Le Cordon Bleu × Özyeğin University · Istanbul

The World's Most
Prestigious Culinary
Diploma.

Earn a Le Cordon Bleu qualification in Istanbul — the only campus in the Middle East. We handle your entire application. No English exam required.

Apply Free Explore programs
130+
Years of culinary excellence
4
Intakes per year
1,850
On-campus dormitory beds
Free
No English exam required
Green macaron Christmas tree — Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul patisserie students
About the program

The Only Le Cordon Bleu
in the Middle East

Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul is born from a unique partnership between the world's most iconic culinary institution and Özyeğin University — signed in July 2012. It is the only Le Cordon Bleu campus in the Middle East and Central Asia, set on a stunning 220,000 m² campus in Çekmeköy, Istanbul.

CulinaryDiploma is a licensed Turkish education agency with a direct commission agreement with Özyeğin University. We guide you through every step — documents, visa, dormitory — at a clear, transparent cost.

—Globally recognised diploma — identical credential to Paris, London, Tokyo campuses
—3,650 m² Center of Excellence — 10 professional kitchens, sensory lab, practice restaurant
—All foreign chef-instructors — instruction entirely in English, no language exam required
—4 intakes per year — Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. Start when it suits you
—130 nationalities represented across Le Cordon Bleu's global student body
Why Istanbul

Four reasons this
campus changes things.

Affordable European Prestige

The Istanbul campus delivers the same Le Cordon Bleu curriculum and diploma as Paris or London — at considerably lower tuition. The credential is identical. The cost is not. For international students especially, Istanbul is the most accessible Le Cordon Bleu campus in the world.

No English Exam Required

Unlike most European culinary schools, Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul requires no IELTS, TOEFL, or any language certificate. You simply need the ability to follow lessons in English. Our consultants can help you prepare if needed.

Simple Entry for International Students

Turkey offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry for citizens of many countries. Our multilingual consultants guide you from first enquiry to arrival — in your own language.

Istanbul as a Culinary City

Study in one of the world's great food cities, where Eastern and Western traditions collide daily. From the Spice Bazaar to Michelin-starred fine dining — Istanbul is a living classroom for anyone serious about food.

Programs

Choose your path.

15 programmes across 4 categories. All taught in English by international chef-instructors. No prior culinary experience required for Basic level.

33 weeks · 3 semesters · 900+ hours

Grand Diplôme®

The world's most prestigious culinary qualification. Combines the full Diplôme de Cuisine and Diplôme de Pâtisserie — the credential trusted by Michelin-starred chefs worldwide. Taught simultaneously over 9 months: 6 hours per day, 3 days per week for Cuisine, 2 days for Pâtisserie.

Tuition$51,000
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33 weeks · 180 hours per level

Diplôme de Cuisine

Three progressive levels — Basic, Intermediate, Superior — teaching everything from knife skills and stocks to advanced plating and à la minute cooking. 6 hours a day, 3 days a week. Students graduate with the professional foundation to work in any serious kitchen.

Tuition$28,500
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33 weeks · 120 hours per level

Diplôme de Pâtisserie

Three progressive levels from fundamental pastry technique to advanced sugar work, chocolate, and plated desserts. 6 hours a day, 2 days a week. Covers viennoiserie, entremets, chocolate, confectionery, and French boulangerie at professional level.

Tuition$25,200
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4 intakes per year: Winter · Spring · Summer · Fall. No prior culinary experience required. Applicants must be 18 or older.

22 weeks · 240 hours · 6 hrs/day, 2 days/week

Diplôme de Cuisine Turque

A two-level diploma combining Classical and Regional Turkish cuisine. Covers 125+ years of preserved techniques, recipes, and culinary heritage through practice sessions, demonstrations, and field trips. Classes conducted in English with Turkish demonstration translation.

Tuition$10,500
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11 weeks · 120 hours

Classical Turkish Cuisine

Deep dive into the techniques and traditions of Ottoman and classical Turkish cuisine — meze, kebabs, pilaf, and palace dishes. Can be taken independently or as the first level of the full Turkish Cuisine Diploma.

Tuition$6,250
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11 weeks · 120 hours

Regional Turkish Cuisine

Explore Turkey's extraordinary regional food diversity — Aegean, Anatolian, Black Sea, southeastern. A programme unavailable at any other Le Cordon Bleu campus in the world.

Tuition$5,750
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Turkish Cuisine programmes are exclusive to the Istanbul campus. An exceptional choice for chefs focused on the Middle Eastern, Central Asian, or Turkish food industry.

Each diploma consists of three 11-week certificate levels. You may enrol at any individual level. Completing all three awards the full diploma.

11 weeks each · 180 hours per level

Cuisine Certificates

Basic Cuisine Certificate$11,200
Intermediate Cuisine Certificate$10,000
Superior Cuisine Certificate$10,750
Apply for details →
11 weeks each · 120 hours per level

Pâtisserie Certificates

Basic Pâtisserie Certificate$10,000
Intermediate Pâtisserie Certificate$8,700
Superior Pâtisserie Certificate$9,500
Apply for details →
10 weeks · Saturdays · 60 hours

Weekend Cuisine Programme

A Saturday-only format designed for working professionals. Covers knife skills, stocks, sauces, French fundamentals, pasta, pastry, roasting, braising, and menu planning. Awarded a Le Cordon Bleu certificate on completion.

Tuition$4,250
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10 days · 60 hours

Intensive Bakery Programme

A concentrated introduction to professional bread-making — French breads, sourdough, enriched doughs, gluten-free, artisan breads including Brioche and Kugelhopf. Covers fermentation theory, shaping techniques, and health regulations.

Tuition$4,250
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10 days · 60 hours

Chocolate & Confectionery

A comprehensive course on chocolate technique — theory, tempering, pralines, truffles, nougat, marzipan, pâte de fruits, and confectionery production. For those wanting to specialise in chocolate as a profession or craft.

Tuition$4,750
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Short courses and the Weekend Programme award an official Le Cordon Bleu certificate of completion — not a diploma. Short Term Gourmet Courses (single-day workshops) are also available — ask us for the current schedule.

Tuition fees

Full fee schedule.

All fees in USD for international students. Academic year 2025–2026. Fees cover tuition only — accommodation and living costs are separate.

ProgrammeDurationTuition (USD)
Diplomas & Grand DiplômeLong-form
Grand Diplôme® Most popular33 weeks$51,000
Diplôme de Cuisine33 weeks$28,500
Diplôme de Pâtisserie33 weeks$25,200
Cuisine CertificatesIndividual levels
Basic Cuisine Certificate11 weeks$11,200
Intermediate Cuisine Certificate11 weeks$10,000
Superior Cuisine Certificate11 weeks$10,750
Pâtisserie CertificatesIndividual levels
Basic Pâtisserie Certificate11 weeks$10,000
Intermediate Pâtisserie Certificate11 weeks$8,700
Superior Pâtisserie Certificate11 weeks$9,500
Turkish Cuisine — Exclusive to IstanbulOnly here
Diplôme de Cuisine Turque22 weeks$10,500
Classical Turkish Cuisine Programme11 weeks$6,250
Regional Turkish Cuisine Programme11 weeks$5,750
Short Courses & Intensive ProgrammesCertificate of completion
Weekend Cuisine Programme (Saturdays)10 weeks · 60 hrs$4,250
Intensive Bakery Programme10 days · 60 hrs$4,250
Chocolate and Confectionery Programme10 days · 60 hrs$4,750

Fees are for tuition only and do not include accommodation, materials, uniform, or living costs. Fees are set by Özyeğin University and subject to change — contact us to confirm current fees before applying. A non-refundable pre-registration payment is required to book your space, no later than 6 weeks before the programme start date.

Our instructors

World-class chefs.
Real kitchens.

All Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul chef-instructors are foreign professionals trained at the world's finest establishments. A selection of the faculty:

Technical Director · Cuisine

Chef Erich Ruppen

Swiss Chef Diploma. Worked across Bermuda, South Africa, and Turkey. Executive Chef for the Swiss International Hotel Group and Gate Gourmet/USAS. Technical Director at Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul since 2017. Member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs since 1996.

Cuisine Chef Instructor

Chef Andreas Erni

Swiss Diploma. Career spanning Switzerland, New York, and Istanbul — including roles at Swissôtel properties. Joined the Movenpick Istanbul team in 2011 before becoming Chef Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul in 2018.

Cuisine Chef Instructor

Chef Luca De Astis

Italian, Kitchen Management diploma. Career from Milan's Michelin-starred restaurants to Barcelona, Istanbul's Grand Tiffi and Kempinski Bodrum. Joined Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul as Chef Instructor in 2020.

Cuisine Chef Instructor

Chef Alican Saygı

Trained under Paul Bocuse in Lyon and at Institut Paul Bocuse. Worked at two 2-Michelin-star restaurants including "Restaurant André" in Taiwan — ranked 14th in Asia. First Turkish chef to pass the Le Cordon Bleu instructor tests in 2017.

Pastry Department Head

Chef Marc Pauquet

Belgian. Trained in Raeren, Belgium and café pastry in Aachen. Built the "Chocolate Academy" and "Atelier Bleu" brand for Middle East and Africa markets. Joined Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul as Pastry Department Head in 2019.

Pâtisserie Chef Instructor

Chef Paul Métay

French. Inspired to become a pastry chef at age four by his grandfather. Trained among the Compagnons du Devoir in France. Worked in the UK, Norway, UAE, Russia, Cyprus, Turkey, Poland, and Jordan before joining Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul in November 2018.

Campus life

Life on campus.

Özyeğin University's Çekmeköy Campus is a peaceful, purpose-built campus situated on 220,000 m² of land in Istanbul. Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul occupies a dedicated 3,650 m² Center of Excellence on campus — with 10 professional kitchens, a sensory analysis laboratory, the L'Atelier Bleu practice restaurant, and a 350-person capacity auditorium.

The campus is served by Özyeğin University shuttle buses from several points across Istanbul, running multiple times per day.

Dormitory facilities
—1,850 student capacity — multiple dormitory buildings on campus
—Room options for 1–4 persons, with or without en-suite bathroom; each room has a fridge
—Free laundry facilities, individual and group study rooms, lounges, guest rooms, TV rooms
—Health centre, ATMs, cafeterias — all within walking distance to academic buildings
—24/7 security, hot water, ambulance service, surveillance system, wireless internet
—Football, basketball, volleyball courts, tennis court, fitness centre
—Supermarket and hairdresser on campus; multiple food outlets from cafeteria to restaurants
—Dormitory reservation requires full tuition payment — registration assistance included in Package 2
Admission

Entry requirements.

Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul welcomes students from all backgrounds. No prior culinary experience required for Basic level entry. No English exam required.

Requirements
—Minimum age 18 at time of enrolment
—No English exam required — competency to follow English-language lessons is sufficient. No IELTS, TOEFL, or TRACE needed for LCB programmes
—No prior culinary experience required for Basic level; prior experience or certificate recommended for Intermediate and Superior entry
—High school diploma or equivalent secondary education credential
—Proof of financial capacity to cover tuition and living expenses
4 intakes per year
Winter
Jan–Feb
Spring
Mar–Apr
Summer
Jun–Jul
Fall
Sep–Oct

Contact us for exact intake dates for the current academic year.

Required documents
01Completed Application Form — duly signed
02Copy of identity card or passport — photo page
032 passport-size photographs
04High school diploma — with notarised translation into English or Turkish if needed
05Academic transcripts from secondary education
06Health certificate — chest X-ray, Stool Test (Stool Microscopy + Stool Culture)
07Receipt of pre-registration payment

Applications are submitted online. Once evaluated by the Admissions Committee, you will receive a letter of admission/refusal. Pre-registration payment must be made no later than 6 weeks before the programme start date — this payment is non-refundable. We assist with every document in our service packages.

Our service

Transparent pricing.
No surprises.

Every journey starts with a free consultation. We offer two service packages depending on how much support you need.

Start here

Free Consultation

$0
No commitment
—Answer all your questions about programs, admission, and costs
—Discuss your goals and recommend the right programme
—Explain life in Istanbul and what to expect
—No obligation — just honest, personal guidance
Book free consultation
Package 1

Admission

$300
What's included
—Motivation letter — written by our consultants
—Preparation and submission of all documents to the university
—Consultant support throughout the application process
Choose Package 1
Package 2 — Recommended

Full Support

$900
Everything in Package 1, plus
—Medical insurance in Turkey — arranged and paid
—Ikamet (Turkish residence permit) — full assistance
—Airport pickup on arrival day
—Campus tour and university orientation accompaniment
—Document translation (all required documents)
—Final registration at the university — full assistance
—Dormitory registration assistance
Choose Package 2

Both packages are paid directly to CulinaryDiploma — separate from your university tuition. Package pricing does not include tuition fees, dormitory costs, or health certificate. We recommend Package 2 for students coming from abroad — it removes every practical obstacle between you and your first day of class.

How it works

From first message
to first day of class.

01

Free Consultation

Fill in the form. A consultant contacts you within 24 hours — in English or Russian — to discuss your goals and choose the right programme and package.

02

Application

We write your motivation letter, prepare your documents, and submit your application to Özyeğin University online. You review and approve everything.

03

Admission & Payment

After acceptance, you make the pre-registration payment to the university to secure your place. We guide you through the entire payment process.

04

Arrival & Start

Package 2 clients: we pick you up from the airport, complete dormitory registration, and accompany you through campus orientation. You start class ready.

FAQ

Common questions.

Yes. Le Cordon Bleu diplomas are recognised by culinary employers, luxury hotel groups, and food industry professionals worldwide. The Istanbul campus issues the exact same diploma as Paris, London, or Tokyo — there is no distinction between campuses from an employer's perspective.

No. Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul officially states: "There is not any English proficiency examination requirement — however competency in English language is required to follow the lessons." You do not need IELTS, TOEFL, or the Özyeğin University TRACE exam. The TRACE exam applies only to students enrolling in Özyeğin's undergraduate degree programmes, not to Le Cordon Bleu diploma students.

Tuition ranges from $4,250 for short 10-day programmes to $51,000 for the Grand Diplôme (33 weeks). The Diplôme de Cuisine is $28,500 and the Diplôme de Pâtisserie is $25,200. See the full fee table in the Tuition section above. These fees are for tuition only and do not include accommodation, meals, or materials.

We offer two packages: Package 1 (Admission, $300) covers your application, motivation letter, document submission, and consultant support throughout the process. Package 2 (Full Support, $900) adds medical insurance, residence permit assistance, airport pickup, document translation, dormitory registration assistance, and full arrival support. Both are paid separately from your university tuition.

Absolutely. We welcome students from all countries. Turkey offers visa-free or simplified entry for many nationalities. Our consultants speak multiple languages and provide support throughout the process.

Internship placement is not guaranteed for international students. According to the official Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul policy, formal internship placement is currently available only for Turkish citizens who achieve a grade of 85 or above in their Diplôme de Cuisine or Diplôme de Pâtisserie. International students are of course free to pursue their own internship opportunities — the Le Cordon Bleu name opens many doors globally.

Yes. Each diploma is made up of three 11-week levels — Basic, Intermediate, and Superior. You can enrol at any level independently. Completing all three earns you the full diploma. This allows you to start at your experience level, or take a break between levels.

The Özyeğin University dormitories house 1,850 students in rooms for 1–4 persons (with or without en-suite bathroom), each with a fridge. Facilities include free laundry, study rooms, cafeterias, health centre, 24/7 security, ambulance service, fitness centre, tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts, and a campus supermarket. Dormitory reservation requires full tuition payment to be made first. Our Package 2 includes dormitory registration assistance.

Get started

Start your application.

Fill in the form and a consultant contacts you within 24 hours to discuss your goals and choose the right package.

Your information is never shared with third parties.