Can foreign graduate (master's/PhD) students work in Türkiye during their studies?
General information, not legal advice. For high-stakes decisions, confirm with the official institution in the next-step below, or consult a qualified Turkish lawyer.
Pending expert review. This fact is sourced but has not yet been reviewed by an independent legal expert. Treat as a starting point.
Yes — and without the first-year-completion or part-time-only restrictions that apply to undergraduates. Master's and PhD students can apply for a standard work permit from the start of their programme, including full-time roles, subject only to the general work-permit evaluation criteria. The rule is in CSGB Çalışma İzni Başvurusu Değerlendirme Kriterleri Section 9.2.
Watch-outs
- This is permission to apply, not an automatic grant. CSGB still evaluates the application against employer criteria, wage criteria, and sector rules — see work-01 for the permit types.
- Sector-specific limits still apply. Certain sectors remain off-limits to all foreign students — see work-12.
- Scholarship holders need an additional approval from the sponsor before the permit can proceed. YTB students need YTB sign-off (work-13); YÖK scholarship students need YÖK sign-off (work-14).
- The work-permit route is the legal route. Informal off-the-books work remains illegal at any study level, with the same fine structure and deportation risk as it carries for non-students.
Next step
Identify an employer willing to file the application, then go through the standard CSGB process. If you're on a scholarship, secure your sponsor's approval first — applying without it gets the permit application refused at the YTB or YÖK opinion stage.
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