Life in Northern Cyprus: medicine, education, transport

Northern Cyprus continues to be an attractive region for those who are looking for affordable real estate options in the Mediterranean; Foreigners buy housing here both for investment and for their own use; And if everything is clear with the tourist infrastructure in the country – it is at a fairly high level, then how comfortable is life in Northern Cyprus in terms of medical care, the quality of education and the convenience of transportation? Let’s talk about this in our article.

Northern Cyprus is a state recognized only by Turkey, located in the northern part of the island of Cyprus. Its official name is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Despite its controversial legal status, Northern Cyprus is a calm, hospitable place with beautiful nature, good ecology, developed tourist infrastructure, low crime rate, affordable real estate prices and generally low cost of living. That is why Israelis, Russians and citizens of other countries of the former Soviet Union, the British, Germans, and other Europeans are happy to come here both on vacation and for permanent residence.

The unrecognized status does not prevent the TRNC from developing, building up, improving the tourist infrastructure and attracting investments to the country. Buying real estate here is absolutely legal and safe!

Ercan International Airport, which is located near Nicosia, receives thousands of visitors daily. However, to fly here, you must first land in Turkey – these are the international requirements. As a rule, the transfer takes place in Istanbul or Antalya. Tourists who plan to enter the republic from South Cyprus will need a Schengen visa.

Medicine

Medical care in Northern Cyprus is at a good level. There are public and private hospitals in the country where all basic medical services can be used. Residents of the country who have TRNC citizenship can receive treatment free of charge in public clinics. Tourists and guests of the country need to purchase private medical insurance, the cost of which depends on the selected package of services.

Among the large clinics with good equipment and qualified staff, one can note the Near East University Hospital, located in Nicosia, the American Hospital in Famagusta, the Turkish hospital network Kolan British Hospital.

Among the private medical institutions in Northern Cyprus there are also network clinics, including branches of Turkish networks. These are, as a rule, well-equipped medical institutions with expensive modern equipment. Public clinics are not equipped as well as private ones. Waiting for a visit to a doctor in such institutions can take from 1 to 2 weeks, and even more for narrow specialists. Private hospitals offer higher standards of care and shorter waiting times for admission.

There are also specialized clinics in the country – oncological, cardiological, dental and others. There are no free dentists in Northern Cyprus, so teeth can only be treated here for a fee. However, the price for all medical services, including dentistry, in the TRNC is much lower than in most European countries. At the same time, highly qualified specialists from Turkey, the USA, and the UK work in such medical institutions, and the quality of treatment fully meets high standards. The same Britons are happy to fly to Northern Cyprus to treat and prosthetics teeth, because in the UK, dental services are many times more expensive. For example, a complex wisdom tooth extraction, including suture removal and a checkup in Northern Cyprus, will cost only 200 euros.

Many specialized clinics of the TRNC have a good reputation abroad, so medical tourism is now one of the important directions in the country’s development strategy. Not only dentistry is popular among foreigners, but also clinics for infertility treatment, plastic surgery, rehabilitation, eye and laser surgery.

The medical staff of private clinics, as a rule, speaks English. Almost all private medical institutions have Russian-speaking assistants who are ready to help patients with translation.

It is not difficult to make an appointment with a general practitioner or a specialized specialist. This can be done by phone or directly during a visit to the clinic. But it should be borne in mind that Northern Cyprus is a small country, and there are not so many specialized specialists here. Doctors from Turkey periodically arrive at many network clinics to conduct an appointment. There are also institutions that are fully staffed with specialists.

The quality of emergency medical care is generally good, especially in private hospitals. An ambulance can be called by calling 112. However, practice shows that in case of sudden health problems, it is better to go to the hospital on your own. At least that’s what the locals do. An important difference from many countries is that in Northern Cyprus, in emergency cases, emergency care is provided free of charge, regardless of the availability of insurance and the patient’s citizenship.

Every city in Northern Cyprus has pharmacies with a wide range of medicines, many of which are available without a prescription. The main drugs – painkillers, antipyretics, anti–dehydration drugs – can be bought without problems.  Most pharmacists speak English, and recently there have often been Russian-speaking specialists who will easily select analogues of domestic drugs. There is a pharmacy on duty in each area, which is open all night.

Education

The education system in Northern Cyprus is organized according to European standards. It includes kindergartens, schools and higher education institutions. These institutions can be both public and private. In public schools, education is conducted in Turkish, in private – in Turkish and English. Many expats come to Northern Cyprus precisely for high-quality and relatively inexpensive education. Despite the fact that the cost of education has been increasing in recent years, it is still more affordable than in Europe or Southern Cyprus.

There are also opportunities for additional education in Northern Cyprus – sports clubs, music and dance clubs, drawing lessons, educational programs for kids. Many schools also offer additional classes for children. All these activities are paid, among them you can find classes with Russian-speaking teachers.

Pre-school education

Pre-school education in Northern Cyprus is not compulsory, so most kindergartens here are private. There are also government agencies, but there are very few of them. There are children from 1 to 5-6 years old in kindergartens.

The preschool educational program is aimed at adaptation in a team, self-reliance, and physical training of children. It also involves teaching reading, writing, numeracy, Turkish and English. All classes are conducted in a playful way. The teaching itself is most often conducted in Turkish, but some private kindergartens also have programs in English. In large cities – Girne, Famagusta, Alsancak – you can find private kindergartens for Russian-speaking children.

The payment varies depending on the location and the level of services provided. The average cost of a private kindergarten is $200-400 per month. In the gardens opened at prestigious colleges, the payment will be one and a half to two times higher. When paying the annual cost, a discount is most often provided, the education of the second or third child will also cost parents 20-30% cheaper.

Most of the preschool institutions work 5 days a week, from 7.30 to 17.00. There are also part-time groups, as well as institutions that work on Saturdays. The number of children in groups usually does not exceed 15 people. Parents should be prepared for the fact that preschoolers over the age of 3 do not have daytime sleep.

Almost all kindergartens provide a transfer service. Some institutions have special groups for children with special needs. Many kindergartens also have an online child monitoring system. To get to kindergarten, you will only need a parent’s passport and a child’s birth certificate.

School education

Schooling in Northern Cyprus involves a 12-year education system. Primary school lasts from 1st to 5th grade, secondary school from 6th to 8th, and senior school from 9th to 12th. Children are admitted to public schools free of charge, but education is conducted in Turkish.

Teaching in private schools is conducted in English, Turkish is studied additionally. As a rule, native English speakers act as teachers, so children speak the language at a very high level after graduation. Private schools also offer additional subjects for studying, which are not available in municipal educational institutions.

There are several international schools in Northern Cyprus that are integrated into the British education system. The most famous of them are the English School of Kyrenia, which operates under the Cambridge University program, Girne American College, Necat British College, Near East College, Doga School (with instruction in both English and Turkish). Graduates of such schools receive admission to leading international universities. They take the final A-level exams, according to the results of which they can enter universities without additional tests.

The cost of tuition depends on the status of the school, the program, the services provided and the age of the student. Education at the initial stages (from 5 to 12 years) It amounts to 2500-4000 euros per year, in high school – 6000-10,000 euros. School uniforms, textbooks and transfer to school are paid separately.

The following documents will be required for admission to schools in Northern Cyprus:

• Residence permit of the parents (or one of them);
• a notarized copy of the birth certificate translated into Turkish;
• copies of parents’ passports;
• photos for documents;
• school report card with grades, translated into Turkish;
• certificate of registration at the address of residence;
• registration form and entry fee.

Higher education

More than 100,000 people study at universities in Northern Cyprus, most of whom are foreigners. The training programs are based on the European education system. The TRNC universities themselves are accredited by the Turkish Ministry of Education, and their diplomas are recognized in the United States and European countries. Recognition in Europe depends on the specific program and the specific country.

Both the student and the faculty of universities are distinguished by their multinationality. A large number of Russian-speaking students are currently studying at universities in Northern Cyprus. Students have the opportunity to study under the exchange system in Germany and the United Kingdom. USA and other countries, depending on the university and the student’s academic performance. Many graduates then work in the USA, the UK and other European countries.

Universities in Northern Cyprus that are popular among international students:

1. The Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU, Eastern Mediterranean University) in student Famagusta is the oldest public university in Northern Cyprus. There are faculties of engineering, pedagogy, media and Communications, tourism, pharmacy, medicine, architecture, business and economics.
2. Girne American University (GAU) is one of the most prestigious universities in the country, located in Kyrenia. Students from more than 70 countries study here. GAU cooperates with many international universities and offers various student exchange programs.
3. The Middle East University (NEU), located in Nicosia, closely cooperates with universities in Turkey, America, Great Britain, Australia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. NEU offers students study programs related to economics, banking, business management, international relations, journalism and broadcasting, tourism, and maritime affairs.
4. Cyprus International University (CIU) is a private university also located in Nicosia. CIU students have the opportunity to obtain a double degree with the European University European University Business School, University of Rome Tor Vergata and Paris School of Business. There are medical, pharmaceutical, law, pedagogical, humanitarian, and engineering faculties here.
5. The Middle East Technical University in Guzelyurt (METU) offers internationally accredited programs in engineering, social, economic and administrative sciences to applicants.
6. Arkyn University of Creative Art and Design (ARUKAD) – it trains students in creative fields – art, design, photography, architecture.
7. The University of Kyrenia (The University of Kyrenia) is fully focused on maritime and aviation education.
8. The European University in Lefka (EUL) is another state university. EUL offers 42 bachelor’s degree programs, 21 Master’s degree programs and 10 doctoral programs. There are economics, engineering, architecture, teaching and other faculties here.
9. Karpass University in Nicosia (UMK) is a university that has been operating relatively recently, just over 10 years. They teach business administration, civil aviation management, and tourism business here.

The equipment of universities includes everything necessary for high-quality education: equipped laboratories, research centers, gyms, comfortable dormitories. Most of the dormitories are combined into student campuses with their own infrastructure. All universities offer so-called “packages”: tuition + accommodation +meals.

Applications for admission to universities in Northern Cyprus can be submitted in September and January-February – for the autumn and spring semesters, respectively. This gives an opportunity to young people who have not enrolled in their country to try to enroll in one of the universities of the TRNC.

The tuition fee depends on the university and specialty and varies from 4000-5000 to 19,000 euros per year. The most expensive areas are medicine, pharmacology, aviation, and engineering. Some universities provide grants and tuition discounts. Having high scores in the certificate upon admission, you can significantly save on tuition, since discounts can reach up to 50-100%. Various awards, achievements of the applicant, participation in specialized Olympiads also affect the receipt of grants. Students who receive a 100% discount pay only for accommodation in a hostel, meals and a registration fee of 300-1000 euros, depending on the university and specialty.

To enter the TRNC university, you need:

• choose a program and university;
• prepare the documents – the certificate of secondary education and the results of the language exams;
• fill out an online application on the university’s website.

Some universities require applicants to take a language exam in English, as well as documents confirming the availability of financial resources for accommodation and tuition fees. For applicants who do not speak English well enough, most universities have preparatory faculties where you can improve your English level and take proficiency exams.

Transport

The public transport system of Northern Cyprus is rather poorly developed.Mostly locals and tourists use dolmushi minibuses to move around the cities. With their help, you can get from the center of large cities to the nearest suburbs. Travel is inexpensive, but dolmushi do not have a fixed schedule, they travel only on main roads, turning towards the mountains or the sea only at the request of passengers. That is why tourists and residents of the country prefer to travel by rented cars. Car rental costs from 20-30 euros per day (with a minimum rental period of 3 days) or from 500-600 euros per month. These services are widely available, you can rent a car immediately upon arrival at the airport.

Drivers should keep in mind that left–hand traffic operates in Northern Cyprus – the colonial legacy of Great Britain. However, the traffic here is quite calm, so foreigners can quickly adapt to the “right hand drive”. All rented cars have red license plates, which allows local residents to quickly identify visitors and be attentive to them on the roads.

Foreigners who plan to stay in the country for a long time can import their car. The car can be delivered from abroad and used in the country for no more than a year. Next, the car must either be taken out or cleared. You can use a driver’s license for up to 3 months, then you need to get a local document, otherwise the driver will face a fine.

The road network of Northern Cyprus as a whole is in good condition, large cities are connected by convenient highways. However, secondary roads may be narrower and more worn, with no road markings.

Buses run between the major cities of Northern Cyprus according to the schedule. They depart from the bus stations every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. University buses run through all cities and pick up students from different parts of the island. In remote areas, the possibilities of public transport may be limited or absent altogether, so you will have to use a rented car, taxi or walk to the road where dolmushi walk. As a rule, we are talking about short distances.

The Government of Northern Cyprus is investing in the improvement of transport infrastructure, including the modernization of roads and the development of public transport. For example, a bypass road to the local Ercan Airport was built. At the moment, large-scale work is underway to expand the road from Alsancak to Lapta. A similar project is planned to be implemented in the future from Chatalkei to the center of Kyrenia. However, there is still a significant difference between urban and rural areas.  If buses and dolmushi run frequently on the main routes during the day, then in the evenings and on weekends their number is significantly reduced.

Thank you for your help in preparing the material:

Arkady Osipyan, Head of Sales Department at Leverage Investments

Ksenia Baldzhi, Head and Svetlana Kalashnikova, Deputy Head of Sales Department at Liga Real Estate

Alexey Fedorov, Director of the Actual Consult company

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