Established in 2021 under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and run by Informatics Valleys, “42 Türkiye” is reshaping software education in Türkiye, preparing young people to become both software developers and entrepreneurs.
Operating on two campuses in Istanbul and Kocaeli, 42 Türkiye stands out with its free, unconditional and 24/7 open education model. Anyone over the age of 16 can apply, and neither a diploma nor prior programming experience is required.
The program addresses Türkiye’s and the world’s rapidly growing software developer shortage, youth unemployment, and emerging opportunities in the technology sector, offering more young people a future in information technology.
At 42 Türkiye, there are no traditional classes, teachers, or exams. Students learn from each other through a gamified, peer-to-peer curriculum. The project-based system develops software skills alongside communication, problem-solving, and teamwork, competencies highly valued in the professional world.
As the Turkish representative of the Paris-based 42 Network, the school follows the same standards as its 58 campuses in 32 countries, allowing students in Istanbul or Kocaeli to follow the same curriculum as peers in Berlin or Seoul. Students can pursue training in software fundamentals, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, gaming technologies, blockchain, and other advanced fields.
Informatics Valley’s entrepreneurship ecosystem provides students not only with software career opportunities but also the chance to start their own companies. Mentorship programs and entrepreneurship training allow students to turn their business ideas into reality.
Success stories demonstrate the program’s effectiveness. A student from the Istanbul campus developed software skills alongside university studies and now works as a data analytics consultant, with five other 42 Istanbul students joining the same company. In Kocaeli, a student founded a gaming company with friends while still studying, and another joined a major e-commerce company’s quality control team thanks to project management and teamwork skills learned at 42 Kocaeli.
42 Türkiye aims to close the software skills gap and provide a sustainable solution to youth unemployment. The program offers internationally recognized RNCP certifications, with RNCP 6 equivalent to a bachelor’s degree and RNCP 7 equivalent to a master’s degree, giving graduates a competitive edge in Türkiye and globally.
According to the WURI Ranking 2025, the 42 model ranks third globally in the “Innovative Schools” category, highlighting its role in Türkiye’s digital transformation.
