ANKARA — The Assessment, Selection, and Placement Center (ÖSYM) has officially announced the schedule for the preference and placement phase of the 2026 Special Talent Exam for Sports Sciences (ÖZYES), conducted under the scope of the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS). Thousands of candidates who participated in the practical and physical evaluations of the talent exam will soon be able to submit their university preferences online. According to the official statement released by the national exam authority, the preference window is scheduled to open on September 24, 2026, and will close on September 30, 2026.
This announcement marks the final stage of a long and rigorous journey for aspiring sports professionals, physical education teachers, coaches, and sports managers across Turkey. Candidates who have successfully completed the physical performance tests are now preparing to align their exam scores with the available quotas at various physical education and sports science faculties nationwide.
Detailed Timeline and Accessing the Selection Portal
According to the official calendar published by ÖSYM, the preference process will formally begin on September 24, 2026, at 15:00 local time. Candidates will have a period of exactly one week to evaluate their options, consult the official guidelines, and finalize their submissions. The system will remain open until September 30, 2026, at 23:59, after which the portal will be closed, and no further modifications or submissions will be accepted.
To submit their choices, candidates must access ÖSYM’s Candidate Transactions System (AİS) via the official website at ais.osym.gov.tr. The process must be completed individually by the applicants using their Turkish Republic (T.C.) Identification Numbers and their secure candidate passwords. Alternatively, candidates can access the system using the integrated e-Government (e-Devlet) portal credentials.
ÖSYM has emphasized that preference submissions sent via mail, courier, or physical delivery to the headquarters will not be processed. All transactions must be completed digitally through the AİS portal within the designated timeframe. Due to potential system congestion in the final hours of the preference window, education experts advise candidates not to leave their final submissions to the last day.
The Evolution of Sports Science Admissions in Turkey
The transition to a centralized Special Talent Exam (ÖZYES) under the YKS umbrella represents a significant administrative shift in how sports science departments select their students. Historically, individual universities across Turkey conducted their own independent practical talent exams. This decentralized approach required candidates to travel from city to city, register for multiple exams, adapt to vastly different evaluation metrics, and bear substantial travel and accommodation expenses.
To establish a fairer, more standardized, and highly accessible system, the Higher Education Council (YÖK) and ÖSYM introduced the centralized ÖZYES. Under this unified framework, practical physical examinations are conducted under standardized conditions at designated regional centers. The scores obtained from these centralized tests are then combined with the candidates’ academic performance metrics to generate a standardized placement score.
This centralized model ensures equal opportunity for all candidates, regardless of their geographical location or economic background. It also simplifies the administrative burden on state and foundation universities, allowing them to fill their sports science quotas through a structured and transparent central placement process similar to other academic departments.
Critical Warning Regarding the Official Preference Guide
A key highlight of ÖSYM’s announcement is a vital warning directed at all candidates regarding the official 2026-ÖZYES Application and Preference Guide. The exam authority pointed out that the preliminary guide published on its website is intended for informational purposes and is subject to updates and revisions prior to and during the active preference window.
Candidates are strongly cautioned to review the most up-to-date version of the preference guide, which will be published on the official ÖSYM website immediately before the portal opens on September 24. It is crucial for applicants to base their decisions on the final version of the document, as universities may update their specific requirements, quotas, or physical fitness criteria.
The preference guide contains essential parameters for each higher education program, including:
- Special physical health requirements and medical board report conditions.
- Specific athletic background or active athlete license prerequisites.
- Age limitations or specific gender-based quotas for certain departments.
- Regional quotas and specific scholarship conditions for foundation universities.
Submitting preferences without verifying these specific institutional demands can lead to severe consequences. If a candidate is placed in a program but fails to meet the specific criteria outlined in the updated guide during the final registration phase, their placement will be rendered invalid, and they will lose their right to register for that academic year.
Placement Criteria and Academic-Physical Balance
The placement of candidates into sports science programs is determined by a comprehensive evaluation process that balances athletic capability with academic achievement. While the practical talent exam (ÖZYES) measures physical fitness, coordination, speed, and sport-specific skills, academic scores play an equally decisive role in the final placement calculations.
The placement score is calculated using a formula that integrates multiple components:
- The candidate’s score from the 2026-ÖZYES practical examination.
- The candidate’s score from the Basic Proficiency Test (TYT), which is the first session of the centralized Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS).
- The candidate’s Secondary Education Success Score (OBP), which reflects their high school academic performance.
- Additional weightings or coefficients that may apply to graduates of sports high schools or candidates with certified national athletic achievements.
This multi-faceted evaluation model ensures that students admitted to sports science faculties possess both the physical attributes required for demanding athletic training and the intellectual capacity necessary to succeed in academic courses, such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, sports psychology, and management.
Diverse Academic Pathways in Sports Sciences
Candidates participating in the 2026-ÖZYES preference process have the opportunity to choose from several distinct academic disciplines within the field of sports sciences. These programs are designed to meet different career aspirations and industry demands within the rapidly growing global sports sector:
- Physical Education and Sports Teaching: This department focuses on pedagogical training, preparing graduates to become certified physical education teachers in public and private schools under the Ministry of National Education.
- Coaching Education: Designed for those aiming to work in professional sports clubs, national teams, or private fitness centers. The curriculum covers advanced training methods, athletic performance analysis, and sport-specific techniques.
- Sports Management: This pathway blends sports science with business administration, preparing students to manage athletic facilities, organize sports events, run marketing campaigns, and lead administrative operations in sports federations and clubs.
- Recreation: Focusing on leisure studies, community health, and wellness, this field trains professionals to design, implement, and manage recreational activities for municipalities, tourism facilities, corporate wellness programs, and community centers.
As the preference period approaches, education counselors encourage candidates to thoroughly analyze which of these pathways aligns best with their long-term professional goals, physical capabilities, and academic strengths.
Next Steps in the Academic Calendar
Following the closing of the preference window on September 30, 2026, ÖSYM will begin the centralized placement process. The placement algorithms will process candidates’ choices in order of preference, matched against their calculated placement scores and the specific quotas of the university programs.
Once the placement results are finalized, they will be announced to the public through the ÖSYM result sharing system. Candidates will be able to access their placement results using their credentials on the mobile and web platforms of the center. No physical result documents will be mailed to the candidates.
Following the announcement of the placement results, the registration dates for successful candidates will be declared. Universities will open their doors for administrative registration, during which students must submit their physical health reports, high school diplomas, and other necessary documents to formalize their enrollment for the 2026-2027 academic year.
