicating 60 credits per academic year. Furthermore, it is common to see credits consistent with the format found in the U.S., with 3-4 credits per course and about 30 credits per academic year.
Grading Scales
While it varies among institutions, two 4-point scales are usually used. One is the scale commonly seen in Türkiye, featuring double letters weighted from 0 to 4 points, where AA is the highest score. Another common scale looks like the scale used in the U.S., albeit with slight variations in exact grade points per letter grade.
Conclusion
Even though it’s a disputed territory, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has an impressive educational system. From compliance with international quality assurance standards to regular meeting of criteria for international accreditation, this small state has fought to prove itself as a competitive hotspot of higher and international education. Hosting over 50,000 international students from 100+ countries, its universities have shown that they can meet international standards, confer quality degrees and even place on international rankings. Meanwhile, while accreditation, recognition status of institutions and oversight authority can be complicated in disputed areas, the accreditation from Türkiye allows credential evaluators to easily examine credentials and institutions from here under the scope of the Turkish education system. This provides a unique bridge from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the rest of the world. Overall, it is advised that credential evaluation firms create a consistent policy for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus while also taking accreditation and quality assurance into consideration.
