Boğaziçi University's Non-Discriminatory Student Admission Policy

Non-Discriminatory Admission Process

Boğaziçi University has adopted a non-discriminatory admission policy to prevent discrimination in student admission processes and to provide equal opportunities to all candidates. This policy reflects the university's commitment to ensuring fairness and equality in education.

Admission to Undergraduate and Graduate Programmes

In Turkey, undergraduate students are admitted to universities through centralised examinations. These exams minimise the possibility of discrimination by providing equal opportunities to all candidates. This system ensures the use of objective criteria in the admission process and aims to evaluate candidates based on their achievements.

The admission process to graduate programmes includes criteria such as standardised test scores, interviews and letters of reference. In this process, it is ensured that all candidates are given equal opportunity and decisions are made based on objective criteria.

Arrangements for Students with Disabilities

Boğaziçi University makes various arrangements for students with disabilities to fully benefit from educational opportunities. In this context, physical arrangements are made to facilitate access within the campus and support services are provided to increase the participation of disabled students in academic life.

Diversity and Equality

The University offers scholarships and support programmes for students with financial difficulties or special needs. Anti-discrimination awareness trainings are organised to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. These trainings reflect the university's commitment to the principle of transparency and its dedication to creating equal opportunities for all students.

For More Information

You can use the links below to learn more about Boğaziçi University's non-discriminatory student admission policy and to browse the relevant regulations:

• Boğaziçi University Disability Unit
• Legal Arrangements for Disabled People

These policies demonstrate Boğaziçi University's commitment to ensuring fairness and equity in education and to creating an inclusive environment for all students.

Boğaziçi University Disability Commission Mission Policy

Boğaziçi University (BU) wishes to create a university community that is fully accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, and that offers maximum participation within the university campus.

The World Health Organisation defines a ‘person with a disability’ as an individual with a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more of the major life activities (walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working). A physical, psychological or anatomical ‘problem’ is a loss of body structure or abnormality in its functioning. This definition includes brain lesions, loss of arms or legs, damage or deterioration of organs. A ‘disability’ is a physical or behavioural limitation to which individuals with these characteristics are subjected. For example, stairs and narrow doors are restrictions for people with disabilities who use wheelchairs. We, through departments, units, centres, other boards and commissions, emphasise the diversity and difference of our students and the importance of creating a culturally sensitive and accessible campus. Our goal is to provide a supportive and well-resourced environment for students with disabilities, to remove constraints on their academic success and education, and to help them develop self-awareness and independence as individuals. Within the framework of the above-mentioned mission, Boğaziçi University Disability Commission strives to raise awareness about disability at the university by setting itself the goal of creating opportunities for disabled students, faculty and staff to have equal access and support.

According to Section 2 of the 2005 Law on Disabled Persons (No: 5378) on higher education and disability entitled ‘Classification, care, rehabilitation, employment, education, training, job and occupational analysis’: ‘No disabled person shall be prevented from receiving education on any grounds. Children, youth and adults with disabilities shall be provided with equal educational opportunities with non-disabled people in integrated environments, taking into account their special conditions and differences.
In order to facilitate the education life of disabled university students, a Disability Consultation and Coordination Centre shall be established within the Council of Higher Education to work on issues such as the provision of equipment, the preparation of special course materials, and the preparation of education, research and accommodation environments suitable for the disabled."

In line with our mission and the rights set out in the Disability Law (2005), Boğaziçi University Disability Commission believes in the following values: (1) We respect the unique values and unique personality of all students, faculty and staff; (2) We make every effort to create a safe and accessible academic environment for all students with disabilities; (3) With a team approach, we endeavour to find methods and practices that facilitate the learning processes of our students with disabilities; (4) We encourage every student to be independent, self-sufficient and take responsibility; (5) We take the necessary steps to eliminate physical and behavioural barriers that limit the effective participation of disabled students and disabled faculty and staff in the Boğaziçi University community.

Creating a truly unrestricted and inclusive university, including people with disabilities, requires the participation of every individual in the community. Towards this goal, our Commission should be a vehicle for providing technical assistance, disseminating information about disability, and leading the way in raising disability awareness among every member of the U. of B. community.

Disability groups that may be encountered:

• Visually Impaired
• Physically Disabled
• Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Learning Difficulties
• Psychiatric/Psychological Problems
• Speech and Language Problems
• Hearing Impaired and Deafness
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Other Disability Groups

Visual Impairment: Visual impairment is caused by the loss of function of any centre involved in the sense of sight. Eye disorders such as diabetic retinopathy (caused by a lack of blood supply to the retina) and retinitis pigment (caused by deterioration of the retina), cataracts (caused by loss of clarity of the lens of the eye) can cause vision loss. ‘Partially sighted’, “low vision”, “legally sighted/blind” and “totally sighted/blind” are terms used in educational contexts for students with visual impairments. According to NDCCD (2004), ‘total blindness’ is a term used for those who learn using braille (codes that enable the visually impaired to read and write) or other non-visual aids. ‘Legal blindness’ is the term used for those who see 20/200 less than a normal functioning eye or have very limited vision. ‘Low vision’ refers to severe nearsightedness. This term is also used for those with limited vision who also need adaptation and illumination in print size and, in some cases, braille to learn.

Physically Disabled: Depending on the severity of the physical condition, it affects the physical mobility of the body differently. According to the NDCCD (2004), physical disability can occur as a result of conditions that occur during pregnancy, at birth or as a result of congenital or progressive neuromuscular diseases such as multiple sclerosis (a disease affecting the central nervous system), muscular dystrophy (as a result of degeneration of muscle or nerve tissues). Disability can also include conditions such asspinal cord injuries (paralysis or partial paralysis from the waist down), cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy; as a result of brain damage before or soon after birth, it can prevent or slow walking; it can cause imbalance, muscle coordination, spasms and speech difficulties), stroke, paralysis, polio.

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): It is one of the neuro-developmental disorders characterised by inattention, impulsivity (inability to postpone requests/acting without thinking, impulsivity), and/or hyperactivity problems that are not appropriate for the age and developmental level of the individual (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The condition may start in childhood and affect both behaviour and learning. The symptoms of attention deficit, impulsivity and hyperactivity are listed in the Diagnostic/Inumerative Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

• Symptoms [DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000, p.92)]
  • Attention Deficit (example symptoms)
    • Inability to pay attention to details or making mistakes as a result of inattention in school assignments, lessons and other activities;
    • Appearing not to listen when spoken to;
    • Failure to follow directions and complete assignments, tasks or responsibilities (not due to defiant behaviour or lack of understanding of directions);
    • Difficulties in organising tasks and activities;
    • Easy distraction of attention by external stimuli;
    • Forgetfulness in daily tasks.
  • Impulsivity (example symptoms)
    • Do not give the answer without waiting for the completion of the question asked;
    • Difficulty waiting for his/her turn;
    • Interrupting or interrupting others.
  • Hyperactivity (sample symptoms)
    • Fidgeting of the hands or feet; restlessness;
    • Often ready for action or constantly on the move;
    • Talking a lot.

Learning Difficulties: A neurodevelopmental condition that may affect the acquisition and use of speaking, listening, reading, writing, remembering and/or reasoning, or mathematical competencies in individuals with average or above average intelligence (National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities, 2004). The marked difference between the academic achievement and intellectual potential of individuals with learning disabilities may be due to the way in which individuals choose to process information. Students with learning disabilities may have problems with oral and written language, reading proficiency, mathematics proficiency, distinguishing similar sounds or hearing subtle differences between words, reasoning, remembering and recalling from memory, following directions and concentrating, planning, managing and organising, or interpreting social cues (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004).

Psychiatric/Psychological Problems: The condition manifests itself in chronic emotional and behavioural problems. Depression, manic depressive disorder, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia are disorders in this group. These conditions can affect people of all ages, genders, income groups and intelligence levels (Davison, Neale, & Kring, 2003).

Speech and Language Problems: These problems may develop due to physical conditions such as hearing loss, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, learning difficulties and/or physical conditions such as cleft lip or congenital cleft palate (the middle line forming the upper lip and palate does not meet). It can manifest itself in varying degrees, ranging from the addition or subtraction of simple sounds to words to articulation or inability to use the tongue. Problems such as language fluency or stuttering are also included in this group.

Hearing Impairment and Deafness: Students with hearing impairment need different arrangements depending on the degree of hearing loss, age of onset, the language or communication system they use (speech, sign language, and/or lip reading), the hearing aid they use, and/or the sound volume enhancement systems they use (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov).

Traumatic Brain Injuries: According to the Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS, 2006), the condition occurs as a result of ‘damage to the brain caused by sudden trauma’. Trauma to the brain can occur when the head is suddenly and violently struck by an object or when an object penetrates the skull and damages brain tissue. The characteristics of the condition may differ depending on the site of the damage or damage. Problems in the use of the five senses, disturbances in balance and coordination, limited attention and concentration, physical complaints such as headache, fatigue, dizziness, changes in behaviour and mood, difficulty speaking, memory problems or short-term memory loss and epileptic seizures may occur as a result of brain damage.

Other Disability Groups: Conditions that affect one or more of the body systems such as respiratory, nervous, intestinal and immune systems. Examples include asthma, cancer, epilepsy (epileptic seizures), diabetes, HIV+/AIDS and chemical addictions (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004).
Providing Boğaziçi students with appropriate accommodations for their disabilities depends on ongoing communication and co-operation between teaching staff, research assistants, the Dean of Students' Office, the Boğaziçi University Disability Commission, the Rectorate and, of course, students.

• Services Required for Individuals with Disabilities:
  • Equality of access to programmes and services
  • Providing appropriate learning methods for disabled people through the BU Disability Commission, Unit and the Rectorate
  • Provision of health services through the infirmary
  • Priority for accommodation in university halls of residence
  • Providing services for course location changes through the Registrar's Office
  • Priority in providing scholarships through the Scholarship Office
  • Provision of student assistants through the Scholarship Office
  • Provision of special fasting meals through the Catering Services
  • Providing professional development and personal counselling services through BÜREM and BÜPAM
  • Making accessible arrangements through Building Works
• Services Required for Visually Impaired Students:
  • Reading, note-taking and other aids
  • Library and laboratory support assistance through the Library and GETEM
  • Provision of materials in alternative forms through GETEM (e.g. e-texts, braille, tape)
  • Providing internet-based materials through GETEM and the library
  • Campus Orientation and ‘Independent Movement’ training
  • Braille reading rooms in Abdullah Kuran Library
  • Use of the campus transport map
  • Audible traffic lights at two important intersections in North Campus
• Services Required for Students with Physical Disabilities:
  • Note taking, laboratory assistance
  • Organisation of building and construction areas
  • Access to campus buildings by ramp and lift
  • Ease of access within the campus
  • Accessibility of toilets on campus
  • Re-arranging the location of classes and other activities in inaccessible buildings
  • Maps with accessible buildings
  • Having ramps that provide full access on the pavements throughout the campus
  • Availability of accessible parking spaces
• Services Required for Hearing Impaired Students:
  • Notetakers
  • Provision of tele-conferencing systems
  • Making changes in accommodation (dormitories) units on campus
  • Visual (visible) fire alarms
• Services Required for Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities:
  • Taking notes during lectures, making tape recordings
• Services required for students with psychiatric and psychological problems:
  • Psychiatrist in the infirmary
  • Providing psychological support services from BÜPAM and/or BÜREM

Bibliography

Book
American Psychiatric Association.(1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Desk reference to the Diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV-TR. Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: Author.

Davison, G. C., John, M. N., Kring, A. M. (2003). Abnormal Psychology (9th Edition). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

World Health Organization (2001). International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Geneva.

Internet Resources

National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities (http://www.nichcy.org/resources/default.asp)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/disorder_index.htm)

University Internet Resources

Boston University http://www.bu.edu/disability/

Harvard University -Accessible Education Office http://aeo.fas.harvard.edu/essential.html
http://aeo.fas.harvard.edu/faculty.html
http://aeo.fas.harvard.edu/instructional.html

Montgomery College-Disability Support Service http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/dispsvc/
Texas Tech University-Access Tech http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentaffairs/accesstech/
University of Oregon- Disability Services http://ds.uoregon.edu/fac_guide/fg_opt_spef.htm
University of Pittsburgh-Disability Resources and Services http://www.drs.pitt.edu/

This information is tailored to the needs of Boğaziçi University. The National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) is gratefully acknowledged.

2024 Sustainability Report SDG-10 (Related Section)

Boğaziçi University's Anti-Discrimination Admissions Policy

Boğaziçi University adopts a non-discriminatory admission policy to prevent discrimination in student admission processes and to provide equal opportunities to all candidates. This policy reflects the University's commitment to ensuring fairness and equity in education.

Admission to Undergraduate and Graduate Programmes Undergraduate Programmes:

Student admission to undergraduate programmes in Turkey is carried out through central exams conducted by the Measurement, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM). The placement of Turkish students is based on the score of the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS), while the admission of foreign students is based on the score of the Turkish Foreign Student Admission Examination (TR- YÖS). This system aims to evaluate the achievements of candidates independently of variables such as ethnic origin, gender or economic status, in accordance with the principle of equal opportunity and with objective criteria. There are various arrangements and privileges for the fair evaluation of disabled candidates (Details are explained below).

Graduate Programmes:

The admission process to graduate programmes includes multiple criteria such as central exam scores (ALES/GRE/GMAT), English proficiency exams (BUEPT/TOEFL® IBT/IELTS Academic), interviews and reference letters. In this process, it is aimed to provide equal opportunities to all candidates and to make evaluations based on objective criteria. In addition, various arrangements and privileges are provided for disabled candidates in the ALES exam organised by ÖSYM.

Central Examination Arrangements for Disabled Candidates

In central exams such as YKS, TR-YÖS and ALES conducted by ÖSYM in Turkey and special aptitude examsconducted by higher education institutions, various privileges are granted in order to increase the equality of opportunity of disabled candidates and to ensure that they are evaluated fairly. These privileges are determined within the framework of the ‘Regulation on the Health Conditions to be Required in Examination Practices for Disabled Individuals and Disabled Quota’ (RG-08/03/2022-31772). Regulations differ according to the type and degree of disability of the candidates. The main applications are as follows:

1. Reader and/or Marker Assistance: A reader is assigned for visually impaired candidates or candidates who cannot read the questions themselves, and a marker is assigned for candidates who cannot mark on the answer sheet. Candidates who want to benefit from this service must apply with a Disability Health Board Report (ESKR) or Special Needs Report for Children (ÇÖZGER).

2. Large Print Question Booklet: Visually impaired candidates can use large print question booklets if they request. In this case, no additional reader assistance is provided.

3. Allowing Additional Time: Candidates who receive reader and/or marker assistance are given additional time. Candidates with certain types and degrees of disabilities may also request additional time. The additional time cannot be less than 15% and more than 30% of the total duration of the exam.

4. Taking the Examination in Disabled Halls: Depending on the disability, candidates may be taken to the exam in disabled halls differently from other candidates. These people are allowed to measure sugar level, use asthma medication, take oxygen therapy or go to the toilet during the exam, taking into account their disability, illness or other health conditions.

5. Use of Special Tools and Equipment: Candidates with disabilities may keep the tools and equipment they use for their disabilities with them during the exam. In order for these requests to be evaluated, the relevant petitions together with the ESKR / SOLGER must be submitted to ÖSYM within the specified periods.

These regulations aim to ensure that candidates with disabilities have equal opportunities in the exam processes and complete their exams in the best way possible.

Click here to read the regulation:

https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=39716&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5