Employment Procedures

Your recruitment process officially starts when we receive your e-mail accepting our job offer. Below you will find the necessary steps to be completed before your arrival in Turkey. Please read all the information given below carefully and start taking the necessary actions.

The first step in the recruitment process is for you to send us, as soon as possible, the documents and information given below. You can send these documents/information to us either by e-mail (preprec@bilkent.edu.tr) or by fax (+90-312-266-4320).

• A copy of passport
• Copies of all academic qualifications
• Full names of father and mother
• Turkish Embassy/Consulate where you will apply for your visa

Once we receive the documents and information listed above, we will apply to the Higher Education Council (YÖK) on your behalf to obtain a work permit, which usually takes 6-7 weeks. As soon as the Higher Education Council issues the work permit, we will mail you a package for your visa application. Please note that you will not be able to obtain a work visa without a valid work permit.

Work Visa
The visa application package you will receive from us consists of the following documents, which you will submit to the Turkish Embassy/Consulate in your country:

• Higher Education Council (YÖK) work permit
• Letter to Turkish Embassy
• English Language Preparatory Program Contract (This contract is for your visa application only. You do not need to sign and return it to us. You will sign your official contract upon your arrival.) 

Please note the following important information regarding your work visa:

• You should apply for a work visa, even if you hold a valid tourist visa for Turkey.
• You should apply for a work visa in the country of your permanent residence.
• Bilkent Human Resources Department will apply to the relevant government office to change your work visa into a residence permit within a month following the date of your arrival in Turkey (as an officially-required procedure). If you are planning to arrive in Turkey earlier than the date indicated on your job offer letter, you should keep this one-month time frame in mind as Bilkent is not able to apply for your residence permit prior to the date given. You may wish to contact the Turkish Consulate in advance in order not to invalidate your work visa.
• Your passport should be valid at the time of your application.
• It may take up to a few weeks to obtain a work visa, so please take this timeline into consideration.
• Please inform us ( preprec@bilkent.edu.tr) as soon as you obtain your visa.Below are some useful links for your visa application:
• Contact informations of Turkish Consulates in other countries

English Language Preparatory Program will arrange your flight on your behalf and send your ticket.

• We will send you an e-mail requesting information about your preferred airport of departure and departure date. 
• Please note that you will have to pay a fine, if you make changes to your ticket after it is purchased. Therefore, please refrain from requesting changes unless absolutely essential. 
• As soon as you have received your work permit from the Embassy we will finalise your flight and e-mail you an electronic ticket, which you will need to print for check-in at the airport. You will not be sent a separate paper ticket. 
• A English Language Preparatory Program employee will meet you at Esenboğa Airport in Ankara. Look for a person holding a “Welcome to Bilkent” sign after you leave customs.

For all instructors the salary is quoted in US dollars (USD) and Turkish Liras (TL). The portion quoted in US Dollars will be deposited in a Dollar account in the Yapı Kredi Bank Bilkent Branch. The Turkish Lira salary will be deposited in a TL account at the same branch; it can also be paid in UK Sterling (GBP)*. The TL portion of the salary is subject to regular review by the university. Both foreign currency and TL salaries are paid at the end of each month

* The GBP equivalent of the USD portion will be paid based on the Turkish Central Bank Sterling/Dollar cross rate (Merkez Bankası çapraz kur) and will be adjusted on the 15th of August each year.

Health Insurance

As an employee of Bilkent University, you will be covered by two medical insurance schemes. Please read the information below carefully in order to minimize any possible health-related complications after your arrival.

State Insurance Scheme (SGK)

The University will apply to SGK the day after your arrival and will start paying your monthly premiums on your behalf. You will be covered by this health insurance two months after your arrival, which allows you to utilize any state hospital or clinic in accordance with the scope of policy coverage.

Private Insurance Scheme

Bilkent University currently has an agreement with Marphre Insurance Company. Your Marphre insurance coverage will start on 5 August, i.e. approximately two weeks before the first day of your contract and your arrival in Turkey, and your insurance premiums will be paid by Bilkent University on your behalf.

Please note that, in addition to some pre-existing conditions and ailments that are not covered by the policy, there is a nine-month waiting period for the treatment of certain ailments, as explained below in the medical insurance policy.

Coverage Subject to Waiting Period (quoted from section C of the medical insurance policy): On the condition that the diagnosis is made after the insurance goes into effect meniscus, gall biadder and kidney stones, hernia, hemorrhoids, adenoid, tonsil, varicosele (varicosele related to infertility is excluded), verruca (wart) (other than anogenital warts), varicose, thyroid gland, fistula, lipoma excision, laser lithotripsy, sinus procedures are excluded from coverage for 9 months as of the policy start date. On the condition that these conditions, which are subject to operation waiting periods, are discovered after the policy start date, the related outpatient treatment expenses will be paid within the special and general conditions without a waiting period.

Other than due to an accident, septum deviation is not covered. However if the policy continues for more than 24 months, in the case of diagnoses after the 24th month and only as deemed necessary by an ENT specialist and on the condition of not being cosmetic, if the operation indications are accepted by the Insurance Company it will be paid within the limits and coverage.

On the condition that the first diagnosis is made 9 months after becoming insured, sebaceous cists are paid within the limit and coverage.

Please make sure to read the medical insurance policy very carefully prior to your arrival in order to familiarize yourself with the scope of your insurance coverage.

Please download and complete the following forms, and e-mail/send them to teacher@bilkent.edu.tr before you arrive in Turkey.

• Next of Kin: This form is needed to contact your family/friends in case of an emergency.
• Campus Telephone Request: You should complete this form, if you wish to make long distance and international calls from your campus apartment.

The following documents should be brought and submitted to Teacher Services after your arrival:

• Originals (copies are not accepted) of your academic or professional certificates and diplomas (transcripts are not considered as proof of academic qualification) 
• Medical examination form: Please take this form to a general practitioner and have all the required examinations done. 
• Receipts for reimbursement of medical examination (up to $65), excess luggage (up to $200), and visa expenses. The full visa fee, and residency permit fee if applicable, will be reimbursed. However, the university does not reimburse travel expenses, accommodation expenses incurred. 
• Eight (8) passport-size pictures (appr. 2×2 inches or 35×45 mm).

Although can find pretty much everything you might need in Ankara, here is a list of items that you may wish to include in your packing list, as they are either more expensive in Turkey or not readily available.

• Warm winter clothes and boots (winters in Ankara can be very cold and snowy).
• Over-the-counter medication, e.g. Tylenol, Midol etc. (the Turkish counterparts of these medicines will have different names and may be confusing for you in the beginning).
• Prescribed medication (same reason as above).
• Your comfort food and favorite books.

On the other hand, you do not need to bring with you the following items, as they will be either provided in your apartment, or it will be cheaper to buy them here:

• Sheets, towels, bathrobes, blankets
• Kitchenware (utensils, plates, pots etc.)

You may also wish to check this document, which has been kindly prepared by a group of our current international instructors, with more suggestions as to what to bring and some useful practical tips.

You or your family is welcome to send packages before or after your arrival, using the mailing address below.

[Write your full name on top]
Bilkent University
English Language Preparatory Program
Bilkent 06800, Ankara
Turkey

Please note:

• depending on the size and contents of the package, it may either be delivered directly to Bilkent, or you may end up having to go to the Main Post Office Customs Department to collect it after your arrival, in which case, the Post Office would first send you a small slip informing you of the arrival of your package.
• you should take care about the date that you send these packages on as the Main Post Office Customs Department will only hold packages for 7 days. Packages kept at customs needs to be collected by the person they are addressed to and passports are checked when you are collecting the package as you may have to pay a fee for customs and storage depending on how long the package is kept for.
• you should not include any electronics, liquids or make up in your packages as these will be confiscated at Customs.