{"id":13009,"date":"2026-10-01T10:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T06:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sayainternational.com\/en\/pilot-training-in-turkey\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T10:15:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T06:45:00","slug":"pilot-training-in-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sayainternational.com\/en\/pilot-training-in-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilot Training in Turkey 2027: Routes, Licences, Costs and Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Flight training is one of the most expensive things a young person can choose to study, so we understand why so many families look abroad for better value. Pilot training in Turkey<\/strong> has become a serious option over the last decade. The country has one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the region, modern training fleets, long stretches of good flying weather and costs that are usually well below Western Europe<\/p>\n

That said, this is not a field where you should sign the first contract an agent sends you. The route you pick decides how long you train, what licence you hold at the end and where you can legally fly. Below is what we explain to every student who asks us about becoming a pilot in Turkey<\/p>\n

At a glance:<\/strong> Two main routes: a 4-year university pilot degree or an 18 to 24 month flight school ATPL course \u2022 Licences are issued by SHGM, the Turkish civil aviation authority \u2022 Class 1 medical and an aptitude test are required before you start \u2022 Budget roughly USD 50,000 to 130,000 depending on the route<\/div>\n

Two Routes to Pilot Training in Turkey<\/h2>\n

Most people do not realise there are two very different paths, and they suit different students<\/p>\n

1. A university bachelor’s degree in pilotage<\/h3>\n

Several Turkish universities run a four-year undergraduate programme usually called Pilotage or Pilot Training. You study aviation theory, meteorology, navigation, air law and human factors as academic courses, and you fly with the university’s approved training organisation in parallel. Anadolu University in Eski\u015fehir has one of the oldest civil aviation faculties in the country with its own airport, the University of Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK University) is based in Ankara, and private universities like \u00d6zye\u011fin in Istanbul teach the programme in English<\/p>\n

At the end you hold a bachelor’s degree plus a commercial pilot licence with instrument rating and frozen ATPL theory credits. The degree is useful if you ever need a fallback career, want to move into management or plan to apply for jobs that ask for a university qualification<\/p>\n

2. A flight school (ATO) integrated or modular ATPL<\/h3>\n

Private approved training organisations, mostly around Istanbul, Ankara, \u0130zmir, Ayd\u0131n and Antalya, offer the professional course without a degree. An integrated ATPL course takes roughly 18 to 24 months full time. A modular route lets you go step by step, starting with a private pilot licence, then hour building, a commercial licence and instrument rating. Modular is slower but easier to pay for in stages<\/p>\n

\"Airbus
An Airbus A320 flight deck, the aircraft type many new airline pilots start on<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Licences, SHGM and EASA: What You Actually Get<\/h2>\n

Pilot licences in Turkey are issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, known by its Turkish initials SHGM. Turkish licensing rules follow the European JAR and EASA framework closely and are ICAO compliant, which means your licence is internationally recognised as a valid professional licence. It is not, however, an EASA licence. If you want to fly for an airline registered in the European Union, you will need to convert it, which usually means extra exams and a skill test<\/p>\n

This is the single most important question to ask before choosing a school. Where do you want to fly in five years? If the answer is the Gulf, Central Asia or your home country, a Turkish licence plus local validation is often enough. If the answer is Europe, ask the school directly whether they offer EASA-approved training too, and get that in writing<\/p>\n

Ask every school these three questions:<\/strong> how many hours are on the actual aircraft versus the simulator, what happens to your fee if the course is delayed by weather or aircraft maintenance, and how many of last year’s graduates are now flying commercially. Vague answers to any of them are a warning sign<\/div>\n

Requirements Before You Start<\/h2>\n

Whether you go through a university or a flight school, the basic entry checks are similar<\/p>\n