Gender Representation at Near East University

Near East University systematically monitors gender representation among newly enrolled students and the overall student population to assess long-term trends in women's participation in higher education.

Gender Distribution of Newly Enrolled Students (2021–2025)

The proportion of women among newly enrolled students has increased over the past five years. Female representation rose from 44% in 2021 to 45% in 2022, reaching 51% in 2023, when women first outnumbered men among new entrants during the period examined. This balanced distribution continued in 2024 and 2025, with women accounting for approximately 51% and 52.49% of newly enrolled students, respectively.

These figures indicate a positive long-term trend in women's access to higher education, with female representation remaining above 50% for three consecutive years.

Gender Distribution of the Total Student Population (2018–2025)

A similar trend is observed in the overall student population. In 2018 and 2020, women represented 38% of enrolled students, while their share declined to 35% in 2019. Female representation subsequently increased to 43% in both 2021 and 2022.

A notable shift occurred in 2023, when women accounted for 52% of the total student population, exceeding the proportion of men for the first time during the period examined. This gender balance continued in 2024, with women representing 51% of students.

In 2025, women accounted for 51.38% of the university's total student population, compared with 48.62% for men, confirming the continuation of balanced gender representation.

The systematic collection and analysis of gender-disaggregated enrollment data enable Near East University to monitor changes in participation, identify gender disparities, and inform institutional measures supporting equitable access to higher education.

Student Admission Rate and Entry Pathways (2022–2025)

Undergraduate students are admitted to Near East University through different admission pathways, including Türkiye's centralized national university entrance examination, TRNC admission procedures, and international student admission processes. International applicants are evaluated through equivalency-based assessments, interviews, and institutional admission procedures.

In 2022, 53% of newly enrolled female undergraduate students entered Near East University through Türkiye's centralized examination, while the remaining 47% entered through TRNC and international admission pathways. The overall acceptance rate for TRNC and international applicants was 78%, while postgraduate programmes recorded an acceptance rate of 82%.

In 2023, the proportion of newly enrolled female undergraduate students entering through Türkiye's national examination increased to 55%, compared with 45% through TRNC and international admission pathways. The acceptance rate for TRNC and international applicants reached 80%, while the postgraduate acceptance rate increased to 84%.

In 2024, 52% of newly enrolled female undergraduate students entered through Türkiye's centralized examination, while 48% entered through TRNC and other admission pathways. The acceptance rate for TRNC and international applicants reached 81%, and postgraduate programmes recorded an acceptance rate of 85%.

In 2025, 54.48% of newly enrolled female undergraduate students entered through YKS and supplementary placement, while 21.78% entered through TRNC-related admission pathways, 17.44% through international admissions, and 6.30% through other entry routes. The acceptance rate for TRNC and international applicants was 79%.

Women represented 50.41% of newly enrolled undergraduate students and 58.84% of newly enrolled postgraduate students in 2025.

Gender Comparison of Graduation, Continuation, and Attrition Statuses (2021–2025)

Near East University systematically monitors graduation, continuation, and attrition-related registration statuses among female and male student cohorts to assess gender differences in academic progression.

Among students enrolled in 2021, 70.26% of women and 51.90% of men were recorded as graduated. The corresponding proportions for students enrolled in 2022 were 41.78% and 31.19%, respectively. Among students enrolled in 2023, these proportions were nearly identical, at approximately 22% for both women and men.

More recent enrollment cohorts showed higher continuation rates, reflecting the shorter periods available for degree completion. Among students enrolled in 2025, 88.84% of women and 87.34% of men continued their studies.

These comparisons enable the university to monitor gender differences in academic progression and provide a basis for identifying potential disparities and reviewing institutional measures supporting degree completion.

Historical Monitoring of Women's Academic Progression (2018–2024)

Near East University has systematically monitored women's academic progression across successive enrollment cohorts, maintaining historical records of graduation, continuation, and non-completion-related statuses. These analyses provide a longitudinal perspective on women's educational progression and the university's ongoing monitoring of degree completion.

Monitoring Period: 2018–2022

The earliest historical analysis, covering the 2018–2022 period, examined changes in the graduation, continuation, and non-completion statuses of female students. The records highlighted variations in academic progression across enrollment cohorts, including changes observed around 2020.

During this period, differences in the proportions of students graduating, continuing their education, or recorded under non-completion-related statuses provided an initial basis for monitoring academic progression. These patterns were considered in the context of differences in enrollment duration and the academic circumstances affecting successive student cohorts.

The analysis established a historical reference for examining women's continuation and degree completion patterns in subsequent monitoring periods.

Monitoring Period: 2019–2023

The subsequent monitoring period extended the analysis through 2023, allowing the university to examine academic progression across a further set of enrollment cohorts.

The records continued to show substantial proportions of female students remaining enrolled, particularly among more recent cohorts. Graduation and non-completion-related proportions also varied across the period, demonstrating the importance of monitoring all three indicators when assessing student progression.

These findings highlighted the need to distinguish between students who had completed their studies, those continuing toward graduation, and those whose registration statuses required further examination.

Monitoring Period: 2020–2024

The analysis covering 2020–2024 provided a further update to the university's historical monitoring records. Continuation accounted for a particularly high proportion of the more recently enrolled female student cohorts, reflecting the shorter time available for them to complete their programmes.

The distribution of graduation and non-completion-related statuses also differed between cohorts. These variations should be interpreted in relation to programme duration and the observation period rather than as direct evidence of improvements or declines in graduation performance.

The continued monitoring of these indicators enabled the university to maintain an updated overview of women's academic progression and identify patterns requiring further institutional review.

Continuity of Institutional Monitoring

Together, the historical analyses covering 2018–2024 demonstrate Near East University's continued collection and review of women's academic progression data across successive enrollment cohorts.

When considered alongside the updated 2021–2025 comparison of female and male students, these records provide a broader evidence base for examining gender differences in continuation and graduation, identifying potential barriers to degree completion, and reviewing institutional academic support measures.

This longitudinal monitoring approach supports the university's ongoing assessment of educational outcomes and its efforts to address potential gender-related disparities in academic progression.

Gender Distribution of Graduates (2020–2025)

Near East University systematically monitors the gender distribution of its graduates to assess long-term trends in women's educational attainment and degree completion.

Between 2020 and 2023, the proportion of female graduates increased steadily from 41% to 49%, indicating a gradual narrowing of the gender gap. In 2024, women accounted for 52% of all graduates, exceeding the proportion of men for the first time during the period examined.

This positive trend continued in 2025, when female graduates represented 55% of all graduates, compared with 45% for men. The results demonstrate a sustained improvement in women's representation among university graduates over the six-year period.

The annual monitoring of gender-disaggregated graduation data, together with student continuation and progression analyses, provides an evidence base for identifying potential disparities in degree completion and reviewing academic guidance, mentorship, and other institutional support measures.

Gender Distribution of Graduates by Faculty (2021–2025)

Near East University systematically monitors the gender distribution of graduates across its faculties to identify differences in educational outcomes and assess changes in women's representation across academic disciplines.

Gender Distribution of Graduates by Faculty (2025)

In 2025, women constituted the majority of graduates in 11 out of 20 faculties, while one faculty recorded equal representation of women and men.

The highest proportions of female graduates were observed in Health Sciences (73.4%), Arts and Sciences (73.2%), Education (64.0%), Pharmacy (63.5%), and Dentistry (60.8%). Medicine also demonstrated a relatively balanced distribution, with women accounting for 51.5% of graduates.

Male graduates remained predominant in several fields, particularly Sports Sciences (84.2%), Civil and Environmental Engineering (81.0%), Engineering (74.7%), and Artificial Intelligence and Informatics (66.7%).

These findings highlight differences in gender representation across academic disciplines and provide an evidence base for identifying areas where targeted measures may support women's participation and academic progression.

Historical Gender Distribution Trends by Faculty (2021–2024)

The university's historical monitoring data for 2021–2024 demonstrate varying patterns of gender representation across faculties. Women were generally more represented among graduates in Education, Nursing, Health Sciences, and Arts and Sciences, while men remained predominant in Engineering, Architecture, and Civil and Environmental Engineering.

By 2023, Medicine and Dentistry had moved toward more balanced gender distributions. In 2024, women constituted the majority of graduates in 12 of the 19 faculties included in that year's analysis, with particularly high representation in Health Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, Arts and Sciences, and Agriculture.

The continued collection and analysis of faculty-level graduation data enable Near East University to monitor long-term patterns, identify persistent gender disparities across disciplines, and inform institutional measures supporting equitable educational outcomes.