Scholarship watch: TRNC government grants open through October 31

The Department of Higher Education and External Relations has reopened its annual scholarship window. If you hold TRNC citizenship, this is the government grant cycle to track. If you don't, it does not apply to you directly, but it is worth knowing the system exists alongside the university-specific scholarships listed on UniNorth's scholarship directory.

Department director Behçet Çelebi confirmed that applications for the 2026-2027 fall semester opened on September 14 and run through October 31. Everything is handled online.

TRNC higher education scholarship

TRNC-national students apply at yobis.mebnet.net, with the application window closing October 31. Students who already received a scholarship in the spring 2025-2026 term are not automatically renewed. They must log back into the same portal and resubmit to keep the funding. Full conditions sit under the "Önemli Bilgiler" (Important Information) section of the site.

KYK dormitory applications for TRNC nationals

Separately, TRNC-national students who want a place in Turkey's state-run KYK dormitories, including those who gained a seat through YKS supplementary quotas, can apply through the "Yurt Başvurusu" tab at yobis.mebnet.net. That window opened the same day as the scholarship round and closes October 12. Results will be posted on the KYK website, and dorm fees are paid through kyk.ziraatbank.com.tr. Students who hold only Turkish Republic citizenship, without TRNC nationality, apply directly to Turkey's Kredi ve Yurtlar Kurumu instead of through this portal.

What this means if you're studying in North Cyprus

This specific scheme is built for TRNC nationals, whether they study locally or cross to Turkey for university. If you're an international student without TRNC citizenship, it does not open any new funding for you, but it signals that the government's higher-education funding calendar is active this month. Use the window to check your own university's scholarship renewal dates too, since many follow a similar fall cycle. For a full picture of what's available regardless of nationality, compare entries on UniNorth's scholarship directory and cross-check costs against verified tuition tables before you commit to a term.