Information Package / Course Catalogue
Here you will find some practical advice to help you with preparation for your arrival in Turkey and for living and studying in Aydın.
There are several ways of getting to Aydın City
from İstanbul:
By plane : There are several airlines which fly from İstanbul to İzmir daily. However, be careful when choosing flights from İstanbul that they leave from the same airport or that you have time to go between the two main airports (which could take a few hours): İstanbul Atatürk International Airport and İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.
By bus : In İstanbul, from Atatürk International Airport, the metro goes from the airport to the main İstanbul bus terminal, Esenler Bus Terminal. It takes approximately 11 hours by bus from İstanbul to Aydın. The metro also goes to the city centre. From Esenler bus terminal, there are many bus companies which travel to Aydın and Kuşadası.
In İstanbul, to get to the city centreyou can also take HAVAŞ buses. Please note that you will need HAVAŞ bus for TAKSIM SQUARE to reach the city centre.
By ferry and bus : It is also possible to come from Kabataş in İstanbul to Bursa by ferry and then connect to a bus service to İzmir. It takes approximately six and half hours to travel between İstanbul and İzmir with this method. However the ferry may be cancelled in bad weather.
from İzmir:
By bus : From İzmir airport, you need to travel to the İzmir City Bus Terminal. The easiest way is to take ESHOT (city bus – in red and white colours) buses from the bus stop at the International Terminal. At present, buses leave approximately once every hour at 40 minutes past the hour ( i.e. 5.40, 6.40, 7.40.....) until 24.40. However, these times are subject to change. The Number 204 bus goes directly to the bus terminal. The ride takes nearly 40 minutes.
From İzmir bus terminal, several companies travel to Aydın, Nazilli and Kuşadası. Buses generally leave every half hour, although services may be less frequent during the night. The journey to Aydın takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. For Aydın city centre, you should get off at Aydın bus terminal (otogar).
By train : Aydın City has train connections with many cities such as İzmir, Denizli, Ankara and İstanbul, yet there are only direct trains to Aydın City from İzmir and Denizli. It is also possible to get Nazilli on some of the trains which leave İzmir airport.
If you come to İzmir Adnan Menderes International Airport:
The train leaves directly from the airport. The train takes nearly two hours to reach Aydın. However, the last train to Aydın leaves İzmir airport in the early evening (at 17h 57 at present).
The public transport system is very simple in Turkey and consists mainly of minibuses. The minibuses are called ‘Dolmuş’ (dolmush) in Turkish. These generally run from 7 am in the morning to 11 pm at night. These minibuses go between the Main Campus and Aydın City centre every 10 minutes and dolmush numbers 2, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 go the main campus. From the bus terminal, numbers 11, 14, 16 and 17 come to the main campus. The minibus will have a sign saying “ÜNİVERSİTE” on its windscreen.
Here are some ideas of bus routes in Aydın city, with their names in Turkish as shown on the windscreens of the minibuses:
2 : Adnan Menderes Bulvarı –Beycamii – Aydın Forum - ADÜ 6 : Kemer AYKO – Sarraflar – Beycamii – Adnan Menderes Bulvarı - Otogar – Veterinerlik Fakültesi 7 : Kemer AYKO - Otogar – Veterinerlik Fakültesi 10 : Emniyet Müdürlüğü – Aydın Sağlık Yüksek Okulu – Beycamii - Aydın Forum – ADÜ 11 : ADÜ – Aydın Forum- Adnan Menderes Bulvarı – Otogar – Atatürk Devlet Hastanesi - Veterinerlik Fakültesi 13 : Atatürk Devlet Hastanesi – Aydın Sağlık Yüksek Okulu – Sarraflar - Aydın Forum – ADÜ 14 : Otogar – Sarraflar – ADÜ 15 : Atatürk Devlet Hastanesi – Aydın Sağlık Yüksek Okulu – Sarraflar - Aydın Forum – ADÜ 16 : ADÜ – Aydın Forum – Beycamii - Adnan Menderes Bulvarı- Otogar 17 : Otogar – Atatürk Devlet Hastanesi- Aydın Sağlık Yüksek Okulu – Sarraflar - Aydın Forum – ADÜ
Adnan Menderes Bulvarı – name of the main road through the city centre.
ADÜ – Adnan Menderes University main campus
Atatürk Devlet Hastanesi – Atatürk State Hospital
Aydın Forum – shopping mall near the main university campus
Beycamii- name of main mosque in the city centre next to the train station
Emniyet Müdürlüğü- name of main police station
Kemer AYKO – name of area near Tralleis Antique city ruins
Otogar - Bus station
Aydın Sağlık Yüksek Okulu - Aydın School of Health
Sarraflar – name of area in the city centre
Veterinerlik Fakültesi – Faculty of Veterinary Science
APPLICATION FOR VISA
All students who come to the Republic of Turkey for the Erasmus program MUST apply for a STUDENT VISA with the Turkish Embassy in his or her HOME country BEFORE coming to Turkey.
In order to apply for a student visa, students will need to receive an acceptance letter from our International Office. This will be issued when the student has sent the required documents to Adnan Menderes University International Office and has been accepted to our school.
REGISTRATION WITH THE FOREIGN NATIONAL DEPARTMENT
All Erasmus students MUST register with the Foreign Nationals Department of the Police Headquarters (Emniyet Müdürlüğü Yabancılar Şubesi) in Aydın within 15 days of entering Turkey. There is a fee associated with the application process.
Students will be provided with a Residence Permit card valid for the period of time they are studying at Adnan Menderes University. Students should carry this Residence Permit card with them at all times when they are in Turkey as the police may ask to see it.
The International Office of Adnan Menderes University helps all students with this process.
Electricity : Electricity is 220 volts. Plugs have a two-point system. You may need to bring a travel plug depending on your own country’s system.
Time difference : GMT - +3 hours. Here are some time differences between Turkey and other European countries
Smoking : Smoking is forbidden throughout Turkey in all covered areas.
Currency : The currency of Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TRY). One hundred kuruş (kurush) make one lira.
Banking : There are several national and international banks in the city. On the main campus in Aydın, there are 4 ATMs (cash dispensers) of different national and international banks. Bank working hours are generally from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. They offer many services. All banks have ATMs and foreign exchange desks where currency can be exchanged. There are also private exchange offices in most places, especially Kuşadası but beware of the exchange rates.
Climate : Aydın has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The summers can become very hot, up to 40°C while the average temperature in winter is 6°C. It very rarely snows in Aydın. Rain occurs mostly between the months of November and February. The sea around the coast of Aydın province is generally warm enough to swim from April until near the end of October.
Insurance : It is highly recommended that everybody takes out health insurance in their own country before coming to Turkey in case of a health emergency.
Mobile phone services : In Turkey there are three main mobile telephone networks. Turkish sim cards can be bought in most mobile phone shops. You will need to pay a fee and take your passport. A cell-phone’s IMEI number needs to be registered in Turkey, otherwise for security reasons it will be blocked if not registered within two weeks. To register a mobile phone’s IMEI number you need to go to a mobile phone shop. You will need to pay a fee and take your passport.
Important phone numbers : The international dialling code for Turkey is + 90
Emergency phone numbers can be called free of charge from any fixed or mobile phone. The numbers are as follows :
Ambulance : 112
Fire Brigade : 110
Police 155
Turkish Gendarmarie : 156 (police force in rural areas)
Free time : There are many places and attractions to visit in Aydın City, including cinemas, night clubs, and shopping malls. There are also many historical sites and museums, including the Aydın Archaeological Museum (open every day except Mondays from 8 am to 5 pm) and Tralleis Antique City Relics. Kuşadası is a typical tourist-orientated resort and has all the attractions associated with these places, such as bars, clubs, beaches, water parks, jeep safaris, sky-diving, shopping and a national park.
Student cards : All students coming to study at Adnan Menderes University will be given a university student card. This student card allows students to use the library and cafeterias. It is also useful to get student discounts, such as at fast-food restaurants, bus and train companies and cinemas.
Mentor students : Students coming for the Erasmus programme are assigned a mentor student. This student will generally be a Turkish student who has completed the Erasmus programme in a European country.
National Holidays :
Note : The dates of the Ramadan Feast and Sacrifice holidays change every year.