FAQ - Undergraduate Students
REGISTRATION TO THE UNIVERSITY
For information on the registration procedures regarding incoming undergraduate students, please see University Registration website (http://ogrenciler.bogazici.edu.tr/Home/Content/universityregistration).
BUEPT: C
TOEFL® (PBT): 550, TWE 4.5
TOEFL® (IBT): 79, TWE 22
IELTS Academic: 6.5, Writing (Academic): 6.5
Test scores are valid for two years after the test date.
ENGLISH PREPARATORY DIVISION
Information on attendance and performance requirements of the English Preparatory Division classes is available on the School of Foreign Languages (YADYOK) website (yadyok.bogazici.edu.tr).
Yes. You can start your undergraduate degree program as an irregular freshman in the spring semester. Please consult your academic advisor for more information.
No. Since students in the English Prep program are not registered in courses, they do not have transcript records.
REGISTRATION TO UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS AND ATTENDANCE
An academic year is the official period of instruction at the university, comprising fall and spring semesters. The university can also offer a summer school during the academic year; enrollment in summer school courses is on voluntary basis.
Academic Calendar is the calendar that comprises the dates of all education-related activities (registration for the semester, course add/drop, withdrawal from courses, final examinations, submission of applications, etc.). The Academic Calendar is announced subsequent to its approval by the University Senate. It can be accessed at https://academiccalendar.boun.edu.tr.
Students are required to renew their registration at the beginning of each academic semester. Course registration is made online via OBIKAS at the following address: registration.boun.edu.tr.
English Preparatory Division (YADYOK) students do not have to renew their registration on OBIKAS; their academic registration is approved and finalized by the Registrar’s Office.
To complete their course registration, students must have met all financial requirements, if any, for that semester within the dates specified.
Course registrations are finalized following the academic advisor’s approval. At the end of the registration period, students must carefully examine their course lists recorded on OBIKAS, and submit a petition to the relevant department in case of any errors in their records.
All students, including those enrolled in the English Preparatory Division, are assigned at least one academic advisor, who is a full time faculty member or a lecturer holding a doctoral degree in the department or program the student is enrolled in. The academic advisor provides guidance to the students on various academic issues, and assists them in their adjustment to life at the university and in their career planning.
In each registration period, the academic advisor assists students in selecting the appropriate courses and preparing their course lists, and having their course lists approved. The advisor provides information on various academic issues including course add/drop procedures, transfer, leave of absence, prerequisite courses and their sequencing, double major programs, repeating courses, summer school, and transfer of courses from other universities. A student’s academic course registration is finalized following his/her academic advisor’s approval.
OBIKAS (Student Information and Registration System) is the online registration system where all academic information about a student is stored, and which allows students to carry out various procedures regarding their academic and campus life, including course registration, e-petitions, applying for exchange programs, dormitories and financial aid, completing course evaluation surveys, and the election of student representatives. During registration, each student is assigned an OBIKAS user name and password. Students should keep their contact information on OBIKAS updated at all times.
Appeals of students who fail to complete their academic registration within the specified dates due to an acceptable excuse are evaluated by the executive board of the relevant faculty or school. These students may be allowed to register before the end of the add/drop period designated in the academic calendar, provided that their excuse is deemed acceptable. The University Executive Board is authorized to decide on special cases.
Students who have completed their registration for the semester can modify their course selection by adding and/or dropping courses after classes have began. Course add/drop procedures must be completed on the dates specified in the academic calendar, with the approval of the student’s academic advisor. At the end of the course add/drop period, students should check their course lists on OBIKAS, and in case of any errors, inform the relevant academic unit by petition.
The curriculum of an undergraduate degree program comprises the courses and their credit load, traineeships and similar work required for graduation, and their distribution across the semesters in the student’s expected period of study. Each department’s undergraduate curriculum can be viewed in the Boğaziçi University Catalog or on OBIKAS. Students plan their course lists in line with those curricula; their course lists become final upon their academic advisor’s approval.
Students must enroll in the courses that are stipulated for the first two semesters of their program, when they are first offered. Students cannot drop, postpone, or withdraw from these courses, and cannot add new courses to their freshman course list, other than non-credit
A student can enroll in certain courses only after he/she has passed a core course designated as prerequisite in the catalog. In other words, in order to enroll in a certain course, the student must have completed its prerequisite(s) with a passing grade. Prerequisite courses have priority since taking a course without satisfying its prerequisite criterion may cause the extension of a student’s period of study. In special cases, the prerequisite criterion may be waived by decision of the instructor teaching the desired course and the executive board of the relevant faculty. Students may submit a petition to be exempt from the prerequisite criterion.
A co-requisite is a course that a student must enroll in at the same time as enrolling in the desired course. The co-requisite course may also have been taken and successfully completed prior to enrolling in the desired course.
The prerequisite for some courses is designated as “consent of instructor.” The instructor who teaches the course determines whether a student is adequately equipped to take that particular course. To be able to enroll in those courses, the student must have the instructor’s consent. The student applies for consent on OBIKAS; however, it is important to get in touch with the instructor prior to applying for consent. The student can add the course to his/her program upon receipt of the instructor’s consent. Approval of the academic advisor is required before registration to the said course can be finalized.
In case a student cannot register to the course due to quota/class/department/surname restrictions, he/she may be allowed to register by the consent of the instructor who is teaching that course. In this case, even if the instructor gives consent, the student cannot enroll in the course unless its prerequisites are completed.
To be able to take 500-level courses, a student must have senior status. The relevant executive board is authorized to decide on special cases. Undergraduate students cannot take 600-level courses; however, the University Executive Board has the authority to decide on special cases.
The expected period of study at the English Prep program is one year. The expected period of study for a four-year undergraduate program is eight semesters, excluding the period of study at the English Preparatory Division, and ten semesters for non-thesis integrated BS/MS programs. The financial requirements and rights of students may vary depending on whether they are in their expected or maximum period of study.
Maximum period of study in the English Prep program is two years. The maximum period of study in a four-year program is fourteen semesters, excluding the period of study at English Prep School, and eighteen semesters for students in non-thesis integrated BS/MS programs. The financial requirements and rights of students may vary depending on whether they are in their expected or maximum period of study.
Course (credit) load is the sum of the number of credits assigned to credit courses taken in one semester.
Normal course load is the total credit hours an undergraduate student is required to earn in the relevant semester. A student’s course load for one semester cannot be less than 15 credits.
If necessary, the credit load of a student can be decreased to 11 credits by decision of the executive board of the relevant faculty or school, or to less than 11 by University Executive Board decision. A student who wishes to register for less than 15 credits must submit a petition to the relevant faculty/school executive board. In such cases, the student’s registration is finalized by decision of the executive board.
In one semester, a student may register for a maximum of two extra courses (excluding non-credit courses) or up to a total of eight extra credits, in addition to the average number of credits per semester, on condition that such course addition is approved by his/her academic advisor, and does not conflict with the practices of the relevant faculty or school. The average number of credits per semester is calculated by dividing the total number of credits required for graduation by the number of semesters in the expected period of study in the relevant program.
Students take the courses in their undergraduate curriculum for credit. Courses that are not included in the curriculum can be taken on either credit or non-credit basis, in accordance with the rules specified by the relevant executive board and by approval of the academic advisor. The credits and grades earned for non-credit courses are not taken into account in calculating the student’s GPA. These courses cannot be converted to credit courses after the student’s registration for the semester has been completed.
Students may withdraw from the courses for which they have registered within the withdrawal period specified in the academic calendar. However, students in their freshman year cannot withdraw from the courses they are required to take in the first two semesters of their programs. The grades of withdrawn courses are indicated by the notation “W” on students’ transcripts. Withdrawal applications are made on OBIKAS and finalized upon the academic advisor’s approval. At the end of the withdrawal period, students must examine their course lists on OBIKAS and submit a petition to the relevant department in case of any errors in their records.
Students may transfer the credits received for courses and laboratory work, practice, internships/traineeships, and other tasks at other higher education institutions, and have them counted towards graduation by relevant executive board decision. These courses and credits are accepted as part of the requirements for graduation by relevant executive board decision, in transfers to undergraduate programs at BU; transfers from associate degree programs to undergraduate degree programs; admission or placement of students who have studied in other higher education institutions to programs at Boğaziçi University; and courses taken by Boğaziçi University students at other higher education institutions. Courses taken previously but not considered part of graduation requirements and for which a letter grade no less than CC has been earned are eligible for transfer. The courses taken for credit at Boğaziçi University are transferred, with the grade earned for them; those taken at other higher education institutions are transferred as credit courses and are assigned a grade of P. The maximum period of time allowed for the completion of course/credit transfer procedures is specified in the relevant directives, but must be no later than the registration deadline for the semester that follows the semester the student has been placed in the undergraduate program.
Registered students may be granted a leave of absence for a maximum of two semesters by decision of the relevant executive board. Based on the relevant executive board decision, the duration of the leave of absence may or not may not be counted towards the student’s expected period of study. Leave of absence applications are made within the dates specified in the academic calendar. If need be, the leave of absence granted to a student may be extended by the relevant executive board. A student who has been granted a leave of absence for two semesters but wishes to return to the university at the end of the first semester must submit a petition to the relevant executive board. Leaves of absence are generally granted for medical reasons or participation in exchange/Erasmus programs.
Students can learn their semester grades via OBIKAS once they are electronically submitted by the course instructor. The instructor must be informed immediately in case of errors in the grades entered. In such cases, the grade change is finalized by decision of the executive board.
To calculate a student’s Semester Point Average (SPA), the numerical value of the letter grade earned in each course taken in that semester is multiplied by the number of credits awarded to that course and dividing their sum by the total number of credits awarded to the same set of courses.
Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated in the same way, taking into account all of the courses that the student has taken during his studies.
For courses that are repeated, the last grade and credits earned are counted toward the calculation of the average.
Students have to repeat core courses for which they have received a grade of F. Elective courses for which a student has earned a grade of F may be either repeated or other courses be taken in their stead. Students in normal status can repeat a maximum of six of the courses for which they have earned a grade of DC or DD within three semesters after they were first taken. They cannot repeat more than one course per semester. Regardless of the previous grade received in repeated courses, the last grade received is valid, but the previous grade is kept in the academic records.
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00 to be able to continue their studies in normal status. A student’s level of achievement is determined at the end of each semester, by means of his/her GPA and SPA. Summer School SPA is not taken into consideration in the calculation of the student’s level of achievement, but is included in the GPA.
A student whose GPA is below 2.00 at the end of any semester is considered “on probation”. A student who is on probation is not allowed to carry more credit hours than the average semester credit load.
Of students who have a GPA of less than 2.00, those who have a SPA of less than 2.00 for two consecutive semesters are considered in repeating status. The course load of a student in repeating status cannot exceed the program’s average credit load for the semester. In addition to repeating any course for which they have received a grade of F, these students may repeat courses for which they have earned a grade of DD or DC, and/or take a maximum of two new courses. In the Summer School, these students can repeat the courses for which they have earned a grade of F, DD or DC, and can take a total of three courses or a maximum of 10 credits. The number of new courses they may take cannot exceed two. Credit load of students in repeating status can be decreased to 11 by relevant executive board decision and below 11 by University Executive Board decision.
A student is in senior standing if he/she has completed the minimum number of credits required for graduation minus the maximum number of credits stipulated for the last two semesters of the curriculum.
Senior students can register for 500-level courses. Course underload rules do not apply to senior students. Students of senior standing who are in repeating status are also exempt from the requirement to take a maximum of two new courses.
Summer School is offered during the summer, as separate from the two semesters of the academic year and comprises courses and education programs that are attended on voluntary basis.
In the summer school, students can complete the courses in a relatively intensified form and shorter time than in the fall and spring semesters. Summer school enables irregular undergraduate students who have started their studies in the spring semester to finish their studies in eight semesters. Courses offered in the summer school are offered for a fee. A student can take a maximum of three courses or 10 credits in the summer term. The courses to be offered in the summer school and their registration dates are announced on OBIKAS during the spring semester. Academic advisor’s approval is required before summer school registrations can be finalized. At the end of the registration period, students must examine their course lists as recorded on OBIKAS and apply to the relevant department in case of any errors in their records.
A student enrolled in a double major program fulfills the requirements of two separate undergraduate degree programs, as defined by the Senate, and earns two separate diplomas. Students in a double-major program are entitled to 10 semesters of study starting from the date they started their freshman year, even if they have already met the requirements for their major program. Students can begin a double major program as of the beginning of their third semester, but no later than the beginning of their fifth semester. Applications must be made to the Dean’s Office of the relevant faculty/school before the deadline announced in the academic calendar [Double Major Directives (TR)]. academic year and comprises courses and education programs that are attended on voluntary basis.
In the summer school, students can complete the courses in a relatively intensified form and shorter time than in the fall and spring semesters. Summer school enables irregular undergraduate students who have started their studies in the spring semester to finish their studies in eight semesters. Courses offered in the summer school are offered for a fee. A student can take a maximum of three courses or 10 credits in the summer term. The courses to be offered in the summer school and their registration dates are announced on OBIKAS during the spring semester. Academic advisor’s approval is required before summer school registrations can be finalized. At the end of the registration period, students must examine their course lists as recorded on OBIKAS and apply to the relevant department in case of any errors in their records.
To earn a certificate in a specific field in addition to a diploma, a student may register for a minor program. Applications to a minor program are accepted as early as the beginning of the student’s third semester at the university, but no later than the beginning of the sixth semester. The student must successfully complete a predetermined number of courses in the minor program. Applications must be made to the Dean’s Office of the relevant faculty or school before the deadline announced in the academic calendar [Minor Program Directives (TR)].
Students can study for one or two semesters in a higher education institution which is an exchange partner of Boğaziçi University. Detailed information on exchange programs can be obtained from the Office of International Relations [Directives for Exchange Programs (TR)].
Faculties and schools can offer certificate programs in certain fields of study. Currently, certificate programs on American Studies, Film Studies, Linguistics, Copywriting, and Japanese Studies are being offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and German and French Language certificate programs by the School of Foreign Languages. Detailed information on these programs can be obtained from relevant academic units.
A student enrolled in an undergraduate program at Boğaziçi University can transfer to another undergraduate program in the university. Applications for transfer are made to the Registrar’s Office within the period stipulated in the academic calendar. All applications for transfer are evaluated by the relevant faculty/school [Regulations Governing Transfer to Undergraduate Programs of Bogazici University].
GRADUATION
To be eligible for graduation and receive a diploma, the student must be registered at Boğaziçi University for his/her last semester before graduating (excepting summer school); complete all courses taken for credit with a grade no less than DD and all non-credit courses with a grade of P; earn no less than half of the total credits specified by the relevant department in courses taken at the university; and complete the undergraduate program with a GPA of no less than 2.00. Graduation of a student who has fulfilled all requirements for graduation cannot be deferred.
A student in his last semester of studies who is registered for the relevant semester and has fulfilled all requirements for graduation, and whose eligibility for graduation has been determined by the relevant executive board must apply for graduation on the OBIKAS system (registration.boun.edu.tr → Student Information →Application for Graduation) Click here for more information.
Of students who have completed their studies within their expected period of study (excluding time spent in an exchange program approved by the University) and have not received any disciplinary penalties, those whose GPA is 3.50 or above are considered “high honors” students; those whose GPA is between 3.00 and 3.49 qualify for “honors” lists. Of students who have participated in an exchange program approved by the university, the aforementioned period of study is extended to ten semesters for students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs in Faculty of Education, and twelve semesters for those in the non-thesis integrated BS/MS programs.
