16 new programs added to YKS preferences for the first time

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has added 16 new programs to the YKS preference guide for the 2026-2027 academic term. Of the programs that will accept students for the first time this year, 7 are at the undergraduate level and 9 are at the associate degree level.

During the preference period, which began on July 29 and will continue until August 10, candidates will also be able to include these newly opened departments in their lists. Fields such as artificial intelligence, financial technology, digital gaming, mobile security, biotechnology, and production technologies stand out among the programs.

YÖK President Erol Özvar stated that the new departments were prepared with the goal of adapting to global technological transformation and were structured with an employment-oriented focus.

WHAT ARE THE NEW PROGRAMS?

The 9 associate degree programs that will accept students for the first time this year are listed as follows:

• - Explosive and Energetic Materials Technician
• - Fisheries Technology
• - Laboratory Animals
• - Pharmaceutical Production Technology
• - Digital Game Technologies
• - Mobile Security Technologies
• - Livestock Technologies and Management
• - AI-Assisted Design and Animation
• - AI-Assisted Web Design and Coding

The 7 new programs opened at the undergraduate level are among the options that candidates can choose in four-year faculties:

• - Fisheries Technology
• - Paramedic
• - Biotechnology and Genetics
• - Financial Technology
• - Business and Artificial Intelligence
• - Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence
• - History and Artificial Intelligence

With the inclusion of the new programs in the preference guide, candidates are expected to encounter more options, particularly in professional fields that intersect with technology.

News Source: 12punto