Mehmet Emin Saraç Anatolian Imam Hatip High School

M. Emin Saraç Anadolu İmam Hatip Lisesi, located in the Başakşehir district of İstanbul, is an Anadolu imam hatip high school under the General Directorate of Religious Education of the Ministry of National Education. The school operates as a centralized project school offering the Science and Social Sciences Program and admitting students through centralized examinations. The duration of education, including the preparatory class, is five years.

The campus construction was completed in eight months, and the school opened in the 2013–2014 academic year with 410 students. The Hafızlık Project was launched on 17 March 2015. In the 2015–2016 academic year, the school gained the status of “School with a Preparatory Class” and became an official “Project School” following governmental approval on 20 April 2016. Initially offering preparatory classes only in Arabic, the school added English and Russian language tracks in the 2018–2019 academic year. According to the 2019 placement results, it ranked second among all imam hatip high schools in Türkiye and 23rd among all high schools in Istanbul. Having graduated its first cohort in the 2016–2017 academic year, the school currently educates 576 active students.^【1】

In addition to its administrative affiliation with the Ministry of National Education, the school operates with the status of a special state project school. Mehmet Emin Saraç Dormitories are affiliated with the İlim Yayma Cemiyeti. Dormitory activities are organized according to the school calendar, and students may also participate in the society’s events.

The school’s educational system spans a total of five years, including the preparatory class. The Science and Social Sciences Program is implemented jointly. Students choosing the science track follow the curriculum and textbooks of Science High Schools. Students in the social sciences track follow the curriculum and textbooks of Social Sciences High Schools.

The weekly schedule includes common and subject-specific courses such as Turkish Language and Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, and Philosophy, taught according to the hours specified in the official curriculum. In addition, students receive Computer Science instruction.

M. Emin Saraç Anadolu İmam Hatip Lisesi graduated its first cohort in the 2016–2017 academic year. The school’s admission scores and percentile rankings in centralized exams have improved over the years. Based on the 2025 LGS results, the minimum scores and percentiles are as follows:

• English Section (5 Years – Science and Social Sciences Program): Minimum score: 468.4725
• Arabic Section (5 Years – Science and Social Sciences Program): Minimum score: 461.1941
• Russian Section (5 Years – Science and Social Sciences Program): Minimum score: 459.7211^【2】

^{Emin Saraç Cep Sineması (Fotoğraf: Azra Karaca)}

• General Campus Infrastructure: The largest imam hatip campus in Türkiye, with a covered area of 65,000 m². The campus also includes a middle school for 2,300 students, a dining hall for 1,500, and a mosque for 1,000.
• School Building Units: 41 classrooms,
• 1 physics laboratory, 1 chemistry laboratory, 1 biology laboratory, 2 computer labs, 2 cinema halls, 2 indoor sports halls, 1 artificial turf field, hobby rooms, two conference halls with capacities of 1,000 and 400, seven multipurpose halls, one music classroom, two art classrooms, one infirmary, and three libraries with a combined capacity of 25,000 books.
• Accommodation: Boarding services are provided in male and female dormitories affiliated with the İlim Yayma Cemiyeti.^【3】

• Administration: The principal is Eyyüp Demir.
• Staff: There are 70 full-time teachers employed at the institution.

^{Emin Saraç Büyük Mescid (}MEB⁾

The school implements an academic Hafızlık Project designed to complement students’ existing academic programs without disruption. Students participating in the project continue their memorization studies under the supervision and guidance of master hafız teachers during non-instructional hours. Students who complete their memorization are sent to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage through school arrangements.

Various clubs operate within the school to enhance students’ intellectual, social, cultural, and technical skills. These clubs and their primary activities are as follows:

^{Emin Saraç Hat Odası (}MEB⁾

^{Siyer Gazetesi (Fotoğraf: Azra Karaca)}

• Siyer Gazette Club: Organizes the school magazine and the Siyer Gazetesi, which engage in multilingual publishing.
• Strategy Club: Conducts theoretical studies to develop students’ analytical thinking, global analysis, and strategic planning skills.
• Ummah Geography Club: Undertakes research and analysis on the cultural, historical, and sociological structures of the Islamic world.
• Idea Academy: Organizes philosophical, literary, and academic reading and discussion programs to support students’ intellectual development.
• Goodness Movement Club: Organizes social responsibility projects, environmental awareness activities, and community assistance initiatives.
• Arabic Debate Club: Prepares students for national and international debate competitions to enhance their oratory and language skills.
• Gastronomy Club: Conducts activities focused on culinary arts, food cultures, and practical kitchen skills.
• Archery Club: Provides theoretical and practical training in traditional and modern archery disciplines.
• UAV-SUAV-Robotics Club: Develops projects in unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous systems, robotics programming, and technological modeling.

Under social and artistic activities, the school organizes traditional crafts exhibitions, tile painting workshops, and art exhibitions. In sports, students participate in tournaments under the Imam Hatip Schools Sports Games, athletics competitions, climbing events, and volleyball matches.

Foreign language instruction is delivered by a team of qualified Turkish and foreign-national teachers. In preparatory classes, the total weekly instructional load is 40 hours.

^{Büyük Konferans Salonu (}MEB⁾

To support language education, students participate in Model United Nations (MUN) simulations and international-standard debate programs. These hands-on activities allow students to experience diplomatic negotiations, develop oratory skills, and elevate their foreign language proficiency to a global level.

• Arabic Project Section: Preparatory class students receive 20 hours of Arabic, 7 hours of English, 4 hours of Qur’an, 3 hours of Turkish, 3 hours of Mathematics, 2 hours of Physical Education, and 1 hour of Guidance per week.
• English Project Section: The weekly language load consists of 20 hours of English and 7 hours of Arabic. Remaining hours are allocated to Qur’an, Turkish, Mathematics, Physical Education, and Guidance.
• Russian Project Section: The preparatory curriculum includes 20 hours of Russian and 7 hours of Arabic per week. Students in this group are planned to resume English instruction from the point they left upon entering 9th grade.^【4】

To enhance language skills, overseas programs are organized according to the language track of the preparatory class:

• Jordan Program: For students in the Arabic program, a two-month educational program in Jordan is offered annually during the academic year.
• United Kingdom Program: During summer, English project section students participate in language programs in Leicester and London, United Kingdom.
• Russia Program: Russian language students participate in educational and practical programs in Kazan, Russia.^【5】

In its first graduating year, 2016–2017, the school placed 198 students into higher education programs. In the 2017–2018 academic year, this number rose to 256.

^{Yks 2025 Dereceleri (Yapay Zeka ile Oluşturulmuştur.)}

Based on the 2025 YKS results, the school’s mass rankings are as follows:

• Top 500: 10 placements
• Top 1,000: 20 placements
• Top 5,000: 46 placements
• Top 10,000: 67 placements
• Top 20,000: 111 placements

According to the 2025 YKS placement results, the distribution of graduates into undergraduate programs by field is as follows:

• Health Sciences: 23 students enrolled in Medical Schools, 5 in Pharmacy Schools, and 4 in Dental Schools.
• Technical Sciences and Architecture: 36 students enrolled in Engineering Schools and 3 in Architecture Departments.
• Law, Administrative and Social Sciences: 7 students enrolled in Business/Economics programs, 5 in Law Schools, 3 in Management Information Systems (MIS), and 2 in Political Science and International Relations.
• Religious Sciences: 2 students enrolled in Theology Schools.
• Other Programs: A total of 14 students were placed in other undergraduate programs.^【6】

^{Mesfest (Fotoğraf: Azra Karaca)}

The school places strong emphasis on preserving the imam hatip tradition. To strengthen institutional identity, various practices have been implemented, including beginning morning classes with salawat recitations and playing traditional melodies during breaks. Events such as the Graduates’ Iftar, Alumni Iftar, MESFEST, Arabic Days, and Graduates’ Pilav Day are organized to maintain bonds between current students and alumni. A significant portion of these activities is coordinated through MESDER, one of the foundational organizations uniting alumni and school members.

Projects such as “Mesaile” and “Hafızlık Mentor Abla” are also designed to bridge the gap between alumni and current students. Under these initiatives, alumni share their experiences with current students, providing academic, social, and spiritual guidance. This fosters a continuous communication network among members across different generations.