Events in Istanbul

Meeting people in Istanbul as a student is usually easier through an existing group than by searching alone. Most Istanbul universities, including Bogazici, Istanbul Technical, Istanbul University, Yildiz Technical and several others, have their own Erasmus Student Network (ESN) section, each run by student volunteers and reachable directly by email through its own page (Erasmus Student Network Turkey, 2026). ESN Existanbul, based at Istanbul University in Beyazit, is one example, organising welcome activities and social events for exchange and international students (Erasmus Student Network, 2026).

Universities also run their own clubs and welcome activities outside ESN. Bogazici University, for instance, publishes an official directory of around 50 student clubs, including one set up specifically for international students (Bogazici University, 2026). Check your own university's international office page for orientation dates, since these vary by institution and semester.

For public events open to everyone, such as concerts, festivals, theatre and exhibitions, Turkiye's official tourism platform runs a current Istanbul events calendar with dates and venues (GoTurkiye, 2026).

• Join a club or ESN section before term starts, so you already know people at the first big event.
• Always see a place or group in person first, and never send a deposit by bank transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency to hold a spot. EduFabTech never takes payments.