School Starting Age Calculator (Turkey)
Enter your child’s date of birth and the school year to see how many months old they will be at the end of September and whether, under the Turkish Ministry of Education (MEB) regulation, they start grade 1 of primary school or pre-school: children who have completed 69 months are enrolled, and those aged 66–68 months may start if a parent asks.
- Age at end of September (months)68 months
- Exact age5 years, 8 months, 29 days
- Primary school, grade 1Enrolled on the parent’s written request
- Pre-schoolEnrolled
- Completes 69 months on01.10.2027
- Starts primary school by age in2028–2029
- Earliest on parent’s request2027–2028
- Legal basisPre-school and Primary Education Institutions Regulation Art. 11/6-a, b; Art. 11/5-a, b, c, ğ
MEB school entry ages: MEB
Status by school year
How it is calculated
The school starting age is set by Article 11 (“Enrolment period and enrolment age”) of the MEB Regulation on Pre-school and Primary Education Institutions. Since the amendment published in the Official Gazette of 10 July 2019, grade 1 of primary school enrols children who have completed 69 months as at the end of September of the enrolment year; children aged 66–68 months are also enrolled if a parent asks in writing (Art. 11/6-a). Children entitled by age at 69–71 months are directed to pre-school or deferred for a year on the parent’s written request (Art. 11/6-b), and get priority for a pre-school place if they had no pre-school the year before (Art. 11/5-c). Nursery schools, kindergarten classes and practice classes enrol children aged 57–68 months at the end of September; where there is room, nursery schools and practice classes also take younger children from 36 months, kindergarten classes from 45 months (Art. 11/5-a). Enrolment opens in July (Art. 11/1). At schools with too few children to form a group, children aged 36–68 months may share one kindergarten class (Art. 11/5-b). The amendment of 28 July 2026 left the primary-school ages alone and added a pre-school item: in districts with no state nursery school, children aged 36–68 months may share one kindergarten class, and a new kindergarten section may open if there are enough children under the kindergarten-class age (45 months) to form a group (Art. 11/5-ğ).
Age (months) = calendar months completed from the date of birth to 30 September of the enrolment yearThe regulation measures age in months “as at the end of September of the year enrolment is made”: a child completes 69 months on the day with the same day number, 69 calendar months after birth; months are not 30-day blocks. When a month lacks that day (31 March + 6 months) its last day is used. The school year starts in September; once the end of September has passed, the default is the school year starting next year.- Take 30 September of the year the chosen school year starts as the reference date.
- Count the calendar months completed from the date of birth to that day.
- 69 months or more: enrolled in primary school; at 69–71 months a parent may ask in writing for pre-school instead or a year’s deferral.
- 66–68 months: enrolled in pre-school; enrolled in primary school on the parent’s written request.
- 57–68 months are enrolled in pre-school; younger children from 36 months (45 in a kindergarten class at a primary school) are admitted if there is room.
Example
A child born on 1 January 2022 is 5 years, 8 months and 29 days, i.e. 68 months, old on 30 September 2027: in the 2027–2028 school year they are enrolled in pre-school, or in grade 1 if a parent asks in writing. They complete 69 months on 1 October 2027 and start primary school by age in 2028–2029 (80 months on 30 September 2028). A child born on 31 December 2020 was exactly 69 months old on 30 September 2026 and was enrolled in primary school for 2026–2027.
Frequently asked questions
Which year does my child start primary school?
The first year in which they have completed 69 months on 30 September. With today’s limits, children born 1 October–31 December six years before the enrolment year are 69–71 months old on that date, and those born 1 January–31 March five years before are 66–68; the tool shows the exact year.
Can a child of 66–68 months start primary school?
Yes, if a parent asks in writing they are enrolled in grade 1 (Art. 11/6-a). Otherwise they are enrolled in pre-school. Children born January–March are usually in this group.
Can enrolment be deferred, and is a medical report needed?
For children of 69–71 months who are entitled by age, the school administration directs them to pre-school or defers enrolment for a year on the parent’s written request (Art. 11/6-b). That provision asks for no medical report. It gives no deferral for children older than 71 months; ask the school about special cases.
Why is age measured at 30 September?
The regulation measures age “as at the end of September of the year enrolment is made”. Enrolment opens in July, but the child’s age is taken on the last day of September.
Has the starting age been raised to 72 months?
No. In the text in force, including the latest amendment published in the Official Gazette on 28 July 2026, the threshold is 69 months. If the regulation changes, the tool’s rule is updated.
How are months counted — days divided by 30?
No, calendar months are counted: a child born on 15 June completes another month on the 15th of each month. A child born on 31 March completes 66 months on 30 September, since September has no 31st.
Source
- MEB Regulation on Pre-school and Primary Education Institutions (Official Gazette 26.07.2014/29072), consolidated text, Art. 11/1, 11/5-a, b, c, ğ, 11/6-a, b, ç
- Amending regulation, Official Gazette 10.07.2019/30827, Art. 7 (current text of Art. 11/5-a–d and 11/6-a, b: 69 months, 66–68 on request, 69–71 deferral)
- Amending regulation, Official Gazette 28.07.2026/33323, Art. 6 (Art. 11 paragraphs 1, 3, 4 replaced, items added to paragraphs 5 and 6; Art. 11/5-ğ: children aged 36–68 months in one kindergarten class in districts with no state nursery school; primary-school ages unchanged)