Jaw-dropping increase in private university tuition! Fake diploma trade explodes

Tuition fees at private universities for the 2025-2026 academic year have shown an increase of over 100 percent. Prices in departments such as dentistry and physical therapy, in particular, have reached remarkable levels. This situation has led to intense reactions on online complaint platforms. Due to rising costs, the demand for fake diplomas has also increased. Many people have become victims of fraud while trying to obtain diplomas through illegal means.

HIGH INCREASE IN INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS

According to a report by Sözcü, a parent explaining the educational expenses of their daughter, who studies at a private university in Istanbul with a 50 percent scholarship, revealed the scale of the price hikes. The parent stated that they paid 80 thousand TL in cash and 105 thousand TL in installments for the preparatory year, and that these figures rose to 180 thousand TL and 220 thousand TL respectively in 2024. They stated that the cash tuition fee rose to 313,500 TL in 2025. Emphasizing that there has been an increase of over 100 percent every year, the parent appealed to the authorities, saying, "How will we cope with these increases? It might be more logical to have our children study abroad at more affordable prices."

FAKE DIPLOMA FRAUD

The high cost of university entrance and education has led some to seek fake diplomas. However, those who resort to this path have become targets for fraudsters. While some paid 40-50 thousand TL for a 4-year undergraduate diploma, others stated that they could not get back the 3-5 thousand TL they paid as a deposit.