Kadir Has University
Istanbul · Türkiye
Kadir Has University is a foundation university established in 1997 under the Kadir Has Foundation (HASVAK), set up by businessman and philanthropist Kadir Has and his wife Rezan Has. It teaches at the historic Cibali Campus on the Golden Horn in Istanbul's Fatih district and describes itself as an interdisciplinary teaching and research community. Instruction is predominantly in English, while the Faculty of Law teaches in Turkish. The university is deliberately small and boutique in scale: URAP's 2025-26 assessment places it among institutions with fewer than 6,000 students. Five faculties offer a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes.
ApplyAt a glance
- Type
- Foundation university
- City
- Istanbul
- District
- Fatih
- Program
- 21 programs
- Faculty
- 5 faculties
Gallery
About the university
Overview
The university is led by Rector Prof. Dr. Ayşe Başar, who took office on 13 August 2026. Its founding foundation is the Kadir Has Foundation (HASVAK). Quality assurance follows YÖKAK standards through a plan-do-check-act cycle, and the academic structure spans five faculties plus a school of foreign languages.
Campus and facilities
The campus was created by restoring the Cibali Tobacco Factory, once a state tobacco depot and cigarette plant; the project won the Europa Nostra Award. Its 50,000 m² of indoor space houses classrooms, the library and more than 40 laboratories, plus theatre and cinema halls and sports facilities.
Rankings
The THE World University Rankings 2026 place it in the 601-800 band: 715th overall, 7th in Turkey and 500th worldwide on the research indicator. The THE Impact Rankings 2025 puts it in the 201-300 band among 2,318 institutions, 28th globally and 1st in Turkey for SDG 16.
Latest developments
In September 2026 the student amnesty process opened and a TÜBİTAK 1001 project sought doctoral and master's scholarship holders. KHAS Orientation Days were held, students won a double success at the Sadri Alışık Awards, and alumnus Enver Erman took silver at the Mediterranean Games.
Programs
21 programs
| Program | Faculty | Level | Language | Duration | Type | Tuition | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Communication Design | Faculty of Art and Design | Bachelor's degree | English | 4 years | Full time | $6,000/ per year | Apply |
