Gökcan Aydın
International Students Division Coordinator
As all students accepted to Istinye University, international students are also expected to prove the necessary language skills in the medium of instruction of their departments to start and continue their studies. These language skills are academically focused and crucial for students to get the most out of their education in the upcoming years.
As the Foreign Languages Department, we administer Proficiency Exams in English (ISTEP) for international students repeatedly for a certain period every semester to assess their academic skills in the target language. When the students complete their registration, the International Office sends a Registration Completion Document to their ISU or personal e-mail addresses. The date of their English/Turkish proficiency exam is written on that document. Students should either take the English or Turkish Proficiency Exam on their assigned dates depending on the medium of instruction of their departments.
Students who will study in English-medium programs can be exempt from the English Preparatory Program and start their studies in their department right away if they can prove a minimum of B2-level English proficiency. International students who cannot prove B2-level English proficiency in the ISTEP exam or with a valid score in other tests will be assigned to classes appropriate for their level and study in the Preparatory Program in the following year.
Please carefully read the FAQ below for your questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have completed your registration, the Registration Office must have sent a Registration Completion Document to your ISU e-mail address. Please see that document for the date of your exam. You must contact the Registration Office if you have not received your Registration Completion Document. Please make sure you check the announcements in our website to see the details on the date, time, and classroom information or if there is any change.
International students are expected to take the exam on their assigned date. If you have an emergency that keeps you from being on campus that day, you should contact foreignlanguages@istinye.edu.tr to carefully explain your emergency and ask if it is possible to take the exam on another date. Please be reminded that students need to take the exam by the time the Preparatory Program classes start (please see ISU Academic Calendar for the dates).
ISTEP for International Students is different from the ISTEP administered to all students 4 times a year (in October, January, June, and August). For international students, we administer two exams on the assigned exam dates. On the exam date, you will first take an online Cambridge Placement Test (CEPT Reading, Listening, Grammar, and Vocabulary) to determine your level. Then, you will take a writing exam to prove your Academic Writing skills. In the Writing Exam, you will be asked to write an essay. If your calculated score from these two tests proves a minimum of B2-level English proficiency (60 out of 100), you will be exempt from the English Preparatory Program and start your studies in your department right away. If not, you will be assigned to classes appropriate for your level and study in the Preparatory Program in the following year.
Students who will study in Turkish-medium programs should visit https://yabancidiller.istinye.edu.tr/en/divisions/turkish-preparatory-division for more information on the Turkish Proficiency Exam and Turkish Preparatory Program.
The Istinye University English Proficiency Exam (ISTEP) for international students is a skills-based exam composed of 4 parts: use of language, listening, reading, and writing. You can see a sample of the online placement test (Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading & Listening) here:
https://www.metritests.com/metricatestdelivery/Assessment/Assignment?test=CEPT_Demo
In the Writing Exam, you will be asked to write an academic essay composed of at least four paragraphs including an introduction, two body paragraphs supporting your arguments with relevant details, and a conclusion. Your essays will be graded on the basis of content, organization, coherence, vocabulary range and accuracy, grammatical range and accuracy, and punctuation. (Scan the QR code for a sample writing exam)
All results are announced on the website of the Istinye University Foreign Languages Department: https://foreignlanguages.istinye.edu.tr/announcements
6. What happens if I can’t pass the ISTEP? Can I take it again before the beginning of the semester?
International students who cannot prove B2-level English proficiency in the ISTEP exam will be entered into the Preparatory School and should wait for the class lists announcement later for their Preparatory School Classes. These students cannot retake the exam and will follow the exam calendar of the Preparatory School once they start their Prep. School education.
It is crucial for the students to take the exam assigned to them. However, if you miss your exam date due to an emergency, you should contact foreignlanguages@istinye.edu.tr once you are ready to take the exam to be added to the list for the upcoming exam (if any). Please do not send any notifications before then and remember to include your student number in your email.
Students can submit an official English Language Proficiency document to be exempt from the Istinye English Proficiency Exam (ISTEP) and the English Preparatory Program. The accepted language certificates with passing grades are given below:
TOEFL IBT* | TOEFL IBT Home Edition* | IELTS Academic | PTE Academic | LanguageCert | CPE | CAE | ISTEP |
75 | 75 | 6.0 | 55 | 70 | C | B | 60 |
* Please note that official TOEFL scores must be ordered from ETS and sent to Istinye University Foreign Languages Department Undergraduate Organization (reporting code C821).
Also, students who prove with official documents (transcripts or letters signed by authority) that they have graduated from a high school (in Türkiye or abroad) where the medium of instruction is 100% English, are exempt from the English Preparatory Program and do not need to submit an exam result.
Other test results of international students are accepted by the Foreign Languages Department throughout the semester, but you need to contact your department to check whether they allow you to start your classes right away.
FOR TOEFL: It usually takes up to 5-7 business days for our department to receive the scores from ETS. You can check your student status on OIS regularly. When you see your status change from PREP to 1, it means your TOEFL score is accepted by the Foreign Languages Department.
No, you cannot. We have tested the validity of our test multiple times. Your subjective comparison of yourself with other students at your level cannot be the data we can use to assess your proficiency.
If you have a question that we were not able to answer here, please send an email to foreignlanguages@istinye.edu.tr briefly stating your question. Please note that you need to ask your question clearly in the body part of your email (not the subject line) and include your name and student number in your message.