Before you enrol: universities in Poland that Türkiye does not recognise
If you plan to use your Polish diploma in Türkiye, one check before you enrol can save you three years. YÖK names the institutions it does not recognise — seven of them are in Poland.
Last verified:
A member of our community enrolled, studied, and only then discovered that Türkiye would not recognise the diploma. That is three years and a lot of money for a document that does not do the job it was bought to do. The check that prevents it takes about two minutes, and it has to happen before you enrol.
The one authority that counts
Türkiye's Council of Higher Education (YÖK) decides whether a foreign diploma is recognised. Nobody else does — not the university's own marketing, not an agency, not a forum, and not this page.
YÖK does not publish a list of approved universities. It publishes the opposite: a list of institutions it does not recognise. That list is here:
Warning
A diploma from an institution on that list will not receive Turkish equivalency (denklik). This is decided at the institution level, before anyone looks at your grades.
The Poland entries
As checked on 3 September 2026, seven institutions in Poland appear on YÖK's list:
- Akademia Finansów i Biznesu Vistula (AFIB Vistula / Vistula University), Warsaw
- Szkoła Główna Turystyki i Rekreacji (Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management)
- Olsztyńska Szkoła Wyższa im. Józefa Rusieckiego, Olsztyn
- Akademia Humanistyczna im. Aleksandra Gieysztora w Pułtusku (Pułtusk Academy of Humanities)
- Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa we Wrocławiu (University of Business in Wrocław)
- Wyższa Szkoła Ekologii i Zarządzania w Warszawie (WSEiZ) — renamed from 1 October 2024 to "Warszawska Akademia Technologii i Nauk Stosowanych – ATA". The new name is the same listed institution.
- Warsaw Management University (Menedżerska Akademia Nauk Stosowanych w Warszawie)
Note
This list is copied from YÖK's page on the date above and is reproduced here only so you know to look. It is not our judgement of any university, and it can change at any time. Always open the official link and check for yourself on the day you apply.
Being named here says nothing about whether an institution is legitimate in Poland. Several of them are properly accredited Polish schools. It says one thing: that diploma will not convert into a recognised Turkish qualification.
How to check any other university
For an institution that is not on the list above, verify it directly rather than assuming:
- Open the e-Devlet recognition enquiry.
- Sign in with your e-Devlet password, mobile signature, Turkish ID card or internet banking.
- Search for the institution by name — including any former name it used.
If you cannot use e-Devlet, YÖK's page above explains how to submit a written petition asking about a specific institution. A written answer from YÖK is the only thing worth relying on.
If you have already enrolled
Do not panic and do not abandon your studies on the strength of a web page. Get YÖK's position in writing about your specific institution and programme, and take advice before making any decision. A degree that will not be recognised in Türkiye may still be entirely useful if your plans are in Poland or elsewhere in the EU — that is a real choice, not a lost cause.
If you are unsure, contact the association and we will help you find where to ask.
Related questions
- Does being on this list mean the university is illegal or fake?
No. Several institutions on the list are legally established and accredited in Poland. The list is about one thing only: whether YÖK will grant Turkish equivalency (denklik) to the diploma. If you never intend to use the degree in Türkiye, that is a different decision.
- The university changed its name — am I safe now?
No. A renamed institution is the same institution. YÖK's list records former and current names for exactly this reason, so check both.