ALES Exam Countdown

The Akademik Personel ve Lisansüstü Eğitimi Giriş Sınavı (ALES) is Turkey’s entrance examination for graduate programmes and academic staff positions. Administered by ÖSYM, ALES is required for admission to master’s and doctoral programmes at Turkish universities, as well as for appointment to academic positions such as research assistant (araştırma görevlisi). The exam is held twice per year, in spring (May–June) and autumn (November–December), and consists of two sections: quantitative reasoning (sayısal) and verbal reasoning (sözel). Candidates receive scores in three categories—ALES-SAY (quantitative), ALES-SÖZ (verbal), and ALES-EA (equally weighted)—depending on which score their target programme requires. ALES scores are valid for five years. The exam contains 100 questions to be completed in 150 minutes, demanding both speed and accuracy.

ALES 2026 is expected to have two sessions: a spring session in May or June 2026 and an autumn session in November or December 2026. ÖSYM publishes the official exam calendar including ALES dates during the first quarter of each year. Registration typically opens four to six weeks before each session through the ÖSYM online portal. Our countdown tracks the time remaining until the next ALES session. Since graduate programme application deadlines often depend on ALES scores, planning ahead is critical—bookmark this page and share it with colleagues who are also preparing for academic career milestones.

ALES preparation should focus on the reasoning section most relevant to your target programme. For quantitative (sayısal) preparation, practise problem-solving, data interpretation, and numerical logic—similar in style to GRE quantitative reasoning. For verbal (sözel) preparation, work on reading comprehension, logical inference, and language analysis. Since the exam allows 150 minutes for 100 questions, time management is critical—aim for an average of 90 seconds per question. Take regular full-length practice exams under real conditions to build speed and identify weak areas. Review your mistakes systematically to avoid repeating them. Use a Pomodoro timer for structured study sessions and maintain a consistent preparation routine over several months rather than cramming in the final weeks.