STS Preparation Time Calculator 2026: Medicine + Dentistry + Pharmacy + Teaching + Law Smart Plan

Related Content: STS Medicine Hub | STS Law Hub | Syrian Physician | TÖMER+TYS

TL;DR (Quick Summary)

• Calculator: 6 criteria (STS type + local graduation country + language level + work status + last exam score + target date) → estimated preparation time + weekly plan
• Typical duration: 6-18 months (full-time) or 12-24 months (part-time while working)
• Turkish parallel: 6-12 months TÖMER + TYS C1 target for those starting from zero (for clinical/professional Turkish)
• STS Medicine: Most challenging — 12-18 months intensive study
• STS Pharmacy: 8-14 months (pharmacist basic knowledge refresh)
• STS Dentistry: 10-16 months
• STS Teaching: 6-10 months (educational science + Turkish education system)
• STS Law: 12-24 months (most challenging — Turkish law completely new)

1. STS Exams General Information

5 STS Exams

Exam	Regulator	Annual Sessions	Question Count
STS Medicine	Anadolu University (for YÖK)	2 (March + September)	120
STS Dentistry	Anadolu University	2	100
STS Pharmacy	Anadolu University	2	100
STS Teaching	Anadolu University	2	100
STS Law	Anadolu University	2	100

Passing Score

• Generally 60-65 points (60-65% correct) passing requirement
• Turkish exam (for foreign students TÖMER B2+ minimum, C1 recommended)

2. Calculator Criteria

1. STS Type

• STS Medicine / Dentistry / Pharmacy / Teaching / Law
• Each exam has different duration + difficulty + curriculum

2. Local Graduation Country

Country Group	Similarity to Turkish Curriculum	STS Prep Time Factor
Poland, Hungary, Czech, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine (Continental Europe)	High (similar systems)	×1.0
Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Scandinavia	High	×1.0
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan	High	×1.1
Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Jordan	Medium (Arab pedagogy similar)	×1.2
USA, Canada, UK (Common Law / Clinical)	Low (different system, VERY low for law)	×1.3-1.5
Pakistan, India, Africa	Medium-low	×1.3
China, Japan, South Korea	Medium-low	×1.3

3. Turkish Level

• Zero: TÖMER 6-12 months parallel start; STS prep additional 6-12 months
• Beginner (A2): TÖMER 4-8 months parallel
• Intermediate (B1-B2): TÖMER 2-4 months TYS prep
• Advanced (C1+): Direct STS prep
• Native (Turkish diaspora): Academic Turkish refresh sufficient

4. Work / Employment Status

• Full-time preparation (40-60 hours/week study): ×1.0 (fastest)
• Part-time (20-30 hours/week): ×1.5-1.8
• Very limited time (10-15 hours): ×2-3 (long horizon required)

5. Last Exam Score (if any)

• If previously attempted STS, score is baseline
• 0-30 points: Far behind, long process
• 30-50 points: Medium, normal process
• 50-65 points: Close to passing, final push
• 65+ points: Already passed (certification)

6. Target Date

• 2 exams per year (March + September)
• Near target (3-4 months): Intensive + high risk
• Medium term (6-9 months): Standard + safe
• Long term (12-18 months): Flexible + parallel work + Turkish

3. STS Medicine Preparation Plan

Typical Duration

• Full-time + Good Turkish + European graduate: 6-9 months
• Full-time + Medium Turkish + other country: 9-15 months
• Part-time + Learning Turkish: 18-24 months

Topic Distribution (120 Questions)

• Basic Sciences (~30%): Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology
• Clinical Sciences (55%): Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Gynecology, Public Health, Emergency
• Public Health + Turkish Health System (10%): Turkey SGK + health policy
• Medical Ethics + Law (5%): Turkish physician rights

Weekly Study Plan (Full-time, 12 months)

• Week 1-12 (3 months): Basic sciences review
• Week 13-32 (5 months): Clinical sciences comprehensive
• Week 33-44 (3 months): Turkish Health System + public health
• Week 45-48 (1 month): Mock exams + final review

Sources

• Clinical guidelines: ESC, AHA, ADA current versions
• Turkish clinical guidelines: TKD, TPK, TUSAB
• STS Medicine books: Turkish publishers (Pelikan, Tıp Akademi)
• Online platforms: Rehber Panda STS Medicine coaching + others

4. STS Pharmacy Preparation Plan

Typical Duration

• Full-time + Good Turkish: 6-9 months
• Part-time: 12-18 months

Topic Distribution (100 Questions)

• Pharmacology (25%)
• Drug Interactions + Clinical Pharmacy (20%)
• Pharmaceutical Chemistry (15%)
• Pharmaceutical Technology (15%)
• Pharmacognosy (10%)
• Turkish Pharmacy Legislation (10%)
• Clinical Cases (5%)

5. STS Dentistry Preparation Plan

Typical Duration

• Full-time: 8-12 months
• Part-time: 14-20 months

Topic Distribution (100 Questions)

• Dental Anatomy + Histology (15%)
• Surgery (20%)
• Endodontics (15%)
• Periodontology (10%)
• Prosthetics (10%)
• Restorative (10%)
• Pedodontics (10%)
• Turkish Dental Legislation (10%)

6. STS Teaching Preparation Plan

Typical Duration

• Full-time + Good Turkish: 4-7 months
• Diaspora (Turkish overseas): 3-5 months (academic Turkish + Turkish education system)
• Part-time: 8-12 months

Topic Distribution (100 Questions)

• Educational Sciences (30%): Pedagogy, Educational Psychology, Teaching Principles and Methods
• Turkish Education System (25%): Law No. 1739, MEB structure, curriculum
• Field Knowledge (30%): Candidate's field (Turkish/Math/Science/Social/Foreign Language) — by field
• General Knowledge (10%)
• Turkish and Legislation (5%)

7. STS Law Preparation Plan (Most Challenging)

Typical Duration

• Continental European graduate (Germany/Netherlands) full-time: 12-15 months
• Common Law graduate (USA/UK) full-time: 18-24 months
• Part-time: 24-36 months

Topic Distribution (100 Questions)

• Constitutional Law (15%)
• Civil Law + Obligations (20%)
• Commercial Law (10%)
• Administrative Law (10%)
• Criminal + Criminal Procedure (15%)
• Civil Procedure (10%)
• Labor + Tax Law (10%)
• Turkish Legal History + Philosophy (5%)
• Bar + Ethics (5%)

Common Law Graduate Special Note

• Turkish legal system (Continental European, code-based) + Common Law (precedent-based) VERY DIFFERENT
• First 6 months methodology transition (statute reading + code interpretation)
• Legal Turkish terminology (Ottoman + Latin roots)
• Details: STS Law Hub

8. Turkish Preparation Parallel

TÖMER (General Turkish)

• A1 → A2: 2-3 months (20 hours/week)
• A2 → B1: 2-3 months
• B1 → B2: 3-4 months
• B2 → C1: 4-6 months
• Total from zero to C1: 11-16 months

TYS (Turkish Proficiency Exam)

• C1 target exam (academic + professional Turkish)
• B2+ sufficient for STS exam but C1 recommended
• Details: TÖMER+TYS Pillar

Professional Turkish

• STS Medicine/Dentistry/Pharmacy: Medical Turkish terminology (6-12 months)
• STS Teaching: Pedagogical Turkish (3-6 months)
• STS Law: Legal Turkish (Ottoman terms + Latin) (6-12 months)

9. Calculation Examples

Example 1: Poland Medicine Graduate (Turkish citizen, fluent Turkish)

• STS type: Medicine
• Local graduate: Poland (×1.0)
• Turkish: C1
• Work status: Full-time prep
• Last exam score: 0 (first attempt)
• Estimated preparation: 8-10 months

Example 2: Syrian Physician (temporary protection, medium Turkish)

• STS type: Medicine
• Local graduate: Syria (×1.2)
• Turkish: B1 (lived in Turkey for years)
• Work status: Part-time (social support + job seeking)
• Last exam: 35 points (1 year ago)
• Estimated preparation: 12-15 months (additional Turkish parallel)

Example 3: USA JD Graduate Lawyer (Turkish diaspora)

• STS type: Law
• Local graduate: USA (Common Law, ×1.5)
• Turkish: Native but no legal terminology
• Work status: Full-time
• Last exam: 0
• Estimated preparation: 18-24 months

Example 4: Germany Lehramt Teacher (fluent Turkish)

• STS type: Teaching
• Local graduate: Germany (×1.0)
• Turkish: C1
• Work status: Full-time
• Branch: Mathematics (high school)
• Estimated preparation: 4-6 months

10. Calculator Usage Steps

1. Select STS type (5 exams)
2. Select local graduation country
3. Indicate Turkish level (TYS / TÖMER level)
4. Work status (full-time / partial / limited)
5. Last exam score (if any)
6. Target exam date (March 2027 / September 2027 / later)
7. Output: Estimated duration + weekly plan + priority topics + source recommendation + coaching recommendation

11. Calculator Output (Example)

For Example 1 (Poland medicine graduate, Turkish citizen, full-time):

• Estimated preparation: 9 months
• Target exam: September 2027
• Week 1-12: Basic sciences review (anatomy/physiology/biochemistry)
• Week 13-30: Clinical sciences (internal medicine/surgery/pediatrics)
• Week 31-36: Turkish Health System + Public Health
• Week 37-39: Mock exams + final review
• Recommended sources: Pelikan STS Medicine set + Tıp Akademi mock exams + Rehber Panda STS Medicine coaching
• Recommended coaching package: Bronze STS (4K TL) → Silver (6K TL)

12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which STS is the easiest?

STS Teaching (educational science + Turkish education system single focus). Most challenging STS Law (Turkish law completely new).

Can I take STS if Turkish is insufficient?

Exam is Turkish; B2 minimum, C1 recommended. TÖMER + STS parallel.

Is the calculator estimate accurate?

Estimated average. Individual differences (motivation + time + resource + coaching). 80-90% accuracy.

Can I prepare for STS while working?

YES — part-time duration 1.5-2x. Flexible + long horizon.

Is STS coaching necessary?

Not mandatory but accelerates + success rate increases. For Rehber Panda STS coaching prices + content: STS Medicine Hub

If I fail the first attempt?

2 sessions per year (March + September) exam. Can retake. Pass rate 30-50% (depending on preparation quality).

Value of my foreign experience in Turkey?

Not directly measured in STS exam but equivalency commission evaluates (year + curriculum hours). Practice year + post-exam career valuable.

How do I learn Turkish?

TÖMER (in-person or online), Yunus Emre Institute (foreign branches), online platforms (Memrise, Drops). Details: TÖMER Pillar

All STS exams same year?

Dual graduates can take different exams 2 sessions per year (if Medicine + Pharmacy education). Generally candidates focus on single exam.

Is online + remote coaching sufficient?

YES. Many foreign candidates take online coaching + come to exam from abroad without coming to Turkey.

13. Calculator Access + Other Tools

• STS Preparation Time Calculator: /en/araclar/sts-hazirlik-sure-hesaplayici/ (in development)
• Document Checklist: Document Checklist
• University Matching: University Matching
• STS Medicine Hub: STS Medicine Hub
• STS Law Hub: STS Law Hub

Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes; not professional STS coaching or medical/legal advice. Calculator is estimated average; individuals differ. ÖSYM STS official guides + Anadolu University + relevant STS coaching pages are the main sources. Last updated: 2026-05-12.

More

STS preparation + tool details: STS Medicine Hub | STS Law Hub | Syrian Physician | TÖMER+TYS | University Matching.