Girne American University (GAU) in North Cyprus: A Guide for International Applicants
Fees, the 50% international scholarship, English requirements, dorms and the degree recognition facts you should know before paying a deposit.
Girne American University (GAU) is a university in Kyrenia (Girne), on the north coast of Cyprus, founded in 1985. Its main campus, Karmi Campus, is in Karaoğlanoğlu. Teaching is mainly in English, with some programs in Turkish, according to the university.
GAU suits students who want an affordable English-taught bachelor's or master's degree, a simple application by documents, and a clear price list in euros. International students accepted to bachelor's and master's programs get a 50% tuition scholarship for the whole study period.
GAU is not the right choice if your goal is a degree recognized in the EU, work in the Republic of Cyprus, or a guaranteed licence at home. Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey, and that shapes what the diploma can do for you. We explain this below, together with the route that works.
Founded | 1985 |
Campus | Karmi Campus, Karaoğlanoğlu, Kyrenia (Girne) |
Licensing and accreditation | YÖDAK, the higher education regulator of Northern Cyprus |
Recognition in Turkey | Under the Turkey–TRNC university recognition agreement (YÖK) |
Degree levels | Associate, bachelor's, master's, PhD |
Tuition currency | EUR |
Base tuition, most bachelor's (previous year's price list) | €7,700–8,000 per year |
International scholarship |
Girne American University tuition fees
GAU's official fee table is still last year's. The tables for the current and next academic years are not published yet, so treat the figures below as a guide for the next intake. Fees are set in euros and are per year.
| Program group | Base fee | 50% international scholarship |
|---|---|---|
Business, communication, education, political science, humanities, sport | €7,700 | Yes: €3,850 |
Engineering, architecture, law, nursing, health sciences, tourism, maritime | €8,000 | Yes: €4,000 |
Aviation management | €6,500 | Bachelor's program; confirm with GAU |
Pilot training | €10,000 | Confirm with GAU |
ATPL (airline pilot licence) |
Every program adds €500 a year in registration and activity fees. For most bachelor's programs, that makes a realistic total of about €4,350–4,500 a year after the scholarship, based on last year's prices.
GAU's payments cover the application, tuition, registration, activity fees, VAT and medical insurance. A separate diploma fee is charged at graduation. The university offers an installment plan, so you do not have to pay the whole year at once.
For medicine and pharmacy, the scholarship page lists no exception, but it does not confirm the 50% either. Before you plan a medicine budget, get the final fee in writing from GAU. We request it for you as part of the application check.
GAU base fees by program
EUR per year before the scholarship, previous year's price list
- Associate degree€6,500
- Business, communication, education, etc.€7,700
- Engineering, architecture, law, etc.€8,000
- Master's€8,000
- Pharmacy€11,000
- PhD€12,500
- Medicine
Programs and the degree you receive
GAU's price list covers a wide range of bachelor's programs. They include architecture and design, engineering, law, business, communication, education, political science, humanities, sport, tourism and a maritime school. Health programs include nursing, health sciences, pharmacy and medicine. GAU also teaches aviation: aviation management, pilot training and an ATPL course.
There is no dentistry program in GAU's price list. The university also runs associate degrees, master's programs and PhDs. The teaching language can differ by program, so check it for your specific course before you apply.
Your diploma is issued by GAU, a university licensed and accredited by YÖDAK. Turkey recognizes universities in Northern Cyprus under an agreement between the two, and YÖK is the Turkish authority involved. This does not turn your degree into a Turkish one. An international graduate who wants to use the diploma in Turkey applies to YÖK for an equivalence certificate (denklik).
One practical point: YÖK does not consider bachelor's programs that are missing from ÖSYS, Turkey's central admissions guide. If a route through Turkey matters to you, check that your program is listed there. You can also check a university's status with YÖK's "Okul Tanıma Belgesi" service.
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Admission requirements for international students
Admission at GAU is based on documents plus English level. The admissions pages list no subject entrance exams for international students. The steps below show the full route for the next intake.
How to apply to GAU
1
Check your grades — you need a completed secondary school certificate (or equivalent) with a transcript. Minimum grades for your curriculum (WAEC, A-Level, HSSC, CBSE, Thanaweya Amma and others) depend on the program; we check them against GAU's current rules.
2
Prove your English — IELTS 5.0, TOEFL iBT 60, TOEFL PBT 497, PTE 40 or Cambridge FCE grade C for most programs. Pharmacy, English language programs and master's degrees need IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 65, PBT 513, PTE 46 or FCE grade B. Duolingo is not on GAU's list.
3
No certificate? Take the FES test — the Foundation English School exam. The pass mark is 60/100 for most programs and 80/100 for pharmacy, English philology, translation, English language teaching and master's. Below the pass mark, you study a foundation English year first.
4
Prepare documents — school certificate and transcript, passport, photo and an English certificate if you have one. Documents not in English must be translated and certified by the Ministry of Education before you arrive.
5
Apply online — upload scans at apply.gau.edu.tr. GAU sends a provisional letter that states the deposit amount.
What to know before you apply
AcademGo tells you what many agencies leave out. These are the real limits of a GAU degree and how to work around them.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey. The Republic of Cyprus does not recognize universities in the north or their diplomas. Northern Cyprus is not part of the Bologna Process, so there is no automatic recognition in the EU. EU countries and universities review such degrees case by case. For example, the University of Southampton (UK) accepts Northern Cyprus bachelor's degrees for master's entry, with the required grades and YÖK/YÖDAK accreditation.
The Middle East needs special attention. In 2020, GAU's founder-rector said that Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and the UAE had stopped recognizing TRNC diplomas. If you plan to work in Egypt or the Gulf, check recognition with the authority there before you apply. The same applies to medicine and other licensed professions in Pakistan, India, Nigeria or Bangladesh.
Legalizing your diploma also works differently. An apostille cannot be issued in Northern Cyprus. Diplomas are certified by the Turkish Embassy in Lefkoşa, usually through the university's student office. The document is then translated, notarized and apostilled or legalized by the relevant Turkish authorities. The final decision on recognition stays with the receiving country. Our degree recognition guide shows the full route.
Money is the other risk. GAU states that all payments to the university are non-refundable, including the deposit. The official pages describe no exception for a visa refusal. Pay the deposit only after your documents, budget and travel route are checked.
Two more points. A student residence permit does not give you the right to work; a job needs a separate work permit arranged by the employer. The Republic of Cyprus treats entry through Ercan airport as illegal entry, so a trip to the south can end at the checkpoint, with a possible fine.
Rankings and accreditation
GAU is licensed and accredited by YÖDAK, the higher education regulator of Northern Cyprus. Turkey recognizes it under the Turkey–TRNC agreement. We publish only what we can confirm from official sources, so this page lists no rankings or program-level accreditations for GAU.
Be careful with claims about "UK ENIC recognition". UK ENIC membership is a paid database subscription, not accreditation or recognition. Program accreditations can help when an employer or foreign university assesses your degree. They do not make it recognized in the EU. If a specific accreditation matters for your career, we check it for your program before you apply.
Housing and student life
GAU runs two dormitories. Elysium Court is on campus and houses female students. Knowledge Village (Bilgi Köyü) houses male students. A third dorm, Gordon Bennet, is temporarily closed.
| Room type | Price per year |
|---|---|
Double room | €3,762 |
Double deluxe | €5,786 |
Single standard | €5,523 |
Single upgraded | €6,405 |
Single premium | €7,203 |
The dorm page shows labels for different academic years, so confirm the year of these prices before booking. You can pay in up to 8 interest-free installments or all at once, in EUR or TL. Dorms offer 24/7 security, cleaning, laundry and a shuttle.
Daily expenses in Northern Cyprus are paid in Turkish lira, and lira prices rise often. Plan your living budget in EUR or USD. We help you build a realistic monthly budget for Kyrenia during the consultation. See also tuition fees and living costs in North Cyprus.
Student visa
Northern Cyprus has an e-Visa system from 24 August 2026. Nigerian citizens must get an e-Visa before travel. Most other nationalities receive a visa on arrival for up to 90 days within 180 days. There are no direct flights to Ercan airport except from Turkey, so check whether you need a Turkish visa for the transit.
After arrival, every international student needs a student residence permit. You apply online through the TRNC Immigration Department system, usually within 30 days. A medical check follows at an authorized clinic in Northern Cyprus; certificates from other countries are not accepted. GAU students handle the permit application themselves. The permit fee for 6–12 months is 1,015 TL, according to the Immigration Department. Full details are in our North Cyprus student visa and residence permit guide.
Other options
If GAU does not fit your budget or goals, compare it with other universities in the north. Eastern Mediterranean University and Near East University offer large program lists, including medicine. Cyprus International University gives all international bachelor's students a 50% discount. Graduates of METU Northern Cyprus Campus receive a diploma of METU, a Turkish state university in Ankara. For the full picture, start with our study in North Cyprus guide and the admission requirements overview.
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 GAU is the right fit? Send us your documents. We check them against GAU's requirements for your program, confirm the current fee and scholarship in writing, and compare 2–3 alternatives in North Cyprus and beyond. The first consultation is free — reach us through the form, WhatsApp or Telegram, or visit our contacts page.
