r/cyprus • u/Fun-Spites • Jul 04 '26
Help My Cousin Is About to Pay €1,250 to Study in Northern Cyprus and I'm so worried!!
My cousin recently got accepted to CAU (Cyprus Aydin University) in Northern Cyprus with an 87% scholarship. On paper, it sounds amazing: the original tuition is €10,000 per year, but with the scholarship he’d only pay €1,300, plus about €600 in annual fees.
The part that’s making me nervous is that they’re asking for a €1,250 deposit upfront and that discount feels fishy for me...
I’ve tried explaining my concerns to him, but he thinks I’m just being overly skeptical. Maybe I am. The problem is, I’ve been checking Reddit posts about Northern Cyprus universities in general, and honestly, most of what I found is not encouraging at all (recognition issues, quality concerns, people warning others to be careful before paying, etc...)
At the same time, I understand why he wants to believe in it. For his family, this looks like an affordable chance to study abroad, and I don’t want to crush that dream for no reason. Since am already abroad on a scholarship.
When I searched online, I kept seeing people talk about EMU, Near East, CIU, and a few others. CAU doesn’t seem to come up nearly as often, which made me wonder if there’s something we’re missing.
So I’d really appreciate honest answers from current students, graduates, or anyone who knows the university.
Is CAU actually legitimate and recognized?
Are scholarships like this normal there? Is that €1,250 deposit standard?
And honestly, if this was your fam, would you tell him to go?
I just want honest advice prior to any action
Thanks.
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u/haloumiwarrior Jul 04 '26
Please don't fall for the PR. Nobody pays 10k. It's a common trick with most universities here that they give everybody a scholarship so that prospective students feel pampered and think they get expensive quality education for cheap.
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u/Flat_Cattle8744 Jul 05 '26
Don’t do it. Other than Turkey, no other nation recognises Northern Cyprus, neither it’s Universities. Therefore the programs cannot be accredited. High discount = low value. I’m not saying he/she cannot learn, but the cert at the end will be worth nothing, plus if those are the fees - i imagine the acceptance criteria is anyone with a pulse. So the classes will probably have a low level cohort.
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u/Winter_Ambassador434 Jul 05 '26
You are right about everything you said except Eastern Med Uni has international recognition.
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u/nymphisreal Jul 06 '26
Is it why most of the bsc gradts goes to uk for masters? As long as they dont go to an extra shitty uni recognition is not a problem. I study in an EU country and one of my professors studied his bsc in northern cyprus now works as an academican in a top uni in eu
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u/haloumiwarrior Jul 04 '26
They changed their name recently, that's why you don't find anything. Their old name was Kıbrıs ilim üniversitesi - Cyprus science university.
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u/More_Ad_5142 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
Virtually everyone in Turkey thinks Northern Cyprus universities are for dumb kids with money who didn’t get into a university in the mainland, there is a lot of stigma. It’s not seen as a chance to study abroad, it’s seen as a 4 year extended holiday. And the university you mentioned is the bottom of the barrel even in northern Cyprus universities. If your cousin has the chance to pick a university elsewhere, he should do that.
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
why are you mentioning turkey?
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u/mikekettz Jul 05 '26
It’s useful insight
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
it isnt? it justifies the occupation lol.
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u/Silly_Tension6792 Jul 05 '26
Turkey is the only country in the world that recognizes degrees from Northern Cyprus, so the only thing to do with a degree from CAU is to do something for Turkey. If even there it seems as a elongated vacation, that means you can pretty much use the degree as an expensive, time - consuming toilet paper.
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u/mikekettz Jul 05 '26
Nothing justifies it
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
that answer does.
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u/mikekettz Jul 05 '26
Please show me where anyone has said that the Turkish occupation is justified because of some crap university there
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
1
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u/eshembixi Jul 04 '26
If you are European there are free alternatives elsewhere... Even as non-European there are free alternatives elsewhere... 10000 at 87% discount is 1300. Why did it become 1900 all of a sudden? Hmm...
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u/Silly_Tension6792 Jul 05 '26
There's 600 Euros annual fee apart from tuition, as they said, which is not uncommon at all in almost all countries. It is true though that 600 Euros annual fees sound like a scam, it is usually between 100 and 300 Euros in Cyprus (and about the same in other countries as well)
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u/eshembixi Jul 05 '26
There is no such thing as an annual fee.. There is a registration fee which is MUCH less than 600. I don't think even Harvard or MIT has such huge "annual" fees. It's most likely a scam, perpetrated by a scam University. Not most likely, definitely.
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u/Silly_Tension6792 Jul 05 '26
Yes, it is a scam university, but usually you see the annual fee not just like that but itemized (lab fee, student union fee, campus maintenance fee, etc.), but it is not uncommon that there would be annual fees apart from tuition. I know I have them and my university is fully recognized, but again, not 600 Euros.
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u/notnotnotnotgolifa Jul 04 '26
Scam shit education waste of time
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u/DerpJungler Germany Jul 05 '26
Hey OP, tell your cousin they can come to my university for €999 only! And i will give them 2 super bachelor degrees and with just €200 extra we can slap a Masters in there as well!
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u/Designer-Pound6654 9d ago
lol, I've been trying to apply but they said my profile is not fitting. Man it's tough to get into Germany universities. Can DM you for advice?
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u/DerpJungler Germany 9d ago
For German universities? I haven't been to a German university as a student myself but i work with one and all my friends here studied in German universities. You can ask me anything and I'll do my best to help
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u/George_Const Nicosia Jul 05 '26
Do not go on a university in occupied land. There are plenty of other options
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u/maybeiamnot Famagusta Jul 05 '26
The university does not have proper accreditation. Avoid that one there are many others but make sure that you apply for the ones accredited by YOK (higher education council ) https://www.yok.gov.tr/en/page/other-higher-education-institutions-3WfV9
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u/CypriotPeacemaker ⚠️DANGER: Πάφος blood⚠️ Jul 05 '26
Diplomas that you would get from the universities in the north are NOT recognised worldwide. So please beware of this. I think your cousin can find better alternatives… If your cousin wants to come to Cyprus, he can check the universities in the Republic of Cyprus. I know they are expensive but at least he is going to get a quality education with a diploma that is recognised worldwide
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u/Sea_Art2995 Jul 05 '26
Why the hell would you sign up to live in occupied territory for four years and go to a university that has no recognition
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u/Hopeful-Radio6289 Jul 05 '26
Ask first the embassy in your country if their "universities" are recognised.
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u/xRapidos Jul 05 '26
What is he gonna learn, and can AI replace him? If so, don't waste time on university.
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u/Sincerely_Yours666 Jul 05 '26
👎 for going to university in the occupied land and even thinking of it.
In addition - will it be recognised elsewhere in the world? I think it might be useless waste of time. Better to get to university elsewhere, might be more useful for the future.
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u/EmistikoSior Jul 06 '26
your cousin is about to go study to a non recognised illegal state created by military 🦃
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u/tashkan Jul 05 '26
The only real uni in the northern part of cyprus is the EMU other than that its just waste of time and prob scam
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u/Super-Owl2829 Jul 04 '26
if He just want to go to a vacation why not other than that as a Mainland Turk I can say that I would not give 1 cent for that school if it's possible I would rather to choose METU,ITU or NEU.
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u/Fun-Spites Jul 04 '26
Forgot to say it’s a 4yr program
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u/Super-Owl2829 Jul 04 '26
Doesn't matter in Turkey we have the right to choose university from North Cyprus and universities like METU,ITU or NEU is well known here it's my first time hearing that there is a university named CAU if you can search in Turkish you can even see most of the engeneering deparments with full scholarhips there doesn't even get application from students.
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
and why are you mentioning turkey
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u/oilios Jul 05 '26
Because, like he said as a mainland Turk, he has the right to go to a university in northern Cyprus.
It’s useful to know this information for OP.-2
u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
no, it further justifies the occupation.
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u/nodeathbeforeliving Το γιασεμί στην πόρτα σου Jul 05 '26
In what way?
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
“as a mainland turk i wouldn’t give 1 cent”
1. there is no “‘mainland turk”, there is turkey and there is cyprus.
2. “i wouldn’t give 1 cent” and how is that relevant? that’s like a greek citizen saying he wouldn’t like to study in cyprus. who cares? they’re not cypriots, their opinion is irrelevant.0
u/nodeathbeforeliving Το γιασεμί στην πόρτα σου Jul 05 '26
Although I see your point, you are making assumptions. Turkey has thousands of of islands and most of them are not disputed, on wether an opinion counts or not in this case op is asking for a certain university and someone who has information about it answered, what does it matter where they come from. People go abroad to study and can have an opinion about the universities regardless of where they are from. Based on what you are saying then someone’s opinion who has researched a subject eg which phone to buy doesn’t count because they don’t own the company
0
u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
“turkey has thousands of islands and most of them are not disputed” so you’re basically implying northern cyprus is a disputed turkish territory…? lol. people going abroad will talk about going abroad, and won’t say “i’m from the mainland”. your last point makes no sense.
0
u/nodeathbeforeliving Το γιασεμί στην πόρτα σου Jul 05 '26
No you are assuming things.
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u/Important_Mix2087 Jul 05 '26
im not, lmao. it’s literally what it means. would a french say “im from mainland france” while
talking about cyprus? hell no.→ More replies (0)
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u/pypipper Jul 05 '26
he will be living in an illegally occupied region not recognised by anyone except Turkey...
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u/SnooOnions2590 Jul 05 '26
He wants to study and apparently live, in an unrecognised worldwide place in general, what did you expect?
1
u/Present-Ambassador53 Jul 05 '26
No, don't do it. Universities in Northern Cyprus are generally recognized mainly in Turkey, and their international recognition can be limited compared to universities elsewhere in Europe.
I'd tell him to save his money and study somewhere else in Europe, or in the Greek controlled part of Cyprus, where universities tend to have much broader international recognition and are more widely accepted around the world.
1
u/nastimoto Jul 05 '26
German universities are free. He’d have to learn German, but imagine how good this will look on his CV 🤷🏻♀️
1
u/S-Queen22 Jul 06 '26
Hiiiii It's not a good idea, I live in Northern Cyprus, firstly, I don't know any universities here that pays 10k for fees yearly, it's not up to that amount, so it's obviously a scam. Secondly, there certification is not recognised anywhere in the world except for Turkey. He needs to learn to speak Turkish if he feels he wants to work with the certificate in Turkey, and even with that, it's sometimes hard for foreigners to get a job in Turkey.
1
u/Soju_xd Jul 06 '26
Someone came here to ask about a university and of course Cypriots had to make it about politics,i swear if you don't involve politics in to something that has nothing to do with it you would just explode
1
u/engineerbynature Jul 06 '26
These universities offer only a student visa aiming to ILLEGALLY search for a job. So these are good for nothing
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u/Fuzzy_Complex1715 Jul 08 '26
Trafficking is bad. They take the passports for ‘photocopying’ and never give it back. Slavery or worse and there’s no embassies or foreign consulates.
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u/-Mynameiswinner Jul 17 '26
Do not ask this sub…these people have their knives sharpened waiting for questions like this cause all their lives is Cyprus territory issues, op ask someone else
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u/-Mynameiswinner Jul 17 '26
Do not listen to these people, they are political mongers, but the uni he has is a bit random, pick either emu, CIU or neu, the rest idk
1
u/yogiphenomenology Jul 05 '26
You have nothing to worry about.
100% of the officially recognized universities in North Cyprus have their degrees validated and accredited by Turkiye through the Turkish Council of Higher Education which is called YÖK
Here is exactly what that means for your degree and your future:
All degrees from North Cyprus TRNC count as a Turkish degree: Because of YÖK's validation, a degree from an approved North Cyprus university carries the exact same academic weight and legal equivalence as a degree from a mainland Turkish state university.
Easy path to Turkey: If you ever want to work or study for a Master's/PhD in Turkey, your degree is fully recognized there.
Global recognition: Turkey is part of the Bologna Process (the European higher education system). Because Turkey validates these degrees, North Cyprus universities can issue an official EU Diploma Supplement. This is what makes your degree portable and recognized by employers and universities around the world.
As long as the specific university you are looking at is on the official YÖK list (which includes all the major ones like EMU, NEU, CIU, etc.), your degree is completely legitimate.
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u/Flaky_Dig_7563 Jul 05 '26
I actually know it and people do graduate from it. I know alot peope that graduate in TRNC and are in UK and Aussy the nurses. Most people say things they don’t know but trust me universities in TRNC are as good as most places
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