Shared Use of Boğaziçi University Sports Facilities by the Local Community

Boğaziçi University provides extensive sports facilities across its campuses, including two multi-purpose turf fields, each with a tartan athletics track; indoor and outdoor swimming pools; fitness centres; indoor and outdoor sports courts (volleyball, basketball, and tennis); and indoor gymnasiums.

Boğaziçi University enables external stakeholders to benefit from its sports facilities and campus sports infrastructure through the following access mechanisms:

• Regular use by local schools, sports clubs, and sports federations
• Individual membership programmes
• Boğaziçi University Sports School courses open to participants of different ages and skill levels
• Inter-university sports tournaments and competitions
• Facility hire for sports events, training sessions, and sports organisations

The shared use of sports facilities with the wider community contributes to public health by encouraging local community members to engage in sports and physical activity and by promoting active, healthy lifestyles. It also strengthens collaboration with external stakeholders through sports activities and enhances university–community interaction and social engagement.

1. Regular Use of Boğaziçi University Sports Facilities by Local Schools, Sports Clubs and the Public

Boğaziçi University offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities across its campuses and makes these facilities available not only to students and staff but also to local schools, sports clubs, municipalities, sports federations, and members of the local community. Boğaziçi University sports facilities are regularly used by external stakeholders for a wide range of organised sports activities, including:

• Athlete training programmes
• Professional and youth athlete selection events
• Football development and grassroots programmes
• Coaching education and certification programmes
• Municipal sports events and community sports organisations
• Membership-based individual use (e.g. swimming pool, athletics track, fitness facilities)

Uçaksavar Sports Facilities

• Stadium, Turf Field and Athletics Track

The Uçaksavar Campus includes a stadium measuring 90×170 m with a covered grandstand for 1,000 spectators and a turf football field measuring 70×105 m. The facility provides suitable infrastructure for training sessions, competitions, and sports events for university students and staff, as well as local communities and sports clubs.

The 400-metre, 6-lane tartan athletics track surrounding the field is used for running and athletics activities. Boğaziçi University retirees, public employees, and guests of university members can use the track through a membership system by completing an application form and paying the relevant user fee.

Uçaksavar Athletics Track 2025 Membership Fees for BU Members and External Users
Category	3 Months	6 Months	1 Year
Boğaziçi University Retirees and Public Employees	₺3,600.00	₺6,400.00	₺11,500.00
Guests of Boğaziçi University Members	₺4,300.00	₺8,000.00	₺14,500.00

Detailed information and the application form are available on the Uçaksavar Sports Facilities web page.

• Uçaksavar Indoor Sports Hall

The Uçaksavar Indoor Sports Hall (50×40 m, 800-seat capacity) hosts numerous official university sports competitions organised by the Turkish University Sports Federation. In 2025, the hall hosted multiple inter-university league final competitions, including:

• Uni-Lig Men’s Handball 1st League Finals
• Uni-Lig Women’s 1st League Futsal Finals
• Uni-Lig Men’s Volleyball 2nd League Finals
• Uni-Lig Men’s Futsal 2nd League Finals

These events brought together university teams from different institutions, demonstrating that the facility is used for national-level sports organisations and competitions.

• Uçaksavar Fitness Centre

The Uçaksavar Fitness Centre includes 30 fitness machines and serves students and staff free of charge. The facility was renovated in 2024 with new equipment and improved infrastructure, resulting in a significant increase in participation. The facility includes changing rooms and shower areas and supports regular on-campus sports participation. The related news can be accessed here.

Anadolu Hisarı Campus Sports Facilities

Anadolu Hisarı Campus includes a turf football field, an athletics track, an indoor sports hall, a fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool, a gymnastics hall, and indoor and outdoor tennis courts. The campus provides equipment support for multiple sports branches, including football, basketball, volleyball, futsal, tennis, badminton, table tennis, and yoga.

The turf field is used not only by university teams but also by local and national sports communities for sports organisations, training sessions and athlete selection events. Football, American football, flag football, and frisbee teams regularly train on this field.

The campus has hosted numerous external sports organisations and training programmes, including:

• Beykoz Municipality Athletics Festival (2023)
• UEFA C Candidate Coach Training Programme (2023)
• Turkish Football Federation Football Development Project Training Programmes (2023)
• Turkish Football Federation U14 National Team Trials (2023)
• Mid-season running events for referees in multiple national categories (2026)

These events demonstrate regular use of the campus facilities by external stakeholders, sports federations, municipalities, and sports clubs.

South Campus Sports Facilities

• Indoor and Outdoor Tennis Courts

South Campus, one of the main campuses of Boğaziçi University, offers suitable infrastructure for tennis training, with indoor and outdoor courts. There is an outdoor concrete tennis court near the Bebek gate and an asphalt-surface bubble court behind the First Women’s Dormitory, which is covered in winter and open in summer. Tennis courses organised for all ages and levels within the Boğaziçi University Sports School are held on the South Campus tennis courts. The campus's central location and peaceful atmosphere contribute to effective and sustainable tennis training.

• Dodge Gymnasium and Multipurpose Room

Dodge Gymnasium is a parquet-floor indoor sports hall suitable for basketball, volleyball, and physical education. Completed in 1904, Dodge Gymnasium is the first indoor sports hall in Türkiye. At the time of its construction, it was the only indoor sports hall belonging to a school in Europe, making Dodge Hall one of the most important buildings in Turkish sports history. The first basketball game in Türkiye was played in Dodge Hall, and the hall has since been used for physical education classes, staff tournaments, and school team training sessions.

In 2025, coach and referee training for a new sport branch, Raqball, was held at Dodge Gymnasium by Boğaziçi University. The training programme, conducted by expert instructors, provided participants with detailed instruction on the basic rules, game dynamics, and applied training methods of Raqball. The programme included both theoretical and practical components and contributed to the safe and professional development of the sport. The related news can be accessed here.

The multipurpose room located on the ground floor of Dodge Gymnasium is used for step, Latin dance, aikido, and similar group activities. South Square grass area and outdoor basketball courts are also used for sports events and competitions.

• Outdoor Basketball Court

There is a concrete outdoor basketball court in front of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences.

• South Square Grass Area

The grass area in South Square is occasionally utilised for a variety of sports competitions, tournaments, and recreational events.

• Bebek Outdoor Swimming Pool

The Bebek Outdoor Swimming Pool is a 50-metre-long outdoor pool situated at the Bebek gate entrance. The pool and cafeteria facilities are accessible to Boğaziçi University students, staff, retirees, public employees, their families, and guests, with varying fees, enabling both university members and outside visitors to use them. Group and private swimming lessons are available. Detailed information is available on the Bebek Outdoor Swimming Pool web page.

Bebek Outdoor Swimming Pool and Cafeteria Facility 2025 Fees for BU Members and External Users
Category	Weekday Single Entry	Weekend Single Entry	Monthly Subscription	Seasonal
BU Members & Families	150 TL	300 TL	2,500 TL	5,500 TL
Children (aged 6–12) of BU Members – 50% Discount	75 TL	150 TL	1,250 TL	2,750 TL
Public Employees (BU Affiliated) & First-degree Relatives	350 TL	550 TL	5,000 TL	9,000 TL
Children (aged 6–12) of Public Employees – 50% Discount	175 TL	275 TL	2,500 TL	4,500 TL
Guests of BU Members and Public Employees	650 TL	800 TL	6,250 TL	12,000 TL
Children (aged 6–12) of Guests – 50% Discount	325 TL	400 TL	3,125 TL	6,000 TL

Hisar Indoor Sports Facilities

Hisar Indoor Sports Facilities comprises Blocks A, B, and C, featuring an Indoor Swimming Pool, Fitness Centre, and Multipurpose Hall with a total indoor area of 2,925 m².

• Multipurpose Hall

Block A contains male and female changing rooms, showers, and restrooms on the ground floor, with a multipurpose hall on the upper floor. Group classes for pilates, yoga, and Zumba are available.

• Indoor Swimming Pool

Block B features a 1,050 m² indoor swimming pool measuring 15 × 33 metres, with 6 lanes and an average depth of 1.75 metres. The indoor pool area is equipped with a dehumidification unit to maintain air circulation. The facility also includes underfloor heating and air conditioning systems. Group and private swimming lessons are offered.

• Fitness Centre

Block C houses a 325 m² fitness centre fitted with modern sports equipment, including changing rooms, showers, and restrooms. Private pilates sessions with equipment are available.

Hisar Sports Facilities operate daily from 07:30 to 21:00. Boğaziçi University staff and retirees may bring one guest. Different fee categories are applied for students, staff, public employees, guests and their families, allowing community members to access university sports facilities through a structured membership or daily entry system. Detailed information is available on the Hisar Sports Facilities web page.

Hisar Sports Facilities 2025 Fees for BU Members and External Users
Category	Daily Entry	1-Month Subscription	2-Month Subscription	3-Month Subscription	6-Month Subscription
BU Students	₺150	₺2,300	₺4,000	₺5,500	₺8,500
BU Staff, Retirees, Spouses and Children (aged 12–18)	₺200	₺3,000	₺5,000	₺6,750	—
Public Employees (BU Affiliated), Spouses and Children (aged 12–18)	₺650	₺7,500	₺12,000	₺16,000	—
BU Members, Spouses, Guests and Children (aged 12–18)	₺850	₺9,500	₺16,000	₺20,000

North Campus Sports Facilities

• Outdoor Basketball Court

North Campus includes a concrete outdoor basketball court next to the North Campus Women’s Dormitory, which is used for recreational sports activities.

Kilyos Sarıtepe Campus Sports Facilities

Kilyos Sarıtepe Campus includes an indoor sports hall with a seating capacity of 500, an outdoor illuminated concrete basketball court, and a fitness centre. Surrounded by nature, the campus also provides large open areas suitable for recreational activities, outdoor sports, and fitness activities, offering an appropriate environment for both organised sports and recreational use.

In previous years, the Sarıtepe Campus Indoor Sports Hall hosted the Turkish Dance Sport Federation (TDSF) Dance Sport (Latin & Standard) Inter-Club 4th Stage Competition and the TDSF Dance Sport National Ranking 3rd Stage Competition, with the contributions of the Boğaziçi University Dance Club Latin American Show Teams (BÜDANS-Latin). These competitions brought together dance sport clubs and professional athletes from different institutions, demonstrating that the university’s sports facilities are also used for national-level sports competitions and external sports organisations.

Watch the competition video.

Detailed information about sports facilities, membership, and facility hire is available on the Boğaziçi University Sports Office webpage.

2. Boğaziçi University Sports School

Boğaziçi University Sports School provides structured sports training programmes for children, youth and adults as part of the university’s sports, physical activity and community engagement activities. The Sports School aims to promote sport as a lifelong habit and supports the physical, social and personal development of participants through scientifically based training programmes delivered by licensed and certified professional coaches.

The Sports School offers training programmes in multiple sports branches, including:

• Volleyball
• Swimming
• Archery
• Gymnastics
• Tennis
• Basketball
• Chess
• Judo

Programmes are open to participants aged 6 and above and are designed for different skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Training programmes are planned by age group and performance level, and participants’ development is regularly monitored to support sustainable performance improvement and sports awareness.

Training sessions are conducted at Boğaziçi University sports facilities across different campuses, including:

• Hisar Indoor Sports Facilities (Semi-olympic indoor swimming pool and fitness centre)
• Anadolu Hisarı Facilities (Turf field, indoor sports hall and fitness centre)
• Kilyos Campus (Outdoor sports areas)
• South Campus (Indoor and outdoor tennis courts)

Both group training and individual private lessons are available, making sports education accessible to different age groups and participation levels.

Detailed information about training programmes, facilities, fees and application procedures is available on the Sport School’s web page.

3. National and International Sports Events and Festivals

Boğaziçi University organises regular sports festivals, tournaments, and athletics events throughout the year to encourage participation in sports, promote healthy lifestyles, and enhance social engagement. These events bring together university students, sports teams, and both amateur and professional athletes from Türkiye and around the world, fostering an inclusive, participatory, and international sports culture.

• Boğaziçi University International Sports Fest

The International Sports Festival, organised annually by the Boğaziçi University Sports Committee, is a major sports festival that brings together approximately 600–800 university athletes from around 20 universities in Türkiye and abroad. Sports Fest, which holds the distinction of being the first sports festival organised by a university in Türkiye, was selected as the “Most Successful Campus Event” at the Shining Star Awards 2018, the first and only competition of Türkiye’s entertainment, events, and recreation sector. The related news can be accessed here.

The festival includes tournaments in cheerleading, water polo, basketball, volleyball, tennis, handball, football, badminton, futsal, swimming, flag football, and table tennis, providing young athletes from Türkiye and around the world with the opportunity to meet and interact. In addition to sports competitions, the festival hosts many activities such as sponsor events, fitness activities, dance workshops and performances, game tracks, concerts, and DJ performances, offering participants a unique experience that combines sport and social interaction. Detailed information is available on the International Sports Fest web pages [1] [2].

Watch the Boğaziçi University Sports Fest 2025 Aftermovie.

• Boğaziçi University International Field Day

Field Day is an annual athletics event traditionally held at the Uçaksavar Stadium and is recognised as the first athletics competition in Turkish sports history. Since 1898, Field Day Athletics Games have hosted amateur and professional athletes from across Türkiye and abroad, who compete in various athletics disciplines including running, shot put, high jump and javelin throw. The event is open to all participants who wish to compete in amateur athletics disciplines and aims to promote athletics, physical activity and sports culture. Detailed information is available on the Field Day web page.

Watch the Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Field Day 2025 Aftermovie.

• Inter-University Raqball Tournament

In 2024, Boğaziçi University South Square hosted the Inter-University Raqball Tournament, the first of its kind in the world. Following initial training sessions held at Istanbul Aydın University, Boğaziçi University welcomed Raqball teams from Istanbul Aydın University and Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, along with French trainers, to South Square on 24 October 2024. The tournament attracted significant interest, allowing many students to experience this sport for the first time. Mesut Okur, Director of the Boğaziçi University Sports Office and one of Türkiye’s first Raqball coaches, stated that the tournament would serve as an international model. The related news can be accessed here.

Watch the Inter-University Raqball Tournament promotional video.

• Ultimate Frisbee Tournaments

Ultimate Frisbee is a rapidly growing sport in Türkiye, combining speed, agility, and teamwork, and attracting increasing interest nationwide. The Turkish Federation Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, held on 23–24 May 2025, was hosted by Boğaziçi University at the Anadolu Hisarı Campus. At the end of the tournament, Sabancı Seahawks won first place, Frizbi Teknik placed second, and Boğaziçi BURN finished third.

The III. Burn Invite Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, organised by the Boğaziçi University Frisbee Team, was held on 28 February – 1 March 2026 at Boğaziçi University Anadolu Hisarı Campus. The tournament brought together 12 teams and featured highly competitive matches. In the men’s category, Team Zoom won first place, Odtupus finished second, and Frizbi Teknik placed third. In the women’s category, Zoom Rush won first place, Seahawks finished second, and Femtech placed third. The related news can be accessed here.

These tournaments demonstrate that Boğaziçi University sports facilities are used for inter-university and federation-level sports organisations and hosted events involving external teams and athletes.

Watch the FED’25 video.

Watch III. BURN INVITE video.

4. Facility Hire

Members of the public, local schools and sports clubs can access Boğaziçi University’s sports facilities through a facility hire and reservation system. This system allows external users to use sports halls, sports fields, and other sports facilities on a regular basis for training sessions, matches and sports organisations. To rent Boğaziçi University sports facilities, applicants must complete the Facility Hire Application Form and submit it via email to sporsube@bogazici.edu.tr.

5. Institutional Certifications in Sports, Health and Well-being

• Sports-Friendly Campus Certification

Boğaziçi University has been awarded the “Sports-Friendly Campus” title following a comprehensive evaluation conducted under the protocol signed between the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This national initiative aims to promote the physical, social, cultural and psychological development of university students by encouraging participation in sports, physical activity, volunteering and social responsibility activities, while also strengthening awareness of healthy lifestyles and social well-being.

The project also focuses on:

• Increasing the number and diversity of sports facilities and activities on campus,
• Strengthening cooperation with stakeholders in sports activities,
• Expanding student clubs and communities engaged in sports activities,
• Improving access to health and first aid services related to sports activities,
• Supporting the psychosocial and academic development of disadvantaged students and encouraging their participation in sports,
• Encouraging academic and administrative staff to participate in physical activity and sports,
• Raising awareness and promoting the development of sports-friendly campuses.

The Sports-Friendly Campus Evaluation Criteria were developed by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) through consultations with all stakeholders, primarily including academic experts, the Health, Sports and Cultural Affairs Departments of various universities, and the University Sports Federation. Applications are evaluated annually by an independent panel of experts, and the results are publicly announced during the week of 19 May, the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day. You can access the full criteria here.

In the 2024–2025 academic year, 83 universities and 98 campuses applied for the Sports-Friendly Campus title. Following a preliminary evaluation, 77 campuses from 66 universities were assessed in detail by an independent panel of academic experts in Sports Sciences and in Nutrition and Dietetics. As a result of this evaluation, 48 campuses from 47 universities were awarded the “Sports-Friendly Campus” title, including Boğaziçi University. The related news can be accessed here.

The Sports-Friendly Campus title is regarded not merely as an award but as the outcome of a systematic quality-assurance process and a sustainable sports culture. The certification is valid for three years and reflects the university’s commitment to supporting sports participation for students, staff and the wider community.

• Nutrition-Friendly and Physical Activity-Supporting Workplace Certification

In addition to this achievement, Boğaziçi University has also been awarded the “Nutrition-Friendly and Physical Activity-Supporting Workplace” certificate under the national programme implemented by the Ministry of Health and certified by the Provincial Directorate of Health. The university obtained this certification with a full score (100/100), demonstrating the effective institutionalisation of healthy nutrition practices and the promotion of regular physical activity across campus. The certification was granted in 2026 and is valid for three years.

The certification was formally documented through an official presentation ceremony during which the certificate was presented by the District Health Director, Dr. Fatma Zehra Güneşer, to the Head of Boğaziçi University Health, Culture and Sports Department, Ramazan Kesik.

This certification reflects the university’s systematic quality assurance processes carried out in line with its strategic objectives, as well as its strong commitment to promoting a sustainable culture of health, nutrition and physical activity. It also serves as a concrete indicator of ongoing efforts to enhance the well-being and quality of life of students, staff and all campus stakeholders.

Institutional Impact: Community Health, Well-being and Social Engagement

By sharing its sports facilities with students, staff, local schools, sports clubs, public institutions, and community members, Boğaziçi University contributes to community health and well-being beyond the campus boundaries. Through regular access to sports halls, swimming pools, fitness centres, athletics tracks, and outdoor sports areas, the university promotes physical activity, healthy lifestyles, social interaction, and lifelong participation in sport. These practices also strengthen collaboration with external stakeholders, support inclusive community engagement, and reinforce the university’s role as a public-serving institution that contributes to social well-being through sport.