Education in Northern Cyprus is organized by the Ministry of National Education and Culture. 5 years of primary education is mandatory.

Kindergarten

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

Elementary school

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

High school

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.

Universities

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).Kibris Postasi 24 October 2014 70,000 students enrolled to the universitiesNY 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. 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. Higher education in Northern Cyprus is administered and accredited by , with 17 universities also managed by the Council of Higher Education in Turkey.

There are 19 universities in Northern Cyprus:

University Turkish Name Location Type Official WebsiteCyprus West UniversityKıbrıs Batı ÜniversitesiFamagustaPrivatehttps://cwu.edu.tr/Girne American University Girne Amerikan Üniversitesi Kyrenia (Karaoğlanoğlu county) Privatehttps://www.gau.edu.trThe American University of CyprusKıbrıs Amerikan ÜniversitesiNicosiaPrivatehttps://www.auc.edu.tr/enEastern Mediterranean University Doğu Akdeniz Üniversitesi Famagusta Publichttps://www.emu.edu.trCyprus International University Uluslararası Kıbrıs Üniversitesi North Nicosia (Haspolat county) Privatehttps://www.ciu.edu.trEuropean Leadership UniversityAvrupa Liderlik ÜniversitesiFamagustaPrivatehttps://elu.edu.tr/ Near East University Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi North Nicosia Privatehttp://www.neu.edu.tr European University of Lefke Lefke Avrupa Üniversitesi Morphou Private https://www.eul.edu.tr University of Mediterranean Karpasia Akdeniz Karpaz Üniversitesi North Nicosia Private https://www.akun.edu.tr/en-US University of Kyrenia Girne Üniversitesi Kyrenia Private https://kyrenia.edu.tr Cyprus Science University Kıbrıs İlim Üniversitesi Kyrenia Private https://www.csu.edu.tr Middle East Technical University-Northern Cyprus Campus Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi-Kuzey Kıbrıs Kampusu Morphou State https://ncc.metu.edu.tr Istanbul Technical University-TRNC İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi-KKTC Famagusta State https://www.kktc.itu.edu.tr/Rauf Denktas UniversityRauf Denktaş ÜniversitesiNorth NicosiaPrivatehttps://rdu.edu.tr/Mesarya Technical UniversityMesarya Teknik Üniversitesi North Nicosia (Meriç county)Privatehttps://www.mesarya.university/Bahçeşehir Cyprus UniversityBahçeşehir Kıbrıs Üniversitesi North Nicosia (Alayköy, Kumsal county)Privatehttps://baucyprus.edu.tr/Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD)Arkın Yaratıcı Sanatlar ve Tasarım ÜniversitesiKyreniaPrivatehttps://www.arucad.edu.tr/Onbes Kasim Kibris UniversityOnbeş Kasım Kıbrıs Üniversitesi North Nicosia (Küçük Kaymaklı, Düzova county)Privatehttps://www.onbeskku.edu.tr/Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (CHSSU)Kıbrıs Sağlık ve Toplum Bilimleri Üniversitesi (KSTU)MorphouPrivatehttps://eng.kstu.edu.tr/ Cyprus Social Sciences UniversityKıbrıs Sosyal Bilimler ÜniversitesiNorth NicosiaPrivatehttps://kisbu.edu.tr/

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

International membership of Northern Cyprus institutions Institution Membership Membership Date The Association of North Cyprus Biologists (Bio-Der) European Countries Biologists Association (ECBA) 2006ECBA North Cyprus member page Northern Cyprus' Educational Sciences Association (KEB-DER) European Educational Research Association 13.08.2010EERA Official Website EERA MembersHellenic Resources Network Educational Sciences Association joined the European Educational Research Association representing Cyprus North Cyprus' Higher Education Planning Evaluation Accreditation and Coordination Council (YÖDAK) The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) The International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) UK - National Academic Recognition Information Center (UK-NARIC) The Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (CEENQA) 2007 2009INQAAHE Official Website North Cyprus is a member of INQAAHE 2009 2013CEENQA-Northern Cyprus page

Near East University’s Faculty of Pharmacy was accredited by The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in 2014. ACPE The law faculties of the three universities of Northern Cyprus were accredited by European Law Faculties Association (ELFA). The English Preparatory School of European University of Lefke was accredited by Pearson Assured in 2015.Kibrispostasi The English Preparatory School of EUL was accredited by PA Near East University and Eastern Mediterranean University are members of European University Association. Girne American University and Cyprus International University are members of European Council for Business Education (ECBE).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.

References

External links Ministry of National Education and Culture