How to get your Turkish medical degree recognised in Europe

Turkey is not an EU member state which means Turkish medical degrees are not automatically recognised in European countries. Recognition must be applied for individually. The process is thorough but entirely achievable — thousands of Turkish physicians are currently practicing across Europe. Here is exactly how it works.

European recognition authorities assess whether your Turkish medical education is substantially equivalent to their national standard. Turkish medical schools — particularly Istanbul, Hacettepe, Ankara, Ege, and Cerrahpaşa — are generally well regarded by European assessors and most graduates receive full recognition without additional requirements. Graduates of newer or less established medical schools may face additional assessment steps.

Germany — Recognition is handled by the Approbationsbehörde of whichever Bundesland you apply to. Required documents: certified translations of your medical diploma and full transcripts, certificate of good standing from the Turkish Medical Association, proof of current Turkish medical licence, police clearance certificate, health certificate, and proof of language proficiency at B2 minimum. Processing time: three to eight months depending on the state.

Netherlands — Recognition is handled by BIG-register via CIBG. The Netherlands has a relatively streamlined process for Turkish doctors and processing times are generally three to five months. Language requirement is B2 Dutch for patient-facing roles.

Sweden — Recognition is handled by Socialstyrelsen. Sweden has actively recruited Turkish physicians and the process is well-documented. Language requirement is B2 Swedish. Processing time is typically two to four months, one of the fastest in Europe.

Norway and Denmark — Both countries follow similar processes through their national health authorities, HDIR in Norway and Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed in Denmark.

Across every country the following are universally required: your original medical diploma with certified translation, complete academic transcripts with certified translation, certificate of good standing from the Turkish Medical Association (Türk Tabipleri Birliği), proof of your active Turkish medical licence, valid passport, and police clearance certificate. Some countries additionally require a medical fitness certificate.

If the authority determines a gap between your training and their national standard, they will issue a deficiency notice and require a compensation measure. This is either a knowledge test covering specific subject areas or a supervised adaptation period in a clinical role. Adaptation periods are paid positions — you are working as a doctor under supervision, not studying unpaid.

If you are a specialist in Turkey — cardiologist, surgeon, psychiatrist, gynaecologist — your specialisation must be recognised separately from your base medical degree. The process is similar but requires documentation of your residency training and specialisation certificate. Germany in particular has a well-defined pathway for specialist recognition (Anerkennung der Facharztbezeichnung).

Contact the Turkish Medical Association today and request your certificate of good standing. This single document unlocks the entire process. While you wait for it to arrive, begin language preparation and browse current physician openings on EuroTalent to understand which employers are actively hiring.