The Ph.D. Program in Public Law aims to provide students with the opportunity to pursue advanced coursework that develops exceptional competence in both the core fields of public law and specialized areas requiring advanced expertise.
The program recognizes the growing importance of international law in resolving increasingly complex legal relationships brought about by globalization and aims to cultivate legal scholars who are proficient in both national and international legal frameworks. Accordingly, it offers a curriculum that incorporates courses intersecting with all areas of public law.
Through courses taught by faculty members with expertise in both Turkish Law and International Law, candidates wishing to specialize in particular fields will have access to the academic guidance and support necessary for advanced scholarly development. In addition, methodology courses designed to enhance candidates’ academic research skills provide a strong foundation for legal analysis, enabling students to apply rigorous academic methods and analytical thinking in their future scholarly work.
The program consists of courses offered in both English and Turkish. Applicants are expected to possess advanced academic proficiency in both languages.
Admission Requirements
ALES (Equal Weight): 55
Proof of English Language Proficiency:
TOEFL iBT: 87 (*), or
IELTS: 6.5 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each section) and YDS / e-YDS / YÖKDİL / e-YÖKDİL: 55, or
Bilkent PAE: Grade C and YDS / e-YDS / YÖKDİL / e-YÖKDİL: 55
(*) Only TOEFL examinations administered by a state university in Türkiye are accepted.
Undergraduate Degree Requirement:
Applicants must hold a degree from a Faculty of Law and must have completed a thesis-based master’s degree in Law.
Graduates of law faculties located outside Türkiye are required to submit a certificate of equivalency approved by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK).
A statement of purpose of no more than 1,000 words explaining the reasons for applying to the Ph.D. program and the applicant’s research interests.
Two letters of recommendation.
Applicants who do not possess a valid language proficiency certificate at the time of the interview may submit the required document by the final registration deadline for the Fall semester if they are admitted to the program.
If an admitted applicant is unable to obtain a valid language proficiency test result by the registration deadline, they may be conditionally enrolled and required to take the Bilkent PAE English proficiency examination. Applicants who do not successfully pass this examination will have their enrollment cancelled.
Application Deadline: May 15, 2026
Interview Dates: June 11–12, 2026
Online Application Portal:
https://stars.bilkent.edu.tr/gradapp/
Public Law Ph.D. Program Curriculum:
https://stars.bilkent.edu.tr/homepage/curriculum.php?DEPT=LAW
