GENERAL INFORMATION

Passport:

Required.

Visa:

Nationals of Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Iceland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland can enter Turkey with only a valid passport for a three-month stay. They need no visa.

For paticipants coming from other countries must buy a visa stamp at the border or airport.

Language:

Although Turkish is the official language; English is widely spoken in Istanbul.

Religion:

Turkey has been home to all three great revealed religions-Judaism, Christianity and Islam-for centuries. Istanbul is also the historic seat of the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate and still has a number of active Orthodox Christian churches.

Time:

All of Turkey is on Eastern European time, two hours ahead of London and Coordinated Universal Time (GMT/UTC), 7 hours ahead of New York, 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles. (GMT/UTC+2, London+2, New York+7, LA+10) Turkish clocks are turned ahead one hour at 1 am on the last Sunday in March, and turned back one hour at 2 am on the last Sunday in September for daylight saving ("summer") time.

Electricity:

Turkey operates on 220 volts AC, 50 Hz., with round-prong European-style plugs that fit into recessed wall sockets/points.

Telephone:

Turkish landline (wired) phones work with phone cards, credit cards, or Turkish liras, depending upon type. The cheapest way using the traditional Turkish telephone network is using a phone card (telekart).

There are three types of cards:

• Smart Telefon Karti, with a little computer chip embedded in it; 50 or 100 units;
• Manyetik Telefon Karti, with a magnetic iron-oxide stripe on it (like a credit card); 30, 60 or 100 units;
• Kuresel, the "secret-number" cards: you open the packet, input the number, and your account is charged with the value of the card. As with any secret-number phone card, make sure the packet is sealed and the number hidden before you buy, or it may be worthless.
• For international calls, buy the higher-value cards.

İstanbul Atatürk Airport Details:

Atatürk Airport is located in Yesilkoy, in the european side of İstanbul. Airport's distance is 28 km to downtown and 43 km to Yeditepe University Campus. Detailed information about city airport transfer will be announced later.

Climate:

Turkey has seven distinct geographic and climatic regions. The countryside around Istanbul, Edirne, Bursa and the Sea of Marmara is low hills and rolling farmland excellent for fruit orchards (apricots, grapes, peaches) as well as vegetables, sunflowers and grain. Rainfall averages 668 mm/26 inches per year; temperatures range from a low of -16C/3F in the depths of winter to 40C/104F on the hottest day in summer. It's quite humid (average 73%).

Health care:

Those participants who have emergency health problems are treated in the Medico-Social Center that is located in the School of Medicine within the campus. In case of more complicated health problems, Yeditepe University Hospital is five minutes away from the campus. There is also a pharmacy right next to the Medico-Social Center.

Yeditepe University

26 August Campus Kayisdagı Str. 34755
Erenkoy- İstanbul/Turkey

T: +90 216 578 08 69 - +90 216 578 08 58
F: +90 216 578 08 63
Email: iccpr2008@yeditepe.edu.tr