Bilkent Laboratory and International School

BLIS sits on the hills of Bilkent University's East Campus in Ankara, overlooking the city. The campus address is Üniversiteler Mah. Doğu Kampüs, Bilkent, Ankara 06800 Türkiye. BLIS is situated on the East Campus, approximately 14 kilometres from the city centre of Ankara.

PK–K: English immersion education within the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework; Grades 1–4: Bi-lingual education within the IB PYP framework; Grades 5–8: English-medium education within the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) framework; Grade 9–10: English-medium education completing the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE); Grades 11–12: English-medium International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP).

International school

Guidance services support students' academic and psychosocial development.

Turkey

Regular school day runs 8:00am–4:00pm. BLIS provides hot lunch daily; nutritional snacks are available twice daily for the Elementary Division and once daily for the Middle School Division.

Optional bus transportation is provided for BLIS students by a third-party service bus company. Bus service is available for an additional fee and detailed information is shared with all families during the enrollment process.

PK–K: English immersion education with Cambridge curricular objectives and the Turkish Ministry of Education curricula within the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. Grades 1–4: bilingual education with Cambridge objectives and Turkish MOE within the IB PYP framework. Grades 5–8: English‑medium education with Cambridge objectives and Turkish MOE within the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) framework. Grade 9–10: English‑medium education with Cambridge objectives and Turkish MOE to complete the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). Grades 11–12: English‑medium education with the IB Diploma Programme (DP); the DP comprises six subject groups and the DP core (Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, Service, and the Extended Essay). Through the DP core, students reflect on the nature of knowledge and undertake independent research. BLIS requires completion of Turkish MOE and IB DP requirements to earn a High School diploma.

Counseling Services support students' academic success while promoting emotional, social, and personal well-being. The mission emphasizes collaboration and inquiry-based learning within a supportive and inclusive environment. The school aims to develop confident, compassionate, and globally minded individuals. Core values include Excellence, Integrity, Respect, Curiosity, and Collaboration, which underpin social-emotional development and a respectful community. The Bilkent community engages in service projects and humanitarian activities that reflect altruism and community engagement.

BLIS provides a Learning Support Specialist teacher, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and Turkish as an Additional Language (TAL) support across Elementary and Middle School. Middle School students also have access to necessary learning and EAL services. High School cannot provide individual learning support due to the structure of the IGCSE and IB programs.

BLIS provides English as an Additional Language (EAL) support at Elementary and Middle School. Elementary uses English immersion education in Pre-K to K and bilingual education in Grades 1-4 within the IB PYP framework. Middle School provides EAL support and offers second languages (French, German, Spanish) as part of the MYP language acquisition. The English program at Middle School develops reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in alignment with Cambridge and MYP standards.

Counseling Services support students' emotional, social, and personal well-being, and contribute to their academic success. The mission emphasizes a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters collaboration and inquiry-based learning. Core values such as Respect and Collaboration underpin social-emotional development and a positive school climate. BLIS promotes well-being through its counseling services and school culture.

BLIS has a Policy on the Processing, Protection and Destruction of Personal Data in line with Turkey's Law on the Protection of Personal Data (Law No. 6698). The policy covers data processing, privacy, retention, and the rights of individuals to access, rectify, erase, or object to processing.

1. BLIS welcomes applications from all national and international students from Pre-kindergarten to upper secondary. Please submit online application for your child's grade level via the BLIS site. After submission of the online application and payment of the applicable fee, the Admissions Office provides detailed information about the admissions process.

2. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten: A group interview lasting about 60 minutes is conducted to observe the child's independence and development. Parents wait in a room next to the interview and complete a short survey about their child's development.

3. Grade 1: Interviews occur in August; August dates are typically reserved for overseas applicants.

4. Grades 2-3-4: After the online application is received and fees paid, applicants are invited to admissions exams. Entrance exams are scheduled to occur in May and August; May is for both international and national applicants, whereas August is typically reserved for those who arrived in Ankara after April from outside of Turkey.

5. Grades 5-8: After the online application is completed, applicants are tested on two formal entrance examination dates in May and August. May is open to all; August is typically reserved for overseas applicants. In addition to exams, applicants must submit academic records for the last two years and BLIS may consult previous school staff to form a clear picture of the applicant.

6. High School (Grades 9-11): After the online inquiry form is completed, students are tested on one formal entrance examination date in May. Test results are communicated by email or phone, and final registration procedures must be completed by a published date.

7. Decision making: Applications are reviewed by the Admission Committee and recommendations are made.

8. 2026-2027 Deadlines: For reference, Grade 1 and Grade 2-3-4 have February 16, 2026 deadlines; Grades 5-8 have April 3, 2026; Grade 9 has April 30, 2026; Grades 10-11 have April 3, 2026.