handbook - İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi

Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
HANDBOOK
For Incoming Exchange Students
to Istanbul BILGI University
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
INDEX
I.
Welcome
II.
Bilgi University
a. Orientation
III.
Before coming to Turkey
a. Visa
b. Accommodation
c. Medical Insurance
d. Money
IV.
Airports
a. How to get into Istanbul (Taksim)
V.
Transportation
a. How to get to Campus
b. Transportation card, Jeton tokens etc.
c. Taxi, Metrobus, Boats, etc.
VI.
Residence Permit
VII.
Cost of Living
a. Where to get groceries
b. Average cost of other useful things
VIII.
Sim card and registering your phone
IX.
Turkish Language Course
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
X.
What you should know about the Turkish culture
a. Useful Words
b. Islam
XI.
Points of Interest in Istanbul
XII.
Good to know!
XIII.
ERASMUS Office
XIV.
Emergency Contacts
I.
Welcome!
Dear Incoming Erasmus Students.
We are very happy to welcome you at Istanbul BILGI University. In the following you will find information
on pre-organizational stuff and especially on life in Istanbul. We hope that this booklet can help you find
your way around and to give you an overview on what you have to think of.
We hope you enjoy your stay to the fullest and take the most out of your personal Erasmus-Experience!
Erasmus Office
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
II.
BILGI UNIVERSITY
Istanbul Bilgi University was founded in 1996 as a private, non-profit institution and functions under the
aegis of the Turkish Higher Education Council. The university currently has around 11,000 students, 600
academic staff members, 6 faculties, 4 institutes, 4 schools, and 7 programs associated with its
Vocational Schools, and around 100 programs that provide education to its associate, undergraduate and
graduate students. As of 2011, the university has graduated over 14,000 students. The language of
instruction, except in the Faculty of Law, is English.
BILGI is a city university with 3 campuses located in central city neighborhoods, offering easy access to
the social and cultural activities in Istanbul. Students are encouraged to take part in university
governance, participate in student clubs and engage in voluntary work. Numerous community
development programs and courses bring students and faculty into direct contact with local
communities. Innovative academic programs and their curricula allow students to take many elective
courses and pursue their intellectual interests alongside their major fields of study.
Campuses
BILGI campuses are equipped to provide for all the academic and extracurricular needs of students.
Physical facilities comprise conference halls, film production, post–production, ensemble and recording
studios, cinemas, a sports complex, computer laboratories and student cafeterias.
Santral Campus is home to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Faculty of Communications and the
Department of Business Administration and Economics and is also home to the Museum of
Contemporary Arts and the Museum of
Energy.
Dolapdere Campus is home to the
Faculty of Law, the departments of
International Relations of the Faculty of
Economics and Administrative Sciences,
the departments of Computer Science
and Mathematics of the Faculty of Arts
and Sciences and the School of
Advanced Vocational Studies.
Kustepe Campus hosts the English
Language Program and the first year
students of all academic programs.
The location of the campuses within
Istanbul.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
Courses
A large range of the courses held at Bilgi University are conducted in English language (Except in the Law
Department).
The following link leads you to the course catalog of Bilgi University. Courses indicated as “recommended
for international students” are either fully or mainly held in English language. If you do not speak fluent
Turkish you will not be able to sign up to other courses than these. Students with an excellent command
of Turkish may also take courses held in Turkish language.
http://www.register.bilgi.edu.tr/coursecatalog/yeni/index.asp?mmi=108&lang=en
International exchange students may take courses from any faculty or department as electives, alongside
their major field of study. Prerequisites, restrictions and special conditions for courses do not apply to
international exchange students. They must instead obtain the approval of their Department Erasmus
Coordinators at BILGI.
Credits
Istanbul Bilgi University uses a credit system based on lecture hours (1 credit point is equivalent to 1
semester lecture hour). Most courses carry either 3 or 4 BILGI credits.
Generally undergraduate courses transfer to 6 ECTS and graduate courses transfer to 10 ECTS!
Exchange students are advised to take courses worth 30 ECTS credits during one semester.
Grading system
Letter Grade
Numerical
Value
Definition
A
4.00
Excellent
A-
3.70
Excellent
B+
3.30
Good
B
3.00
Good
B-
2.70
Good
C+
2.30
Average
C
2.00
Average
C-
1.70
Pass on probation
D+
1.30
Pass on probation
D
1.00
Pass on probation
F
0
Fail
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
Courses not included in the calculation of the GPA but included in the calculation of credits completed
are given the letter “P” for pass and “F” for fail.
Other letters used to indicate the student's course status are:
Letter
Definition
I
Incomplete
NP
Not present at the final examination
R
Repeat course
NC
No credit granted
DP
Dissertation or project course without grade
L
Registration suspended or on leave of absence
NGR
Grade not submitted
T
Transferred course
W
Withdrew from course
E
Provisional course grade
The abbreviation “I” is given by the instructor to students who were unable to finish projects, theses,
papers and other similar requirements of the course due to extenuating circumstances. Students who
have received an “I” have a maximum of two weeks after the end of the examination period to complete
their work. The “I” is automatically replaced by an “F” for students who have not completed their work
within the specified period.
Students who do not take the semester final examination of a particular course receive the letter grade
NP. The NP grades of students who do not present valid extenuating circumstances for not attending the
final examination are automatically converted to an “F”.
Students not present at a final examination due to an extenuating circumstance which has been
accepted by the University, have the right to take another examination during the Make-Up Examination
period as specified in the Academic Calendar.
The abbreviation “E” is given by the instructor as a provisional course grade for students whom the
instructor decides to give another examination to be offered during the Make-Up Examination period as
specified in the Academic Calendar. The final course grade of the student with an “E” is registered as “D”
if the student passes the “E-Examination” or as “F” if the student does not take that examination or fails
it.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
a. Orientation
BILGI Erasmus Office organizes a one-day orientation for international exchange students at the
beginning of each semester, on the first day of registration week. Orientation day is announced on
http://www.bilgi.edu.tr/en/information/international-center/foreign-students/erasmus-exchange and
students are notified by e-mail in August (for fall semester) and December (for spring semester).
III.
Before coming to Turkey (Please read before you come here!)
There are four things you should think of before starting your journey:
a. Visa
You must have a STUDENT VISA to be registered as a student in Turkey. Only students who are legally
dependent on a resident in Turkey possessing a diplomatic visa or a work visa are exempted from this
rule. In order to apply for a student visa, you will need to visit the nearest Turkish Consulate in your
country with the following documents:
•
•
•

The Letter of Acceptance from Bilgi University
A completed visa application form,
The Visa fee
Passport sized pictures
(Please check online if there are any more requirements from the responsible consulate!)
Special Conditions apply to:
- Students, who have been placed by OSYM-YOS and are already in Turkey, can apply directly to the local
Directorate of Security in Istanbul for student visa.
- Students, who have obtained a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Turkey and admitted to Master’s or
Doctorate program within one year after graduation, can also apply directly to the local Directorate of
Security for student visa.
We advise you to apply at least two months before the semester begins. There is a visa fee that might
vary from country to country. When you receive your visa, check it and make sure that it is a “student
visa”.
Please be aware that tourist visas are not accepted! The university will be requesting a valid student visa
stamped on your passport to formalize your registration.
Student visas cannot be obtained within Turkey.
Once you arrive to Turkey, you have to apply for a residence permit within the first month after arrival.
The visa remains valid as long as a student is enrolled at the University.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
b. Accommodation
Generally we advise you to try to find an accommodation in advance so that you won’t have to bother
about it when you arrive here. Keep in mind that you are not the only Exchange Student coming so that
many students will be looking for a room or a flat during the same time. Bilgi alone receives around 300
exchange students every year and there are many other universities in Istanbul with similar numbers.
There are several links you should check out. All of them have rooms and flats in Istanbul in offer and
some of them are especially looking for Erasmus students.
http://istanbul.en.craigslist.com.tr/roo/ (many of the offers are especially directed to Erasmus students)
http://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-istanbul (also especially for Erasmus students)
http://www.sahibinden.com/en/for-rent/istanbul (has offers for international students but the offers are
mainly for Turkish-Speakers)
Please be aware that the charges for single rooms may vary between 400 and 800 Lira depending on the
geographical location of the housing and the size of the room.
Neighborhoods that we would recommend you to consider are the following:
Taksim, Beyoğlu, Cihangir and Elmadağ are very central, which also makes them more expensive. Also
you should be aware that electricity and water may not be included into the rent stated.
Mecidiyeköy, Sisli, Osmanbey, Harbiye, Besiktas and Ortaköy are very recommendable neighborhoods
as well and less expensive. There are great connections to BILGI University and Taksim which is a big
square downtown that you will no doubt get to know right after your arrival.
Also there are some nice parts on the Asian side of Istanbul. We will write some of them down here but
would advise you do consider that it might take you a long time to reach campus every morning due to
rush hour traffic and other things. Living on the Asian side would mean that you will either have to cross
the Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü) or take a ferry to reach the European side.
Nice neighborhoods there would be: Kadiköy, Moda and Üsküdar.
The advantage of these neighborhoods is that the apartments are usually slightly less expensive than on
the European side.
Other than that you can also contact Bilgi Volunteer Program on [email protected] whose members are
BILGI local students and they will help you to find an accommodation.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
An option offered by Bilgi University itself is the university dormitory.
In the following link you can see some pictures
and the main information on the dormitory.
http://international.bilgi.edu.tr/accommodation.h
tm
http://bilgi.edu.tr/en/student-life/generalsecretariat-coordination-unit/dormitory-andresidence-halls/?general-sec-co-unit-menu
The room charges either for one or two semester
stays are around 900 to 2500 Liras per month. You
are required to pay the amount stated for 1 entire
semester (if you are going to study at Bilgi for 1
semester) or for 1 year (if you are going to study for a full year) at until the beginning of August of the
according year of your stay. The payments are made in advance and for a whole semester or a whole
year which means that the money cannot be paid back in case you decide to leave the dorm early.
So please consider your housing options carefully!
c. Medical Insurance
Some insurance companies do not cover international stays. Please check with your insurance to make
sure that it covers any medical issue in Turkey as well. Otherwise we advise you to contract with an
international insurance for the duration of your stay.
For small issues BILGI has an on-campus doctor that you will be able to consult but this does not make up
for a good medical insurance!
d. Money
The exchange rate between Turkish Lira and Euro as well as other European currencies is varying a lot.
Please check the exchange rate online before exchanging any money.
It is advisable to carry a small amount of money with you when you arrive in Turkey because you will for
example need to take a bus or the metro to go to downtown Istanbul. To make sure that you won’t be in
trouble when coming here it is easier to change some money in your home country. Generally it should
be cheaper to exchange money in Turkey or to regularly take larger amounts of cash from the local
ATM’s during your stay.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
IV.
AIRPORTS
Istanbul has two different airports. One of them is located on the Asian side (Sabiha Gokcen) and one is
situated on the European side (Atatürk Airport). Most students choose to go to Atatürk Airport which is
situated on the European side and from which it is a lot easier to go to Taksim or other destinations
downtown Istanbul.
In this picture
you can see the
locations
of
both airports.
Taksim
a. How to get into Istanbul (Taksim)
From Atatürk Airport the easiest way to get to Taksim is to take the Havatas Airport Shuttle. It costs
around 12 Lira and brings you right to Taksim. From there you should easily find your way to your new
accomodation because there is a metro as well as lots of buses leaving from there to all parts of the city.
The Airport Shuttle is a big white travel-bus which has a blue print on the sides saying HAVATAS in capital
letters. There should be a person in uniform next to the bus that you can ask if the bus is going to Taksim
and there is also a sign in the front window saying Taksim.
Furthermore you can also go to Taksim by metro. Unfortunately this is a little bit more complicated but
check out the Metro Map below to follow our explanation. Please note that this is only an excerpt of the
Map in order to show you the way from Atatürk to Taksim. For a more detailed Metro-Map please check
out this website: http://www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr/passenger-services/network-maps.aspx
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
Atatürk Airport is situated on the bottom left of the map at the end of the red metroline “M1”. You need
to take this Metro until Zeytinburnu and take the blue Tram “T1” from there. Take this Tram until
Kabatas, which is the last stop of this line. Get off, go down the stairs and follow the signs to Füniküler
direction Taksim. The Füniküler is a train that only connects Kabatas and Taksim so you just need to go
one stop and get back off the train (Taksim).
V.
TRANSPORTATION
a. How to get to Campus
Bilgi University has special student shuttles that will take you from certain points within Istanbul to all
three campuses for FREE!
If you want to know whether you can take one of the University shuttles check out this website:
http://bilgi.edu.tr/en/university/transportation/shuttle/?university-transportation-menu
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
The shuttles to
Santral Campus are leaving from Kabatas, Halıcıoğlu and Tophane Dormitory as well as Dolapdere and
Kustepe Campus
Dolapdere Campus are leaving from Kabatas, Pangaltı, Tophane Dormitory, Kustepe Campus and Santral
Campus
Kustepe Campus are leaving from Santral Campus, Dolapdere Campus, Mecidiyeköy and Tophane
Dormitory
Buses
For buses to all campuses check this website: http://harita.iett.gov.tr/en/
There are many buses leaving from all parts of Istanbul. This is why we cannot give any more detailed
information on the bus-connections you have to check for the way that would fit your needs best. It is
also always good to check with your buddy or other Turkish students you get to know because they
might know easy ways to go to campus.
b. Transportation card, Jeton tokens etc
There are three different options for payment in Istanbul’s public transport system.
Jeton tokens
Are red round tokens that you can buy at “Jeton Machines” at every metro stop around İstanbul. These
tokens cost 3 Lira each and are the most expensive option. Nevertheless it would be the easiest way of
payment if you want to take the metro from Atatürk Airport to Taksim (as described above).
Istanbul Kart
The Istanbul Kart is very useful for the beginning of your stay in case you reach Istanbul before the
semester starts. You get this card at the IETT Offices at every bigger Metro Stop. The card itself costs 10
Lira and you can recharge it at Akbil Machines. You just need to put your card on the scanner on the left
and a voice will ask you to put your money into the slot. (Careful! It does not give back any money. You
may not want to put a 50 Lira bill but this depends on you of course)
One fare with this card is 2 Lira. If you need to transit during your way you will need to pay once more
but the price will be reduced.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
Student Istanbul Kart
This is the card that will be the one you can apply for with a student certificate from university. You
need to apply for the paper from the Student Affairs Office online and they will provide you with it within
two days. With this paper and your Passport as well as with a Passport sized picture you have to go to
the IEET Office again and they will prepare a student card for you.
This card is the cheapest way you can travel around Istanbul. The fare for students is only 1 Lira and for
the first transit it already reduces to 40 Kurus.
To be able to apply for the Student Certificate you need to be subscribed in the BILGI system. This means
that you CANNOT get the Student Istanbul Kart before registering. The whole process will also be
explained to you on the Erasmus Orientation Day. You do not need to worry about this yet.
VI.
RESIDENCE PERMIT
Because you will stay in Turkey for more than three months, you will need to apply for a Student Visa (as
explained on page 1) and within the first month after your arrival you will have to APPLY for an
appointment at the Federal Police Office in Vatan (main office for the first appointment!).
Upon you arrive to Istanbul, The Appointment have to be made online on this website:
https://e-randevu.iem.gov.tr/yabancilar/dil_sec.aspx
You will have to apply for an appointment for a student residence permit and it will cost you around
200 Lira (this amount may vary from one year to the other)
The complete process will be explained to you during the orientation day and your buddy might
accompany you to the Police station since mostly the policemen do not speak English.
You do not need to worry about this before coming to university!
One Tipp from our side is to not take an appointment time at night because the cashier will not be
there anymore and you will need to come back the next day to pay your fee.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
VII.
COST OF LIVING
The average cost of Living in Istanbul may vary a lot. When coming here you should think about the
following expenses you will be having during a month.
Groceries (which are a lot cheaper on weekly markets. Those markets are usually taking place once a
week)
Travel card (one fare is 1 Lira with a student travel card, as mentioned above)
Going out (the Bilgi Volunteers are organizing many events for you that are a lot cheaper for Exchange
Students)
Housing (depending on your choice)
Hygiene products (fairly expensive in Turkey, due to taxes. You should bring some shampoo and other
articles you need from home)
Books and course literature (mainly in the beginning of the semester but not very expensive)
a. Where to buy Groceries
Big supermarket chains you can get groceries from are for example: Bim Market, Dia Market, Carrefour
and Migros. These markets’ advantage is that they have a really big range of products that you will not
very likely find in a street market.
Street Markets are cheaper and sell lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Also for eggs it is advisable to
shop on these markets. You can ask your buddy and other Turkish people about the closest market to
your home.
b. Average cost of other useful things
In this paragraph we want to let you know about the average cost of some everyday products.
A coke: 2 Lira (in the streets)
A bread: 1 Lira or slightly less
A bottle of water: 75 Kurus
A Döner: 5 Lira
Simit: 1 Lira
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
VIII.
SIM CARD AND REGISTERING YOUR PHONE
The Turkish Government is trying to avoid international phones to be used with local sim cards within
Turkey. This is why you will only be able to use your phone for maximum 2 weeks before it gets locked
for Turkish Sim Cards.
This will consequently mean that you will either have to unlock your phone or you will need to buy a
used cheap phone here.
The charge for unlocking your own phone is 120 Liras. You can get a used phone for around 50 to 100
Liras in the streets or in little shops especially selling used phones.
You should note that buying a used phone can also mean a risk because most sellers do not give you any
guarantee on those phones. Even if it breaks right away you cannot get your money back. The conditions
also depend on the seller you go to.
If you know any Exchange Students that went to Turkey/Istanbul before you can also ask them if they are
selling old phones that they bought here. Keep in mind that those phones only have to serve you for
calling and texting for one or two semester(s).
IX.
TURKISH LANGUAGE COURSE
If you want to learn Turkish you can do this on Campus of BILGI University.
During the academic year, international students at BILGI may enroll in Turkish Language for Foreigners,
TK 111 and TK 112, Turkish language courses for beginners and intermediate level, respectively. Each
course can be transferred to your home university as 6 ECTS credits.
Turkish is one of the less frequently used European languages, therefore Erasmus students may
participate in and receive mobility grants for Erasmus Intensive Language Courses in Turkish which are
mostly organized in summer, before the beginning of the academic year. BILGI does not offer an EILC
program.
Another option for taking language courses is at language schools around the city. These schools will
charge a fee differing between the schools. The advantage of the language courses at BILGI is that they
are for free and you do not have to take the course at night, after coming home from university.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
X.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE TURKISH CULTURE
Here is what some former exchange students at Bilgi thought:
Hien, Sweden, 2012-2013 Fall semester
The thing I had to get used to the most when I first came here was probably the Ezan. Hearing these loud
prayers was really scary at first but I got used to it!
Cornelius, Germany, 2012-2013 Fall semester
Except the case of traffic, Turkish people don't know stress.
Mariaconcetta, Italy, 2012-2013 Fall semester.
I think that Turkish people is more sociable than Italian people, less diffident of foreigners, this is more
true considering people living in the North of Italy (southern Italian people are more similar to Turkish
people in sociability); people in Turkey live more in a relaxing mood and they don't hurry up, they enjoy
more the life and they smile more. Italian people is not bound to the religion as a lot of Turkish people
are, we have not to respect so many rules, but we have other rules as well not just from religion.
Elya, Azerbaijan, 2012 Spring semester.
The country has so many different sides to it. It is developed but you can find so many cities that have
different traditions. I loved how colorful it was. Istanbul is one place where you can find a bit of
everything in different aspects. It is culturally vibrant/lively.
Francesca, Italy, 2012-2013 Fall semester
Even though I can say that Italians and Turkish have some common aspects, I was really surprised about
Turkey; a meeting point of different cultures that are now trying to be one, full of contradictions and
really fascinating. There are so many 'secrets' hidden and so many different points of view about several
topics that are possible to discover just taking time and talking to local people.
Astrid, Sweden, 2012-13 Fall semester
One thing that I found very hard to get used to was the way I didn´t take out my own rubbish, because
that was someone else’s job. I think it is quite a Swedish thing being uncomfortable letting someone else
serve you with these daily life things.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
BJØRN, Denmark, 2012 Spring semester
I found it very interesting how the Turkish students’ lives still revolve so much around their families. They
are especially very close to their mothers which is not usually the case in Denmark.
Lucy, England, 2012 Spring semester
In Turkey, they always drink tea ('çai') in glasses, never mugs! So much prettier... but harder to hold!
Fornalè Claudia, Italy, 2012-13 Fall semester
It is very easy to adapt to living in Istanbul, It's a safe city and well hospitable.
Vanessa Müller, Germany, 2012 Spring semester
Turkish people are the most guest friendly people I've met so far, they help you in any case and often
they bring you till the front door of the address you searched.
XI.
USEFUL WORDS
The Pronunciation
The Turkish Alphabet
C – c : dje (as in German or judge)
Ç – ç : tsche (as in Czech or chopstick)
Ğ – ğ : silent g (do not pronounce)
I – ı : “UH” (as in duh!)
Ġ – i : like in Instagram or Iraque
J – j : like the C but without the soft “d”
in de beginning
Ö – ö : similar to the “u” in burger
S – s : always a hard sound (as in sound
or summer)
ġ –Ģ : “sh” (as in short or sharp)
Ü – ü : a sound in between “u” an “i”
Z – z : always soft (as in razor or reason)
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
Words and Phrases
Yes: Evet
Good night: İyi geceler
No: Hayır
How are you?: nasılsın?
OK: Tamam
I am good: İyiyim
Please: Lütfen
Good: iyi
Thank you: Teşekkür ederim / Teşekkürler
Bad: Kötü
You are welcome: Rica ederim
Bus: Otobüs
Hello: Merhaba!
Water: Su
Goodbye: Hoşçakal
Bread: Ekmek
Good morning: Günaydın
Food: Yiyecek
Good evening: İyi akşamlar
What time is it?: Saat kaç?
Numbers
One: bir
Six: altı
Two: iki
Seven: yedi
Three: üç
Eight: sekiz
Four: dört
Nine: dokuz
Five: beş
Ten: on
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
XII.
ISLAM
Over 90 % of all Turkish people are Muslim. Fortunately this does not mean discrimination for other
religious views or ethnicities. Especially in Istanbul there are people of all ethnicities and cultures, which
means that life in Istanbul is very colorful and you can meet people from all around the world.
XIII.
POINTS OF INTEREST IN ISTANBUL
Some special Places around Istanbul that you should not miss out on
Sultanahmet – Old City: Constantinople of the Roman, Byzantine and much of the Ottoman period. This
is where most of the famous historical sights of Istanbul are located. You can get here by the Tram-line
“T1”.
Galata: is the location of many nightlife venues of Istanbul. This district includes Beyoğlu, Istiklal Street,
and Taksim Square.
New City: Main business district of the city. It contains many modern shopping malls and districts such as
Elmadağ, Nişantaşı, and Etiler.
Bosphorus: The European bank of the Bosphorus River offers beautiful views and contains numerous
palaces, parks and bohemian neighborhoods.
Golden Horn: Especially recommendable would be the district called Eyüp. It has an Ottoman
atmosphere and offers a lot of nature. Santral Campus is also located in this neighborhood.
Prince’s Islands: These Islands, located on the opening of the Bosphorus River towards the Marmara Sea
are a great opportunity to escape the city. The Prince’s Islands are an archipelago of nine islands which
are all car-free. You can go on a carriage-tour on these islands.
The Asian side: The eastern side of Istanbul lies on the Asian continent. When crossing the Bosphorus
and reaching the eastern riverbank, you will immediately feel a difference in atmosphere. There are
many teahouses and small street-bazaars in the neighborhoods close to the waterfront. Recommendable
neighborhoods would be Bağdat Caddesi, Kalamış, Moda, Kadiköy and Üsküdar.
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Handbook for Incoming
Exchange Students
Highlights
a. Taksim
The biggest meeting place in Istanbul. You can find anything you could possibly need on Istiklal Street.
Closed off from most traffic you can find many restaurants, stores, bars, specialty shops and a lot more.
b. Blue Mosque Sultanahmet Camii
The Blue Mosque is one of the main tourist
attractions in Istanbul. It was built in the early 17th
century, and is known for its stunning blue tiles
covering the entire interior of the main building. The
very spacious prayer room will surely impress you.
For girls: remember to bring something to veil your
hair to make sure you do not offend anyone when
entering this religious site.
Opening Hours: daily from 09.00 till dusk
Closed: 30 min before until 30 min after prayer time,
2 hours during Friday noon prayer
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Exchange Students
c. Ayasofya
The Hagia Sophia is situated just across the street from the Blue Mosque. It is a
former orthodox patriarchal basilica, later it turned into a mosque and was
transformed into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1943.
Nowadays it is strictly prohibited to use this building for any kind of religious
worshiping (Christian or Muslim)
Opening Hours: daily from 09.00 – 17.00
Closed: Monday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
d. Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest
and oldest covered markets in the world. It
contains 61 covered streets and over 3000 shops.
You can find many traditional artworks as well as
cloths and accessories and many other things in
here. Unfortunately some things are very
expensive but it is still worth going and
appreciating the great atmosphere in this
location.
Tipp: Try not to get lost ;) it is really huge. Watch
your belongings because sometimes there are
pickpockets in the crowded hallways.
Opening Hours: daily from 08.30 – 19.00
Closed: Sunday, October 29th and the full duration of religious holidays
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e. Topkapı Palace
The Topkapı Palace is definitely worth a visit if
you are interested in the Ottoman Empire or in
any case of you want to see how the Sultans in
the Ottoman Empire used to live.
This palace was the primary residence for
Ottoman sultans for over 400 years and contains
important Muslim relics including the Sword and
the Coat of Muhammed.
Opening Hours: daily from 09.00 – 17.00
Closed: Tuesday, and until 12.00 on the first day
of religious holidays
Harem
The Harem is a separate section of the Palace
that will charge a separate fee for entrance. It
was home to the Sultans mother as well as to the
multiples wives the Sultans used to have, children
and their servants.
It consists of around 100 rooms from which only a few are open to visitors.
Opening Hours: daily from 09.30 – 17.00, lunch break from 12.00 – 12.30
Closed: Tuesday, and until 12.00 on the first day of religious holidays
f.
Bosphorus tour
Short Circle Bosphorus Cruise (Kısa Boğaz Turu)
No Istanbul experience is complete without a cruise up the Bosphorus. The cruise takes you from
Eminönü to İstinye (well past the second bridge that is), and back. The ferry leaves the Eminönü-docks at
14:30, arrives at Ortaköy around 14:50 to pick up more people, and then continues its two hour non-stop
tour. The price per person is 10 TL.
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The cruise-times are the following:
Between 17 September - 2 December 2012: EVERYDAY
Between 3 December 2012 - March 31 2013: SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND HOLIDAYS
Between 31 March 2013 - 2 June 2013: EVERYDAY.
g. Egyptian Bazaar (or Spice Bazaar)
The Spice Bazaar is one of the biggest covered markets in Istanbul. It is the second largest Bazaar after
the Grand Bazaar. Most stores around here are selling oriental spices and herbs as well as different sorts
of tea and delicacies from Arab countries. The prices are rather high but the bazaar is worth a visit and
maybe you can find something you would never find in any western or central European country.
Other than that you can also find some cloths and Pashminas but it is not the primary place we would
advise you to look for things like that.
Opening Hours: daily from 08.00 – 19.00
Closed: Sundays, October 29th and the full duration of religious holidays.
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h. Galata Tower
The Galata Tower is a medieval stone-tower in the Karaköy
district. It is one of the city’s most striking landmarks and from
the top of this tower you have a great view on almost the entire
old city of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. The highest point of this
tower is 35 meters above sea level and the upper level contains a
café as well as a restaurant. Also there is a night club located on
the upper floor that hosts a Turkish show worth attending.
Opening Hours: daily from 09.00 – 20.00
Closed: no closing days
i.
Maiden’s Tower
The Maiden’s Tower, located on a tiny
island near Üsküdar on the Asian side
of Istanbul and has a history spanning
over 2,500 years. Also known as
Leanders Tower (Kiz kulesi in Turkish),
this beautiful landmark is well worth a
visit. Although this little island was
occupied by a fortress in Byzantine
times, the tower dates from the last
century. In Turkish it's known as Kız
Kulesi, or Maiden's Tower –
supposedly after a princess who was
confined here after a prophet
predicted she would die from snakebite. To get here, walk along the promenade to Salacak (about 15minutes from central Üsküdar), where boats leave every 15 minutes from Salacak - Maiden's Tower:
Continuous transfers between 9am - 6.45pm daily.
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For more information please check out these websites. All of them contain city guides on Istanbul and
its sightseeing opportunities.
www.Istanbul.com
www.Istanbulcityguide.com
www.Istanbultravelguide.net
www.ibb.gov.tr
For a Turkey-Guide you can check these two websites:
www.mfa.gov.tr
www.kultur.gov.tr
XIV.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Here are some tips about general things you should think about.
 If you are alone do not sit in the front seat of a Taxi.
 In some parts of the city you should not wear clothes that reveal
too much of your skin. In general it is not a huge problem but
there are some neighborhoods that are more conservative.
 Avoid eating in public during Ramadan. You can always go to a
restaurant or cook at home.
 Tarlabaşı is a rather dangerous neighborhood you should avoid going there.
 Try to avoid traveling around Istanbul during rush-hour, the streets are always stuck. Taking the metro
is always possible. The bridges between the European and the Asian side are always packed.
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 The ferries between Asia and Europe are operating as a proper means of transportation. Just like a
bus.
 A lot of Turkish people do not speak any English. You should try to learn at least some basic words of
Turkish.
 Always watch your belongings because there might be pickpockets in some public places. They
especially aim for foreigners.
 On street markets the prices are never fixed. You should always try to bargain because the sheer fact
that you are a foreigner can increase the price to the double.
 The electricity coming from Turkish plugs is 220 Volts. Check the voltage in your home country and in
case it is different you should buy a converter so that your electrical devices do not get harmed.
 Do not buy electronics in Turkey because there are very high taxes on them. (As an example the
Iphone 5 was 2100 Lira when it came out)
 Unless you go to a very fancy place, you should never pay more than 10 Lira for a big beer.
 Football is like a religion in Turkey. Be careful when the fans are out in the streets.
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XV.
THE ERASMUS OFFICE
The Erasmus Office is responsible for the management of BİLGİ's
Erasmus and bilateral students and faculty exchange programs.
The Address:
Santralistanbul Campus, ÇSM, Z-109
The Staff:
Beyhan Demir Langlois (head of the Office)
Erasmus Institutional Coordinator
Santralistanbul Campus, ÇSM, Z-109 /[email protected] /+90 212 311 5219
INCOMING Exchange
Berat Sayginer
International Students Specialist
Santralistanbul Campus, ÇSM, Z-109
berat.saygı[email protected] / + 90 212 311 5218
Beyhan Langlois, Berat Saygıner, Aybala Işık
OUTGOING Exchange
Aybala Işık
Exchange Students Coordinator
Santralistanbul Campus, ÇSM, Z-109 / [email protected]/ + 90 212 311 5117
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Erhan Arslan
Assistant Erasmus Exchange Programs Specialist
Santralistanbul Campus, ÇSM, Z-109 / [email protected]
+ 90 212 311 6514
For general information please do not hesitate to write an E-mail to:
[email protected]
Opening Hours
You can come in with questions and concerns
Mondays – Fridays 10.00 to 17:00
Please note that during lunch time some staff members might not be in office.
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XVI.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
Ambulance: 112 (all over Turkey)
Police: 155 (all over Turkey)
Tourism Police: (0212) 5274503 (Istanbul only)
Gendarmerie: 156 (all over Turkey for rural areas)
Coast Guard: 158 (all over Turkey)
Fire: 110 (all over Turkey)
Forest Fire: 177 (all over Turkey)
Yellow Pages: 11818 or 11811 or 11880 (all over Turkey)
Tourism Info: 170 (all over Turkey)
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