Unitedwords Development Support

Unitedwords
Development Support

Unitedwords Development Support was created to contribute $10,000 each year to one student’s educational journey.

This support does not focus solely on a particular outcome; it is designed to recognise a student’s academic development over time, sense of responsibility, and conscious effort to shape their educational journey.

At Unitedwords, we do not see education merely as a placement process, but as a long-term journey of growth. Development Support has been designed as part of this approach.

The support may be used either in Türkiye or abroad, depending on the student’s chosen higher education path. In the case of international education, the payment is directed to the relevant educational institution. In the case of domestic education, the support may be allocated to documentable expense items that are directly related to the student’s educational journey and considered appropriate within the framework of the programme. The support is not paid directly to the student in cash.

Go to the Turkish Pre-Application Form

The first implementation period of Unitedwords Development Support will begin in 2027.

Scope of Support

Provided to one student each year.
The support amount is $10,000.
The support is not paid directly to the student in cash.
Payment is made to the relevant institution or approved payment channel in line with educational expenses deemed appropriate within the student’s educational journey.
The support may be used either in Türkiye or abroad, depending on the student’s chosen higher education path.
At the time of application, candidates are expected to indicate their current intention regarding a domestic or international higher education pathway. Applicants who are considering both options may also apply. However, for the evaluation process to proceed in a healthy and consistent manner, candidates are expected to clarify by the end of January in Grade 12 which pathway they intend to continue their application under.
In the case of placement at a public university in Türkiye through the YKS, the support may be used for approved expenses related to the student’s educational journey.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants to Unitedwords Development Support are expected to meet the following basic criteria:

Be a citizen of the Republic of Türkiye.
Reside in Türkiye.
Applicants with dual citizenship may apply; however, Turkish citizenship and residence in Türkiye are taken as the basis of eligibility.
Be currently enrolled in high school education in Türkiye.
Applications are accepted regardless of whether the student is planning to pursue higher education in Türkiye or abroad.
IB students may also apply. In the academic evaluation process, the student’s transcript and overall academic performance are taken as the primary basis; however, the nature of the programme followed, the academic level of the courses selected, and the student’s overall academic workload are also considered contextually during the evaluation process.

Application Process

Pre-applications are accepted throughout the year; however, the final evaluation for each cycle is completed within a defined timeline. For the first implementation period, results are expected to be shared in April 2027, and the support is intended to be activated from May 2027, in line with the student’s educational journey. Updated timeline information will be announced separately for each cycle.

Applications are submitted electronically, and the evaluation process is carried out in two stages. Pre-applications are not limited to final-year students; students in Grades 9, 10, and 11 may also apply. This approach is intended to identify students’ development journeys at an earlier stage and to frame the evaluation process within a longer-term perspective. Where deemed necessary, applicants may be asked to provide updated information and documents at later stages.

Applications are submitted electronically, and the evaluation process takes place in two stages:

1. Pre-Application and File Review
At this stage, the applicant’s application form and submitted documents are reviewed.

Go to the Turkish Pre-Application Form.

2. Interview
Applicants who are considered suitable after the initial review are invited to an interview. The support is determined based on a combined assessment of the applicant’s submitted file and interview performance.

Documents Required for Application

The following documents are required for an application to be considered:

Application form,
Current transcript,
Current CV,
Motivation letter,
Standardised test results, if available (SAT, AP, etc.),
English language proficiency certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.),
University offer or admission documents, if available,

An international university offer is not required in order to apply. Applications may be submitted either before or after receiving an offer.

Evaluation Approach

Unitedwords Development Support is not assessed on the basis of a single exam result or one isolated indicator of achievement.

The aim is to evaluate, in a holistic way, students who are academically strong, highly motivated in their development, and consciously building their educational journey.

The following areas are taken into account during the evaluation process:

40% Academic achievement,
20% Standardised test performance (such as SAT, AP, etc.),
10% Language proficiency,
20% Interview,
10% Quality of the application file (CV, motivation letter, the student’s developmental approach, and sustained activities outside formal academic work).

Applications are evaluated within the framework of the educational pathway chosen by the candidate. In other words, an applicant pursuing a domestic path and an applicant pursuing an international path are each considered within their own context.

Academic and Testing Criteria

Academic Achievement
In the academic evaluation process, the student’s performance throughout their high school years is taken into account. A strong candidate profile is expected to demonstrate a high, consistent, and sustained academic record.

Particular attention is given to academic performance in Grades 9, 10, and 11. At the same time, the nature of the programme the student is following, the academic level of the courses selected, and the overall educational context are also taken into consideration.

In general, a GPA of 95 and above is regarded as a notable reference point for a strong candidate profile. However, academic achievement is considered holistically within the context of each applicant’s own educational background.

Language Proficiency
Language scores are considered as a supporting element in the evaluation process.
Examples of indicators that stand out in a strong candidate profile include:

IELTS Academic: minimum 7.5 overall, with at least 6.5 in each band
One Skill Retake may be accepted
TOEFL iBT: minimum 105 overall, with no sub-score below 25

Standardised Tests
Standardised tests such as SAT and AP are included in the evaluation process.

While these tests are considered important supporting indicators, they are not determinative on their own.

Important Notes

Unitedwords Development Support is not a cash payment programme.
The support is allocated to approved educational expenses with the aim of contributing to the student’s educational journey.
All information and documents submitted by the applicant must be accurate and complete.
Unitedwords reserves the right to request additional documents where necessary, to conduct the evaluation process in multiple stages, and to make the final decision.
Applications containing incomplete, misleading, or inaccurate information may be excluded from evaluation.

Results and Disbursement Process

Pre-applications are accepted throughout the year; however, the final evaluation for each cycle is completed within a defined timeline.

Results are expected to be announced in April, and the support is intended to be activated from May, in line with the student’s educational journey.

Updated timeline information will be announced separately for each cycle.

Expected Engagement from
the Support Recipient

It is valued that a student who benefits from Unitedwords Development Support progresses not only as a recipient of support, but also as someone who, over time, contributes to others by sharing the experiences gained through their own journey of growth.

Accordingly, during the first three years of receiving support, the student is expected to take part once a year in a student gathering, event, or sharing environment organised or approved by Unitedwords, and, where appropriate, to share their own experiences.

Unitedwords is not only concerned with where students go,
but with how they build their journey.

That journey begins early.
And we choose to stand alongside those who approach it with intention.