The Özyeğin University National Internship Program 2026 forms part of Türkiye’s centrally coordinated National Internship Program, a structured early-career initiative implemented under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, supported by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, and coordinated by the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR). The program has been designed to strengthen the employability of university students by connecting them with internship, job shadowing, and structured training opportunities across public institutions and private sector organizations.
As graduate employability becomes increasingly competitive in 2026, structured internship programs backed by national authorities offer students a more reliable pathway into professional life. The National Internship Program stands out because it operates through a centralized digital system that ensures transparency, merit-based evaluation, and equal access to opportunities regardless of institutional background.
Purpose and Institutional Framework
The core objective of the National Internship Program is to improve young people’s access to career opportunities while promoting fairness and transparency in recruitment processes. The program seeks to eliminate bias by standardizing evaluation criteria and preventing employers from accessing personal information during the initial screening stage.
Unlike traditional internship systems, where applicants are often selected based on university reputation or personal networks, this program evaluates students through a structured scoring mechanism. The scoring system considers academic performance, professional development activities, artistic and social engagement, and athletic participation. Employers submit internship offers based solely on these verified proficiency scores, without seeing the applicant’s name, university, or personal identifiers.
This model strengthens trust in the recruitment process and promotes equal opportunity for students from all universities, including Özyeğin University and other institutions in Türkiye and abroad.
Career Development Opportunities Available in 2026
The National Internship Program offers three structured career development tracks that support students at different stages of professional exploration.
The first pathway is the standard internship placement. An internship under this program is a structured professional experience carried out within a public institution or private company. It allows students to apply theoretical academic knowledge in practical settings while developing professional skills, workplace discipline, and sector-specific competencies. Through this process, students gain familiarity with organizational structures and improve their ability to adapt to real working environments.
The second pathway is job shadowing. Job shadowing is designed as a short-term, observation-based learning experience. It enables students to directly observe professionals within a specific occupation or sector. This structured exposure helps students understand the daily responsibilities, expectations, and operational realities of their chosen fields before entering the labor market permanently.
The third pathway involves organized professional training programs. These programs are developed and delivered by competent institutions to support career readiness. The training sessions focus on enhancing technical skills, professional communication, workplace ethics, and other competencies aligned with Türkiye’s labor market needs in 2026.
Together, these three tracks create a comprehensive early-career support system rather than limiting students to conventional internship placements.
Eligibility Criteria for the 2026 Intake
Eligibility for the National Internship Program 2026 is defined through age and academic status requirements.
Applicants must not have reached the age of 35 as of January 1, 2026. This means candidates must have been born on or after January 1, 1991. This age framework ensures that the program remains focused on students and early-career individuals.
Students who are currently continuing their education in Türkiye or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are eligible if they are enrolled in the first or second year of formal associate degree programs. Undergraduate students must be in their second, third, or fourth year of formal study. However, students enrolled in medicine, teacher training, and dentistry programs are excluded from the undergraduate eligibility category under this framework.
Turkish citizens and Blue Card holders who are studying at universities abroad may also apply if they meet the same academic year conditions. This inclusion ensures that Turkish students pursuing education internationally can still benefit from national internship opportunities.
Master’s and doctoral students are eligible to apply to the program as well. Notably, there is no grade point average requirement for master’s and doctoral candidates. In addition, first-year associate degree students are not required to meet a GPA condition because their academic averages are typically not finalized at the time of application. For other eligible undergraduate students, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 out of 4.00, or an equivalent score in other grading systems, is required.
Evaluation System and Transparency Measures
The evaluation mechanism used in the National Internship Program relies on verified data submitted through the centralized digital platform. Students’ academic records, certifications, extracurricular achievements, and documented activities contribute to their overall proficiency scores. These scores are categorized into academic or professional achievement, artistic or social participation, and athletic performance.
Employers do not have access to applicants’ personal details during the initial evaluation phase. Instead, they view anonymized profiles with calculated proficiency scores. This approach ensures that selection decisions are based on measurable competencies rather than institutional prestige or personal bias.
The program’s digital infrastructure allows for standardized assessment across thousands of applicants, increasing reliability and consistency in the recruitment process.
Apply: https://ulusalstajprogrami.iskur.gov.tr/
Importance for Students in 2026
In 2026, employers increasingly prioritize practical experience alongside academic qualifications. Structured internship participation strengthens graduates’ resumes and improves their transition into full-time employment. Students who complete internships or job shadowing placements gain direct exposure to workplace expectations, project management processes, and professional communication standards.
For students at Özyeğin University and other higher education institutions, participation in the National Internship Program supports career planning by providing early industry exposure. The program also encourages well-rounded development, as extracurricular engagement and social contributions contribute to evaluation scores.
By combining merit-based assessment with public-private sector collaboration, the National Internship Program continues to serve as a structured bridge between academic education and professional life.