Turkish Language STS Test in Northern Cyprus

If a child needs to have their level of Turkish determined before starting or continuing their education in Northern Cyprus, a special STS test — Seviye Tespit Sınavı — is conducted for this purpose.

The exam is organized by AÖA TÖKMER at Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi in Lefkoşa. Tests are held throughout the year. Participants are assigned according to their age and level of education, so the tasks for a young child and a high-school student differ.

• Where to take the Turkish language test
• Who takes the STS
• How the test is conducted
• What groups are available
• Levels and passing scores
• How much the STS costs
• How to register for the test
• When the exam is held
• How to find out the results
• Where to obtain the document
• AÖA TÖKMER contacts

Where to take the Turkish language test

The test is called STS — Seviye Tespit Sınavı, which can be translated as “level assessment exam”.

It is conducted by Yabancılara Türkçe Öğretimi Koordinasyon Merkezi — TÖKMER at Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi.

The academy is located in Lefkoşa, in the Küçükkaymaklı area.

Location

This is where the exams are held and where documents with the results are subsequently issued.

Who takes the STS

The STS is taken by foreigners who need to determine their level of Turkish proficiency. Participants include both children and adults.

For parents of schoolchildren, it is important to know that not all children are tested in the same way. During registration, the child’s age and level of education are taken into account, after which the child is assigned to the appropriate group.

Official TÖKMER documents also use the division into Küçükler — younger participants and Büyükler — older participants.

How the test is conducted

The STS format depends on the participant’s age and group.

Schoolchildren are tested on the main Turkish language skills:

• Okuma-Anlama — reading and comprehension;
• Yazma — writing;
• Dinleme — listening comprehension;
• Konuşma — speaking.

Current STS lists use a system in which each of the four components accounts for 25% of the final score.

At the same time, the exam does not necessarily take place in one day. In TÖKMER schedules, the written part and listening may be scheduled for one day, while the speaking part may take place on the following day.

Therefore, after registering, it is essential to check the participant’s individual schedule.

How young children are tested

A different format is provided for the youngest participants.

Official TÖKMER documents use Konuşma-Anlama Sınavı for this category — an assessment of speaking and understanding of Turkish.

In the published results for this category, Konuşma-Anlama accounts for 100% of the final score.

In other words, a child who is still too young for a full written test is not required to complete the same tasks as older schoolchildren.

What groups are available

When preparing the schedule, TÖKMER assigns participants to groups. Official lists include:

• Grup 1 — başlangıç — the initial group for the youngest participants;
• Grup 2 — İlkokul 1. kademe — the first level of primary school;
• Grup 3 — İlkokul — primary school;
• Grup 4 — Ortaokul — middle school;
• Grup 5 — Lise — high school.

At the same time, it would be incorrect to link each group exclusively to a particular age. The child’s date of birth and grade are listed separately, meaning that their level of education is taken into account when assigning them to a group.

Levels and passing scores

Based on STS results, TÖKMER documents use the levels A1.1, A1, A2 and B1.

Level	Passing result
A1.1	60 points or higher
A1	50 points or higher
A2	60 points or higher
B1	80 points or higher

For level A1.1, the official results specifically state: «A1.1 seviyesi için geçme notu 60 ve üzeridir» — the passing result is 60 points or higher.

However, this table should not be viewed as a universal scale from 0 to 100, according to which each participant is automatically assigned a level. The result is assessed with regard to the group and level for which the test is being conducted.

The final lists may contain the following designations:

• TOPLAM — total result;
• KUR — level;
• SONUÇ — final result;
• GEÇTİ — passed;
• KALDI — failed;
• SINAVA GELMEDİ — did not attend the exam.

How much the STS test costs

According to the latest published official tariff of Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi, the Seviye Tespit Sınavı costs 3,500 TL.

In the price list, the exam is listed under code 020 — Seviye Tespit Sınavı.

The tariff was approved in June 2025. AÖA has not published a newer official price list with the STS cost as of August 2026.

Therefore, 3,500 TL is the latest officially published cost. Before paying, it is best to confirm the current amount directly with the academy.

How to register for the test

First, you need to register for an upcoming STS session. After registration closes, TÖKMER forms the groups and publishes the schedule.

Official participant lists show that registration requires at least the following information:

• first and last name;
• date of birth;
• telephone number;
• grade or level of education.

The participant is then assigned to a group and given an exam date and time.

At present, however, the official website does not contain a separate detailed STS guide with an up-to-date list of required documents, payment method or application form template.

Therefore, before visiting AÖA, it is recommended to confirm:

• whether registration for the nearest STS is open;
• which documents need to be provided;
• whether the child must be present during registration;
• how payment is made;
• the deadline for submitting applications.

The academy’s website has a general Sınav Başvurusu system for submitting exam applications; however, at the time of checking, it did not contain a separate open registration form specifically for the STS.

When the STS is held

The test does not have a fixed date.

TÖKMER conducts the STS several times throughout the year. In 2026, announcements about sessions in January, February, March, May, June, July and August were published on the official website.

At the time this article was updated, the latest published session had taken place in August 2026.

The next date should be checked in the announcements of TÖKMER.

How to find out the exact exam time

After registration, TÖKMER publishes a participant list with an individual schedule.

It usually includes:

• first and last name;
• date of birth;
• grade;
• group;
• date and time of the written part;
• listening time;
• date and time of the speaking part.

Therefore, it is not enough simply to know the day on which the STS is held — you need to find the participant in the published list and check the time assigned specifically to them.

How to find out the STS results

After the papers have been assessed, the results are published on the official AÖA TÖKMER website.

Separate lists are used for some sessions:

• Küçükler Sonuç — results of younger participants;
• Büyükler Sonuç — results of older participants.

The list may show scores for individual parts of the test, the total result and the level determined.

AÖA does not specify a fixed deadline for publishing the results. For example, the results of the August 2026 STS were published on August 8.

Where to obtain the document after the test

After publishing the results, TÖKMER separately announces when the documents can be collected.

For example, after the August 2026 session, the results appeared on August 8, while document collection began on August 12.

They can be collected from Öğrenci İşleri — the student affairs department of Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi.

Therefore, once the results appear, you should check not only your results list but also the text of the TÖKMER announcement: it may specify the date when document collection begins.

Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi contacts

Address: İsmail Beyoğlu Caddesi, Küçükkaymaklı, Lefkoşa, KKTC.

Telephone: +90 392 228 56 36

E-mail: info@aoa.edu.tr

Opening hours:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday — 08:00–15:30;
• Thursday — 08:00–17:00.

Before visiting to register for the STS, it is best to contact the academy and confirm the conditions for the upcoming exam session.

Frequently asked questions about the STS test

What is the STS?

STS — Seviye Tespit Sınavı is a test to determine Turkish language proficiency. In Northern Cyprus, it is conducted by AÖA TÖKMER at Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi.

How much does the STS cost?

The latest officially published exam fee is 3,500 TL. Before paying, it is worth confirming the current amount with AÖA.

Where is the test held?

At Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi in Lefkoşa.

Do young children have to take the written test?

For the youngest participants, a Konuşma-Anlama assessment of speaking and understanding is provided. The format differs from testing older schoolchildren.

Which levels are determined in the STS?

The official results use the levels A1.1, A1, A2 and B1.

Can the entire exam be completed in one day?

Not always. The speaking part may take place on a different day from the written part and listening.

Where can I see the STS date and time?

TÖKMER publishes the schedule for the upcoming session on its official website. After registration, you need to find the participant in the list and check the dates and times assigned to them.

Where can I see the results?

The results are published in the announcements section of AÖA TÖKMER.

Where can the document be collected?

After publishing the results, TÖKMER announces the collection date. Documents are collected from Öğrenci İşleri at Atatürk Öğretmen Akademisi.

What documents are required for registration?

The full up-to-date list of documents required for the STS is not currently published on the official website. It is best to confirm it directly with AÖA TÖKMER before registering.