Chemistry

The Undergraduate Program in Chemistry at Bilkent University provides students with a comprehensive education in the fundamental principles and advanced concepts of chemistry, preparing them for diverse careers in science, research, education, industry, and beyond. The program is designed to foster critical thinking, analytical skills, and hands-on laboratory experience, enabling graduates to understand the molecular and atomic structures underpinning chemical phenomena and to apply this knowledge in practical settings. Throughout the curriculum, students engage with a wide range of subjects including inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, and biochemistry, ensuring a well-rounded scientific foundation. The program emphasizes experimental techniques and modern instrumentation, equipping students with the necessary skills to conduct independent research and to interpret complex data accurately. In addition to core coursework, students have opportunities to participate in research projects under the guidance of experienced faculty members, attend seminars, and collaborate on international scientific initiatives. Bilkent University’s state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities provide an ideal environment for active learning and innovation. The program also encourages interdisciplinary approaches, often integrating chemistry with physics, biology, environmental sciences, and engineering to address real-world problems. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for graduate studies, careers in academia, scientific research, pharmaceuticals, environmental consultancy, and other sectors where chemical expertise is essential. The department is committed to fostering a dynamic academic atmosphere that promotes inquiry, creativity, and lifelong learning, ensuring students are equipped to contribute meaningfully to scientific advancements and societal progress.

Detailed Course Facts

Application deadline 2014-2015 Academic Year Spring Semester, beginning on 2 February 2015, will be open between 15 October - 15 December 2014; 2015-2016 Academic Year Fall Semester, beginning in mid-September 2015, will be open between 15 October 2014 - 16 July 2015 Tuition fee

• USD 13950 Year (International)

The annual tuition for international students beginning their program in September 2014 is 13,950 US Dollars (includes 8% VAT). Tuition fees are collected in two equal installments at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Tuition fees are payable in US Dollars only.

Start date February,September 2015 Duration full-time 48 months Languages Take an IELTS test

• English

Delivery mode On Campus Educational variant Full-time Intensity Flexible More information Go To The Course Website

Course Content

FIRST YEAR

Autumn Semester

• Principles of Chemistry I
• Orientation for Chemistry Majors
• English and Composition I
• Orientation
• Calculus I
• General Physics I
• Turkish I

Spring Semester

• Principles of Chemistry II
• English and Composition II
• Calculus II
• General Physics II
• Turkish II

SECOND YEAR

Autumn Semester

• Analytical Chemistry I
• Analytical Chemistry Laboratory I
• Organic Chemistry I
• Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
• Collegiate Activities Program I
• Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
• Principles of Biology

Spring Semester

• Analytical Chemistry II
• Analitical Chemistry Laboratory II
• Organic Chemistry II
• Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
• Introduction to Computing for Engineers
• Collegiate Activities Program II
• History of Turkey

THIRD YEAR

Autumn Semester

• Physical Chemistry Laboratory
• Physical Chemistry I
• Quantum Chemistry I
• Inorganic Chemistry I
• Cultures Civilizations and Ideas I
• Non Technical Elective

Spring Semester

• Physical Chemistry II
• Quantum Chemistry II
• Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
• Inorganic Chemistry II
• Cultures Civilizations and Ideas II
• Non Technical Elective

FOURTH YEAR

Autumn Semester

• Summer Practice
• Biochemistry
• Senior Project I
• Non Technical Elective
• Technical Electives (2)

Spring Semester

• Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics
• Applied Quantum Chemistry
• Senior Project II
• Technical Electives (2)

Note: Technical electives can be chosen from CHEM 201, any 300 or higher level MBG, PHYS, CS, EE, IE, MATH, or CHEM course, or with the consent of the advisor.

MINOR PROGRAM

Chemistry is a fundamental study encompassing the knowledge of structural and functional diversity of our material world at atomic and molecular level. The achievements of chemistry span from synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agricultural products to new materials, solar cells, superconductors, clean fuels. Chemistry impacts many disciplines in the fields of engineering, technology, biology, physics, medicine, and plays a central role in the solution of important problems related to health and environment.

The new minor program in chemistry is designed for undergraduate students from the Science and Engineering Faculties who intend to pursue a professional career in interdisciplinary fields in which a sound knowledge of chemistry is important.

Prerequisite Courses:

• PHYS 101 General Physics I
• PHYS 102 General Physics II
• MATH 101 Calculus I
• MATH 102 Calculus II

CURRICULUM

Courses

Course Name

• Analytical Chemistry II
• Organic Chemistry I
• Inorganic Chemistry I
• Electives (3)

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6.5 TOEFL iBT® test : 87

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

take an IELTS test.

Requirements

International students, who had graduated or are expecting to graduate from a High School equivalent to Turkish High Schools in Turkey, can apply to Bilkent University. All International applicants who are applying for full-time undergraduate degree programs are required to fill out the following application form at:

Online Application Form

The applications for:

• 2014-2015 Academic Year Spring Semester, beginning on 2 February 2015, will be open between 15 October - 15 December 2014
• 2015-2016 Academic Year Fall Semester, beginning in mid-September 2015, will be open between 15 October 2014 - 16 July 2015

How to complete your online application:

Step 1: Obtain a login ID and password

Step 2: Fill out the personal information part and upload the personal information page of your passport.

Step 3: Fill out the family Information part. All students who would like to be considered for partial tuition wavier recipients are recommended to fill out this part.

Step 4:REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Bilkent accepts the photocopies of exams/diplomas and certificates listed below for application. In the absence of national or international exams, high school graduation score can be evaluated for admission. Scanned copies of Turkish or English translation of the high school diploma and official transcript along with the explanation of the high school’s grading system should be submitted for application.

• - In the SAT I, a total score of at least 1000 out of 1600 (in the combined Critical Reading and Math Reasoning tests), depending on the department to which application is made.
• - In the General Certificate Education (GCE), including Cambridge International A Level, at least three A level scores, one of which is received in the particular subject area of the program applied for.
• - In the ACT examination, a minimum score of 24 in Mathematics, Science and Composite.
• - In the TQDK examination, a minimum score of 450 out of 700 in "Group II-III-IV" and a minimum score of 550 out of 700 in "Group I".
• - In the Baccalaureate Libanais examinations given in Lebanon, a diploma score of at least 14 in the Scientific Stream.
• - In the Tawjih examinations given in Jordan and Palestine, a minimum average of 85 points in all courses in the Scientific Stream.
• - In the West African Examinations Council - (International) Senior School Certificate examination (WAEC - SSCE), a maximum score of 2 in each of the six subjects, and a maximum total score of 9 from the same six subjects.
• - An International Baccalaureate diploma with a diploma score of at least 28 or higher up to 32 depending on the department to which application is made.
• - A French Baccalaureate diploma with a diploma score of at least 12.
• - ABITUR with a score of at least 4 and a minimum score of 5 out of 15 in the subjects related to the program applied for.
• - In the Libyan Al Shahada Al Thanawiya examination, a score of at least 195 in the Scientific Stream for Engineering and Science programs and at least 185 in the Social Sciences / Art Stream for other programs.
• - In the Gao Kao examination of the People's Republic of China, a score of at least 540 (It may vary according to the department applied for).
• - In Diploma Debirestan / Pisdanesgahi administered in Iran, with a score of at least 16 out of 20.
• - In the International University Test examination administered in Kazakhstan, a minimum score of 85 out of 100.
• - Gold, silver or bronze medals in the International Science Olympiads (*) recognized by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey):

* (IOI) The International Olympiad in Informatics
(IBO) The International Biology Olympiad
(IPhO) The International Physics Olympiad
(IChO) The International Chemistry Olympiad
(IMO) The International Mathematical Olympiad
(JBMO) Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad
(BMO) Balkan Mathematical Olympiad
(BOI) Balkan Olympiad in Informatics

Step 5: ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

As Bilkent is an English medium university, students are required to meet the language requirement to be able to pursue their studies in their departments. The language requirement can be met through the submission of an exam result meeting the minimum requirements in any of the following exams as outlined below:

• TOEFL iBT, a score of at least 87
• IELTS Academic, a score of at least 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 scored in every section
• CAE, a grade of at least "C"
• FCE, a grade of at least "B"

External exam results are valid for two years. When students submit results for any of the exams mentioned above, Bilkent University School of English Language reserves the right to investigate these exam results for reliability purposes, the right to give an exam to students to check the validity of their exam results, and the right to not accept exam results that are considered to be suspicious.

If students cannot submit an exam result which meets the minimum requirements, they can take the COPE exam administered by Bilkent University after registration. Students, who cannot meet the minimum pass score in the COPE exam, will have to attend classes in the English Language Preparatory Program which is a one to two year program where they will receive 25-30 hours of classroom input every week.

PLEASE NOTE: The exam results must be sent to the university directly by the related institution. The exam results that are not sent to the university by the related institution will not be accepted.

• TOEFL should be sent directly from ETS to Bilkent University - CODE: 0620.
• IELTS should be sent directly from British Council to Bilkent University.

Step 6: List and rank your selected programs up to 5 choices. Please note that students who choose Graphic Design; Fine Arts and Music must take an aptitude test administered by the related faculties in August.

Step 7: Please write a 250-word statement of purpose describing your academic goals and reasons to study at Bilkent.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Alumni Study Travel Fund

  Scholarships for students who are already attending the University of Reading.

• Amsterdam Merit Scholarships

  The University of Amsterdam aims to attract the world’s brightest students to its international classrooms. Outstanding students from outside the European Economic Area can apply for an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship.

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than Bilkent University.

Funding

Scholarships for International Students

Prospective students who apply for financial assistance are evaluated according to their high school grades, their national and/or international exam scores, and other relevant academic criteria.

Qualified applicants are offered partial or full tuition waiver scholarships. Tuition waiver scholarships are awarded at five levels, ranging from 20% to 100% in increments of 20%. Accommodation scholarships are also available for a limited number of top students who are on full tuition waiver scholarship.

Students can benefit from scholarships for maximum of 2 years in the English Preparatory Program and for a maximum of 5 years in 4-year undergraduate programs.

Students on scholarship are required to take at least the minimum course load* specified for their department each semester (excluding any withdrawn courses**, GE100, GE251 and non-credit courses) and to maintain a minimum annual GPA of 2.00/4.00. (The annual GPA is calculated as a weighted average of Fall and Spring semester grades; courses taken in the optional Summer School are also included in calculation.) English Preparatory Program students are required to qualify to take the ECA or COPE exam at the end of each course or pass COPE by the end of the academic year. Scholarships of students who fail to meet these conditions will be decreased one level and cannot be restored even if the students improve their performance. If there are no Fall or Spring semester courses within the annual GPA, students with less than 2.00 are given a warning; if these students fail to meet the required conditions at the end of the following year, their scholarships will be decreased by two levels.

Students on accommodation scholarship are required to maintain a minimum annual GPA of 2. 50/4.00. Students who fail to meet this condition will loose their accommodation scholarship.
* The minimum course load depends on the department. This information can be found in SRS ( https://stars.bilkent.edu.tr/srs/ ) under "Information Card" and "lower limit".

** The number of withdraws is irrelevant, provided that students finish the semester with the minimum course load. If a student falls one course below the minimum course load by withdrawing a course, this is also possible provided that this situation occurs only once over the fall and spring semesters combined.

Merit Scholarship

At the end of each academic year, international students who have taken at least a minimum curriculum course load (excluding any additional courses, withdrawn courses, GE 100-250-251, non-credit courses and repeated courses in Spring, already taken in Fall semester) and attained an annual grade point average of 3.30 or above, as well as being in the top 5% of all the non-scholarship students in their program, may become eligible to receive a merit scholarship for the following academic year on top of any partial tuition waiver scholarship they may already have.

The Department of Chemistry at Bilkent University offers a comprehensive undergraduate program designed to provide students with a strong foundation in chemical principles, practical laboratory skills, and research experience. The program aims to prepare graduates for careers in academia, industry, or further postgraduate studies. The curriculum combines theoretical coursework in organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry with extensive laboratory practice, fostering a deep understanding of chemical concepts and their real-world applications. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities, encouraging active participation in innovative projects and research activities. The faculty members are experienced researchers and educators committed to high-quality teaching and mentorship. The program emphasizes the development of critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills. Students are encouraged to participate in national and international conferences, internships, and collaborative research initiatives. The department also promotes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating chemistry with fields such as molecular biology, material science, and environmental science. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for diverse career paths, including pharmaceutical companies, petrochemical industries, environmental agencies, and research institutes. Many students continue their education by enrolling in master's or doctoral programs, often leading to careers in academia and scientific research. The university provides numerous resources and support services to enhance student success, including academic advising, career counseling, and access to modern research tools. Overall, the Chemistry program at Bilkent University strives to cultivate scientific curiosity, innovation, and professional excellence among its students.