Ankara Music and Fine Arts University (MGÜ) — Ankara

Ankara Music and Fine Arts University (MGÜ) — known in Turkish as Ankara Müzik ve Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi — is a public university in Ankara, established by presidential decree in 2017. It is the first higher-education institution in Turkey dedicated exclusively to music and fine arts, filling what its founders described as a long-standing gap in the country's arts-education landscape.

Founding story: The university traces its origin to a public conversation between music professor Erol Parlak and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a national cultural-awards ceremony. Parlak argued that Turkey lacked dedicated music universities — music faculties were historically subsumed within technical universities — limiting the country's ability to project its rich cultural heritage internationally. The proposal received presidential backing and academic support from figures including presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın and faculty members from Yıldız Technical University.

Mission: MGÜ aims to be an institution that embraces the unique spirit of Anatolian culture while integrating global traditions drawn from many civilisations. It plans to develop its own research and development centre, giving Turkish culture a stronger platform on the world stage.

Specialisation: Unlike Turkey's older fine-arts faculties (which sit inside larger universities), MGÜ is a standalone institution focused on:

• Traditional Turkish music — including Ottoman classical, folk, and Sufi musical traditions
• Western classical music performance and composition
• Musicology and music theory
• Fine arts — painting, sculpture, and traditional Turkish arts
• Performing arts — including theatre and dance

Location: Ankara — Turkey's capital — provides students access to the country's leading cultural institutions, the State Opera, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, and major museums.

Language of instruction: Turkish is the primary medium. International students typically complete TÖMER Turkish preparation before joining the main program.

Admission: As a new arts-focused institution, MGÜ uses special-talent exams (yetenek sınavı) in addition to standard exam scores — applicants must audition or present portfolios appropriate to their chosen discipline. Verify current admission paths directly with the university.

Tuition (international students): Approximately $500–1,500 per year, in line with Turkish public-university pricing.

Scholarships: Türkiye Bursları covers full study costs for accepted international applicants.

Recognition: As a YÖK-accredited public university, MGÜ diplomas are recognised across the Arab world and internationally. Best suited to students with serious musical or artistic ambitions who specifically want a dedicated arts institution rather than a music department inside a general university.

Verify current programs, admission requirements (audition vs YÖS vs SAT), and the official campus/contact information directly with the university — this is a young institution and details are still evolving.