Cyprus International University (CIU): Fees, Programs and Admission
An English-taught university in Nicosia with a 50% scholarship for international bachelor's students, plus the limits worth knowing before you pay.
Cyprus International University (CIU) is a private university founded in 1997 in Haspolat, on the edge of Nicosia (Lefkoşa) in North Cyprus. By its own count, it has about 14,000 students and more than 1,000 staff. Most programs are taught in English, every international bachelor's student gets a 50% tuition scholarship, and there are no entrance exams: admission is based on your school documents.
CIU suits students who want an affordable English-taught degree with a simple entry route, and who plan to use the degree in Turkey, for a master's in the UK, or through individual recognition at home. It is a weaker fit if you need a degree that is automatically recognized in the EU, plan a licensed career in the Republic of Cyprus, or want to work in a country that does not accept North Cyprus degrees.
The reason is political, not academic. North Cyprus (the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, TRNC) is recognized only by Turkey. AcademGo tells you what other agencies often leave out, so below we show the whole route before you pay a deposit.
| Key fact | CIU |
|---|---|
Founded | 1997 |
Location | Haspolat, Nicosia (Lefkoşa), North Cyprus |
Students | About 14,000 (university figure) |
Faculties include | Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, law |
Standard program length | Associate degree 2 years; bachelor's 4 years; pharmacy and dentistry 5 years; medicine 6 years; master's from 1 year; PhD from 3 years |
Regulator | YÖDAK (licensing and accreditation in North Cyprus) |
Recognition by Turkey |
Cyprus International University tuition fees
CIU does not publish a fee table. Its fees and payments pages point to an online Fee Calculator and to your acceptance letter, where the exact amount appears. The only official figure is the scholarship: all international bachelor's students receive 50% off tuition. So the numbers below are a guide from education aggregators, not CIU's own price list. We confirm the current fee for your program before you apply.
| Program | Approximate base fee (before scholarship) | After the standard 50% scholarship |
|---|---|---|
Most bachelor's programs | about €7,100 per year | about €3,550; one aggregator estimates about €3,950 once fees and VAT are added |
Pharmacy | about €9,400 per year | not confirmed by CIU; we check |
Dentistry | about €12,600 per year | not confirmed by CIU; we check |
Medicine | about €15,300 per year | not confirmed by CIU; we check |
What CIU confirms officially about paying
- Tuition and accommodation fees are fixed for the official length of your program. Meals, insurance and extra charges can change each year.
- For bachelor's students, the amount in the acceptance letter covers two semesters (fall and spring).
- The scholarship applies only for the official length of the program. It also covers the English Foundation year, but not housing.
CIU base fees by program
EUR per year before the scholarship, aggregator estimates
- Most bachelor's programsabout €7,100
- Pharmacyabout €9,400
- Dentistryabout €12,600
- Medicineabout €15,300
Programs and the degree you receive
CIU has faculties that include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering and law, plus institutes and vocational schools. Bachelor's and master's programs are offered in English, and some programs also run in a separate Turkish version. CIU's full list of English-taught programs changes, so we confirm the language of your specific program before you apply.
If you have no English certificate, you take CIU's English test on arrival. If you do not pass, you start at the English Preparatory (Foundation) School. The first attempt at the test is free, the second costs €100, and each further attempt costs €150.
CIU is licensed and accredited by YÖDAK, the higher education regulator of North Cyprus. Turkey recognizes TRNC universities under an agreement between the two, and the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) is responsible for this. This is not the same as "YÖK accreditation." For an international graduate, the degree does not automatically count as Turkish: to use it in Turkey, you apply to YÖK for an equivalence certificate (denklik).
Two details matter when choosing a program. First, YÖK does not consider bachelor's programs that are not listed in Turkey's central admissions guide (ÖSYS). Second, all master's graduates from North Cyprus go through denklik, whatever their citizenship. You can check whether YÖK recognizes a university through its "Okul Tanıma Belgesi" service. Our degree recognition guide explains the full route.
Admission requirements for international students
CIU has no entrance exams. The International Office assesses your documents, and the process runs in the order below. For the general rules across North Cyprus, see admission requirements in North Cyprus.
How to apply to CIU
1
Check your school certificate — you need a high school diploma or an equivalent, such as O-Levels and A-Levels or WAEC/NECO results. Minimum grades for competitive programs like medicine can differ; we confirm the current requirement for your program.
2
Prepare your English — TOEFL iBT 65 or IELTS 5.5. Without a certificate, you take CIU's test on campus and may start with the English Foundation year.
3
Apply online through CIU's portal — upload the application form, your diploma or equivalent, a scan of your passport (or birth certificate) and the signed Admissions Rules and Regulations.
4
Receive a Conditional Acceptance Letter — issued after the International Office reviews your documents. It states the fee and the initial deposit.
5
Pay the initial deposit — the amount is in your letter. Read the refund rules first (see below).
6
CIU has not yet published application deadlines for the next intake. For reference, in CIU's current calendar fall classes begin in late September and spring classes in early February, with a separate schedule for medicine. The new calendar appears closer to the intake, so plan your documents several months ahead. If you cannot arrive on time, you can defer to the next semester; a longer delay means a new application, without a refund of what you paid.
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What to know before you apply
The degree is not automatically recognized in Europe. The Republic of Cyprus does not recognize TRNC universities or their degrees, so licensed careers there (doctor, lawyer, chartered engineer) are closed. North Cyprus is not part of the Bologna Process. In other EU countries, recognition is individual, and a medical degree does not qualify for automatic recognition under EU Directive 2005/36/EC. Individual acceptance does happen: the University of Southampton in the UK accepts North Cyprus bachelor's degrees for master's entry, and US credential evaluators assess each case.
Check recognition at home before you pay. This matters most for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. In 2020, the founding rector of another TRNC university said that Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and the UAE had stopped recognizing TRNC degrees. That is one side's statement, not an official list, but applicants from Egypt and the Gulf should take it seriously. Ask your national recognition body or medical council in writing before you enroll.
Documents are legalized through Turkey. No apostille can be issued in North Cyprus. Diplomas are certified by the Turkish Embassy in Lefkoşa, usually submitted through the university's student office. Then a sworn translation, a Turkish notary and an apostille from the authorized Turkish body follow, or consular legalization for countries outside the Hague Convention.
Money rules are strict. CIU returns the deposit or prepayment only if your visa is refused, with a letter from the embassy. It gives no refunds for any other reason. Dormitory booking has its own deadline, explained in the housing section.
A residence permit does not give the right to work. According to local guides, a job with a TRNC employer needs a separate work permit arranged by the employer. Working without it can lead to a fine and deportation.
North Cyprus is not a route into the EU. The Republic of Cyprus treats entry through Ercan airport as illegal. The UK government warns of fines and refusal at crossing points to the south.
Rankings and accreditation
CIU's institutional accreditation comes from YÖDAK, and Turkey recognizes the university under the Turkey–TRNC agreement. On top of that, several CIU programs hold international program accreditations:
Program accreditations listed by CIU
- FIBAA — business, international relations, tourism, management information systems and others
- MÜDEK — computer, electrical and electronic, industrial and civil engineering
- AHPGS — pharmacy, law, physiotherapy and others
Program accreditation shows that a program meets an external quality standard. It can help when a university or employer abroad assesses your degree, but it does not make the degree recognized in the EU. We have not listed ranking positions here because we could not confirm them from a primary source. Ask us for the current accreditation status of your specific program.
Housing and student life
CIU has dormitories on campus. Prices are set every year and depend on the room type. They are not listed on CIU's website, so you get them from the Fee Calculator. Aggregators estimate on-campus housing at about €1,500–3,000 per year and meals at about €1,200–1,800 per year. The tuition scholarship does not cover housing.
Dormitory rules are worth reading before you book:
CIU dormitory rules
- A booking covers two semesters.
- If you cancel after 1 July (for fall) or 1 January (for spring), you pay for both semesters.
- Electricity and heating are charged separately, every month.
The campus is in Haspolat, about 5 km from central Nicosia. Tuition is billed in euros, but daily life is paid in Turkish lira, where prices rise often. Plan your living budget in EUR or USD and leave a margin.
Student visa and residence permit
Most students fly via Turkey, because Ercan airport has direct flights only from Turkey. Check the Turkish transit rules for your passport: according to secondary sources, Nigerian citizens cannot use Turkey's e-Visa and apply for a regular visa. North Cyprus introduced an e-Visa on 24 August 2026. Nigerian citizens need it before travel, while most other nationalities receive a visa on arrival for up to 90 days within 180 days.
After arrival, a student residence permit (Öğrenci İkamet İzni) is mandatory. You apply online with the Immigration Department (Muhaceret Dairesi), usually within 30 days, then pass a medical check at an authorized clinic in North Cyprus. Certificates from other countries are not accepted. Published student fees are 690 TL (up to 6 months), 1,015 TL (6–12 months) or 2,025 TL (12–24 months), plus a 38.70 TL stamp duty. CIU helps you apply after arrival. Universities report student status to the authorities every three months, and a dismissed student's permit is canceled. Details are in our student visa and residence guide.
Other options in North Cyprus
If CIU's fees or program list do not fit, compare it with Near East University and Girne American University. Eastern Mediterranean University is a state university, and eight of its engineering programs are ABET-accredited. At METU Northern Cyprus Campus, graduates receive a diploma from METU in Ankara, a Turkish state university, which simplifies the recognition route. The North Cyprus overview compares all options.
14 questions to ask before you pay the deposit
Deposits are almost never refundable. Ask these by email before paying — and keep the university's answer on record.
- What to ask about the programme, accreditation and the degree
- What tuition does not include and when a deposit is refunded
- Who files the visa application — you or the university
- Five red flags that mean you should not pay
Not sure CIU fits your plans? Send us your documents. In a free first consultation, we check them against CIU's current requirements, go through recognition in your country, and compare CIU with 2–3 alternatives that match your grades and budget. Contact us through the form on our contacts page, WhatsApp or Telegram.
